Released from the hospital...5 loooong days

Finally getting a chance to catch up on what all has been going on with our Kenny. On Wednesday, he finally got discharged from the hospital. It was a long 5 days in there. My motherly instinct was right...get him in there...We found out that he had RSV.

(these pictures were after his fever broke)Friday and Saturday nights were bad. His oxygen sats were in the mid 80's. We tried putting a nasal cannula on him (for oxygen), but he wanted no part of that. He ripped it off of him quicker than we could get it on him! So...what did we end up doing? Well, while he slept, we made sure he had a blow by blowing in his face. It helped him so much...but it also kept me up all night with him. The minute I heard his alarm go off, there I was, putting the oxygen by his face. Then we got the usual crazy stuff happen while there...bloody nose from too much suction (cleaning snots), the usual...pulling out the tubing from the IV. Oh...and let me tell you...they got a great vein, those nurses. The one night, he pulled out his IV, so we (the nurses) had to put a new one in...then, on Sunday, he decided to pull the tubing out...blood everywhere...and lots of it! And there you have me holding and applying pressure to the IV site so the blood would stop pouring out...the needle was still in...he just pulled the tube out! And then, finally, you have the puke and the occasional G-tube leak. All in all..it was a pretty uneventful stay...hahaha! His temperature broke the second night (thank goodness), and the cough and boogers are still going strong.

A huge shout out to my niece and sisters. Thank you for helping us out so I could be at the hospital with him. He really hates being left alone there anymore...as I HATE leaving him there..alone. Ugh...it breaks my heart! The nurses and child life were wonderful...with letting him play with toys and keeping him company. By day 4, he was feeling much better (minus the continuous snot supply in his nose) and was back to lining up his cars and blocks.

He also found a new use for those tubs that they use for sponge baths...a hat!We also found out a little bit more of what we are dealing with with him. I honestly thought it was just going to be a "oh, he's just a micro preemie." comment...and really wish it was that...but instead, we ended up getting so much more. I will update when I talk to his neurologist and Comp. Care doctor next week. I want to make sure I understand everything that they have found. There was mention of Microcephaly (which we already knew), a cyst and a small cerebellum, along with him needing hemoglobin transfusions (his body isn't absorbing vaccines and his red blood cell count is low)...but like I said, I'll post more when I know all the details.

I am just very grateful that he's home and back to his old self...minus some coughing. His smile brightens up my world!

Pneumonia and Kenny

I've been gone for a couple of days because our little Kenny was hospitalized for Pneumonia.
Tony took him into his routine Pulmonologist appt. on Tuesday, the doctor took one look at him and placed him in the hospital with IV antibiotics, fluids, liquid steroids and Albuterol every couple of hours. He spent 2 days there...and it did wonders...for him. He now has diarrhea from the medicine. While in the hospital, he learned the sign for "more". He does it all the time now! Next week, we are going to a "signing snowman" party given by the Hearing loss center. It sounds like fun for the whole family.
Today is the 22nd angelversary for my brother, John. I remember that day like it was yesterday. My parents were taking my twin and I to tour Bowling Green State University...It was such a special day because none of their kids went to college...this was the first time looking at a college for their kids! Anyhow...we got there and a police car stopped our car as we were in a parking lot. The officer told my parents to follow them to the station. There, They had to call home. My sister told them the news that my brother died. He has a heart attack. At age 24! I never saw my parents cry so hard. That whole way home was torture. We all were so sad. My parents' hearts were broken forever. How could this happen? Their only son...a young father of 2 and one on the way...my only brother. Why? I remember them pulling the car over several times just to hold each other and cry. We got to the hospital and were taken in the family room, where everyone was. My parents went to see John in the room that they worked on him. Who would of thought that 21 years later, I would be experiencing the same heartache. I asked my parents when does the missing, the sadness, the emptiness go away...they told me that it doesn't, it just gets easier to live with.
John was a crazy brother...he was so typical of a big brother...always picking on his little sisters. LOL. He worked with at the High school that we attended. Loved by all. One of the last memories I have is of him sitting in the auditorium and listening to our singing group, The Heights Singers, practice for our winter concert. We made it through the concert, but with many tears! So John...I love and miss you dear brother. Your kids are beautiful. I wish you were here so I can make fun of your gray hair...or being a grandpa...but since you are not, Please take care of Nick for me.

Post Thanksgiving

Ah...Thanksgiving is over and it all seemed like a blur! When you have 7 kids, 4 of whom are sick...it is not a warm feeling (unless they are puking from coughing so hard)!

There is not much to be thankful for this year...I really wish there was. Financially, we are not doing that great, the kids, especially Kenny, hasn't been feeling well...not to mention all the problems (developmentally, hearing, lungs and eating) he has. My other kids are feeling tons of stress in our house, which I really want to tell them it will get better...but I need to believe it first. I feel like we are in a dark hole that we cant get out of.

