My, how time flies

I can't believe it's been four days since we posted anything. I'm sorry if we caused you to worry.

Friday night was a difficult time for pain management. (note to self: when no one will listen, insist they call the physician on call at home, no matter what time it is). Saturday was a nice family day. Vern came up for the day with the children. My mom and dad came down for the morning. The visits were very nice, but overshadowed by James' pain which still wasn't being fully managed--although we were working on it and making a little bit of progress. Vern took Katie home and left Hannah to help. I miss Katie, but am glad for the time with Hannah. This has been a great opportunity for her to examine more closely her interest in nursing.

By Saturday night we made a couple of pain management leaps, which helped. On Sunday we think we finally figured it out. That helped a lot, but the delay in managing James' pain resulted in a nasty rash on his back and some constriction in his lungs. He had some nebulizer treatments, but sitting up and moving around seemed to have helped a great deal. The doctors aren't exactly sure what the rash is, but yeast is suspected and so he is getting an anti fungal for this.

By Sunday morning, he was already passing gas and waste (it's more liquid than normal stool) into his new ileostomy bag. Monday morning we tried a little bit of pedialyte into his g-tube. His belly got firm again--but just up top (if that makes sense). We stopped the feeds and I heard this morning they may try again today. The oncology doctors and the surgeons are hopeful that with his colon now resting and things emptying out that his stomach will start working again. Although I don't share their optimism, I surely hope they are right!

Monday morning I woke up and thought for sure it was Sunday. With James' pain better controlled, we were able to get him out of bed to snuggle and play a little. He was pretty need-y. At bedtime, we decided it was time to switch back to one hospital bed. (I never did get a picture, but we had a hospital bed up at full height next to a hospital crib. One of the nurses suggested it since she had noticed that James finds a great deal of comfort in snuggling either with me or one of his sisters.) We were thrilled to claim the extra space back. The room seems much bigger again.

Kris, James' social worker, is trying to get another motel room for Friday night so Vern and the children can come and spend some more family time with us. We are looking forward to more time together. I hope, by then, James will no longer need his pain meds so we can really enjoy the time together. Another case worker is looking for aid that would cover James' at home medical needs until his medical assistance is approved.

Please pray that James' rash will clear up quickly, that he will recover fully from his surgery, that his stomach will begin to move things out of it on his own.

I will try to get some photos up soon.

Love, Stephanie