Paisley is THREE!!!

On Tuesday we celebrated Paisley's third birthday.

We had a pretty low-key day just hanging around the house.

Macaroni and cheese and that's all for lunch...

Reading some new Berenstain Bear books from the Uhls...

Looking at HER mail (don't ya just love the panties and shoes on the wrong feet!)...

Let the party festivities begin...

 

  

Some of the party guests...

What a great party!!!!

A wonderful evening with amazing family and friends!

Home and Doing Well

It was brought to my attention (thanks for the reminder, Moira!) that I hadn't posted to say Beckett was home. I'm glad people rely on this blog and actually read all this stuff I take the time to write!!!! 

So, we were discharged Sunday around 10 am. We are to watch for normal shunt failure signs (fussy, not eating as usual, fontanel bulging, just not right). Follow up appointment on January 6. The sutures on the 2 incisions on his head are dissolvable. The sutures on his belly will be removed at the appointment in January. He has quite the war wounds now, poor guy! No bouncy seat, exersaucer (which he was just beginning to LOVE), or rough play until we go back in January. We were also told to keep him laying flat as much as possible. This is to allow the ventricles to shrink back to normal size on their own. If they shrink back to fast, this could cause bleeding, which we sure don't want. Sunday and yesterday were kind of nightmarish as far as keeping him flat and CONSTANTLY entertained! I called Dr. Moriarty's office today and Joy gave us the okay to hold him and have him upright. Being flat when he is asleep should be good enough. Thank goodness!!!!! He was wearing me out and I felt like a circus act dancing, singing, shaking every toy imaginable in front of his face. Poor thing felt neglected. When I hold him flat he thinks he needs to go to sleep. Laying on a blanket on the floor to play is fine for about 15 minutes, then he's ready to move on. So...hopefully today and the rest of my Christmas break will be a bit more enjoyable!

So happy to be HOME!

A game of Cooties with Paisley and Daddy.

And a concert by Paisley! Nothing like home and back to normal!

Today is the princess' third birthday. Hard to believe! 

Can't wait to celebrate with our family and friends tonight!!

Back to Beckett

After waking up with no bottle Friday morning. And a wild sister ready to "hold" you. ha!

 To arriving at the hospital only to still not be fed.

To wearing some silly yellow gown. Doesn't he just look like he knows something not good is about to happen???

To having 2 incisions on his head and one in his belly.

Beckett woke up and was ready to eat last night around 6. Slept most of the night pretty soundly, as much as possible in a hospital. Booo! 

Good Morning, Daddy!

Doing well. Plan is to stay again tonight. He can sit up and be pretty normal this afternoon. They still want him to lay as much as possible so the ventricles can go back down to normal size on their own.

Keep praying for a speedy recovery!

Surgery is Complete!

Dr. Moriarty just came out to tell us that Beckett's shunt "revision" is complete. No issues. He actually completely removed the shunt and replaced the device and tubing. Dr. Moriarty is not the doctor that placed his shunt, an associate at the time did. I THINK he would rather just start over fresh. Interesting and I think I may learn some information about that associate in the coming days.

So, new shunt. New location. It is now in the usual behind the ear location. :))) Yeah for no big bulge on top of his head!! 3 incisions (old shunt site to remove it, new shunt site, and belly for the tubing). Whole half of his head is shaved. :( He is in recovery now. We will see him when he is in his room within the hour. 

SO thankful for an amazing surgeon, medical team, and Kosair Children's Hospital. 

I'll post some pictures and an update later tonight.

Thank you so much for ALL the prayers. Keep them coming for a speedy recovery!

The Ugly 8 Letter Word

REVISION

 Beckett will be having a shunt revision on Friday morning. We had the MRI today, which went wonderfully. He should have been sedated, but the staff at Kosair Children's hospital is so wonderful, we were able to avoid that. I got him to sleep and was able to go with him to have the test. We laid him down and he was still asleep. Put him in the "tunnel" and still asleep. First VERY loud noise and he was crying and flailing like crazy! The wonderful ladies talked about the different things they could try and finally decided that they would wrap him up tight and one of the nurses would lay on the table with him and hold his paci in. Seriously????? How wonderful!! Got it done and off to Dr. Moriarty's office. Waited for a while. In the room. NP came in to make some awkward chit chat. Took one look at the MRI and said "Okay, I'll be back in a few minutes." She left the report and MRI films up on the computer screen...of course I had most everything figured out by the time Dr. Moriarty came in. The fluid in the ventricles of his brain have significantly increased since the CT done in September. The fluid is actually very similar to the CT from July 9, the day the shunt was placed. Not happy of course, but thankful. To look at Beckett or play with him, you would never know anything was wrong. He shows none of the signs and symptoms I look for every day. 

So we are anxiously awaiting Friday and ready to get this over with. 

Dr. Moriarty~take good care of our baby boy!

Taken today (with my phone hence the blurriness) while waiting for the MRI...sure doesn't look sick and in need of surgery!

Of course, we need your prayers.

-Quick and easy surgery

-Good results and a functioning shunt again

-Only staying one night in the hospital as expected

-Little pain for Beckett

-Back to his normal, happy self in no time!

MRI on Wednesday

When you say your prayers before bed tonight...

Say an extra for us please.

When you are getting ready in the morning...

Say one more prayer please.

When you are getting ready to eat lunch...

Say another prayers please.

Beckett has a routine MRI scheduled for tomorrow at noon. We are arriving at 10:30 with last bottle at 6:30 am (will be difficult for a very routine Beckett). We have no reason to believe that his shunt is not functioning properly, however I will be SO glad when we know for sure. We have an appointment with Dr. Moriarty, his neurosurgeon, following the MRI for the results. I am also very nervous because Christmas is only 10 days away and if something is wrong that needs to be "adjusted" that will be cutting it awfully close to the holiday. On top of the test tomorrow he also started with a pretty nasty cold on Sunday. He is snotty, coughing, sneezing... just a mess and so pitiful. First illness AT ALL, so we are very lucky.

Hoping for good news tomorrow and peace of mind.

Click Pictures

Paisley and Beckett had their pictures taken Tuesday night. Here is the link to view them if you want! :)

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/thumbpage.aspx?e=7529887