Enough of my depressing babble...

We did, however, make something that I haven't made since I was a little girl...

Salt Dough ornaments! It is very fun...and the kids had a blast! (this was the LAST WEEK) LOL!

The holiday started off pretty well, on Thanksgiving eve the we all sat and cut up bread for the stuffing...it was one tradition that I really wanted to keep from when I was little. The kids were really into it this year. They knew exactly the size to cut the bread...it was very cute.

Then it was onto the pies...we made 4 chocolate and 2 pumpkin...I would have made more, but nobody told me that there was a difference between "sweetened" condensed milk and "non-sweetened"... I got the sweetened and was it thick! Kinda made the pumpkin pies take on an almost candy taste. The kids liked the chocolate pies better anyhow.

Onto Thanksgiving day....

Woke up nice and early (after being up with Gina and Kenny for about 4 hours total) at 6:30...started the stuffing, cleaned the 2 turkeys that we had. We usually get a 22 pounder, but instead, we bought a 12 and a 14 pounder. I was making 2 so one can stay here and one was to go over to my sister in laws house...since that was where we were going to have dinner this year. I was really looking forward to going...had the turkey, the brussel sprouts that we HAVE to have! Tony, my nephew John and his friend went to go to their annual "Turkey Bowl" football game. This was my husbands...I think 16th year...he will never get old...and that is what I like about him. He is always playing around like a kid. Loves football, baseball, basketball....anything that keeps him busy. I wish I had his energy! This is them getting ready to go have fun.

It all looked like everything was going like the perfect Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving I was hoping for...the kids were watching the Macy's Day Parade...my daughter Morgan looks forward to the Rockettes....ever since she was a little 3 yr. old...she had gotten to the point of critiqueing their outfits this year. She preferred last years outfits to this years. LOL! My Niece (John's wife) stayed over and was helping me with the kids. It was perfect....

until....

about a half hour before we were ready to leave, the 4 youngest ones started with the coughing that would not stop! What the heck was going on!

It ended up, that Tony took the 3 older ones to his sisters house while I stayed home with the sickies and made the side dishes for our dinner...which we were going to end up eating here. The kids took naps, and when Tony came home with the kids (around 5:30), Kayleigh and Kenny both had fevers of 102! Oh JOY! Then came the coughing that started the puking...um..can I get off the train yet...please? LOL

So fast forward a couple of days....3 nights from "you know where". Maybe....just maybe...8 hours of sleep TOTAL. It doesn't do a body or mind good.

Friday I took Kenny to get fitted for his hearing aids...It was a bittersweet moment. I know that he will be able to hear, and finally start picking up some more communication skills, but still...he has been through so much in his little life, that he shouldn't have to have a hearing problem. And yes, it is permanent. It isn't just for a short time...it is forever. It is a lot to take in. Anyhow, I picked out an almost indigo-ish color for the part that goes behind his ears, and the part that goes in his ears will be clear.

I also took him to his peds on Saturday morning because, again...all Friday night, he was up coughing and puking (from coughing so much). I was giving him his Pulmicort and Albuterol along with Vicks on his chest and back for his breathing...on a good note, he wasn't(isn't) wheezing...just coughing and breathing fast. The doctor just told me to keep up with the Albuterol for the cough. His pulse ox was 96...which is pretty normal for him...I was very relieved about that...I really thought he was going back in the hospital. I hate the cooler months for this reason.

We are all smooshed in this little house, we cant help but breathe on each other...there is no way around getting sick in here. My husband calls our house a "pathway" house...because there is only one path to walk through! And you know what...he is SO right!

I did put up the tree...we still have a lot of the decorations to put on it, but at least it is up...now to get my but in gear and take the "fall" decorations down from outside...maybe I'll make Tony do it. LOL!

I just want to say one more thing.

I want to thank the people on the site http://www.wishuponahero/, I put in a couple of wishes (under mtomecko)...one of which was for angel ornaments for our Christmas tree, and I have received my first one...It just made my day. You know, with all the bad going on in the world...and in my life, It is so nice to see that people that don't even know you, feel for you...care about you. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

Now if I can get someone to help out with the dream home wish (we could really use a miracle right about now)...LOL

I'm gonna end this post with a few random pics from the last few days...

Can Gina get any cuter!!!! LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS!!!

My two sick babies!

Our very own swipper the fox...he was hunting for his Thanksgiving dinner...squirrel...we actually have 3 foxes, one is light tan and huge, while the other 2 look like this!

Me...after 2 nights of no sleep...but I did get the tree up though! LOL! Just had to get a picture of Taylor in here.