Henry allowed me to sleep six hours straight at the hospital last night. He woke at seven, crying. I got up and found him SOAKED. I assumed his foley was kinked, and he was soaked in pee. But, as I took off his shirt, I realized that his Hickman was completely out. OUT! A surgically implanted central line OUT! Very quickly, four nurses were in our tiny room... they've never seen a Hickman pulled out either!
After the surgical resident assured us that it was pulled out whole, and after an X-Ray, and after oxycodone and ativan... we realized that ultimately he was fine. He got a new IV in his hand, and was fine. His labs looked good enough at 1000 that there was a rumor we may get to go home this afternoon. Then, at 1300, he spiked a fever...and not just a little fever, but a real fever. His heart rate is also really fast... so now we have started antibiotics, and the rumor of going home has vanished. A roller coaster morning.
On a happy note, he is very playful. He is laughing... I think he may be laughing at us. Every time we think we have a plan, Henry goes about changing it. How does he know? HOW DOES HE KNOW?
Luckily, we were close to postponing Owen's birthday party, but everything worked out that we were both able to be home. We had a fantastic afternoon!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Owen's Birthday
Guess who's three!? Owen! He's been talking about his birthday for weeks. We didn't mention that it was Owen's birthday this morning, for fear that we would need to postpone his party due to Henry's antics... but we figured it out. Lucas and I sang him Happy Birthday when he woke from his nap. I said, "Owen, you're THREE". He said, "turned three in bed while napping!"
He decided a few weeks ago that he wanted a chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting, with M&Ms on top. So, that's what he got. (not the prettiest of cakes, but it was made with a LOT of love)
Owen, doing his "Owen smile" in front of his presents.
He loved opening each and every present.
An AWESOME flight suit from Allie... you can't tell, but under his left hand it even has a patch with his name!
After presents, we had dinner... then the CAKE!
Took three tries, but he blew out all the candles!
He then took his fork, and dug into the cake... it did have his name on it!
We all laughed til we cried. Why hadn't we thought of this... brilliant! We just started passing the cake around and taking bites.
My little baby is three.
Taking Owen's lead... and digging in.
It got a little messy, so a naked Owen self-portrait soon followed.
Owen is the happiest, sweetest, most amazing little man. He makes me laugh, he makes me smile, he makes be so happy we decided to become parents.
He decided a few weeks ago that he wanted a chocolate cake, with chocolate frosting, with M&Ms on top. So, that's what he got. (not the prettiest of cakes, but it was made with a LOT of love)
Owen, doing his "Owen smile" in front of his presents.
He loved opening each and every present.
An AWESOME flight suit from Allie... you can't tell, but under his left hand it even has a patch with his name!
After presents, we had dinner... then the CAKE!
Took three tries, but he blew out all the candles!
He then took his fork, and dug into the cake... it did have his name on it!
We all laughed til we cried. Why hadn't we thought of this... brilliant! We just started passing the cake around and taking bites.
My little baby is three.
Taking Owen's lead... and digging in.
It got a little messy, so a naked Owen self-portrait soon followed.
Owen is the happiest, sweetest, most amazing little man. He makes me laugh, he makes me smile, he makes be so happy we decided to become parents. Thursday, May 19, 2011
Airport
Lucas got to come home early from work today, so we took the sunny day and went to Hillsboro airport. Owen was enjoying his water from Starbucks while watching the airplanes take off.
I just love Owen's smile face! And just look at Henry looking at Owen's hand, "he's actually TOUCHING me!!"
A very nice helicopter pilot let Owen and Henry sit in the Jet Ranger.
When I said it was time to leave, Owen said, "just one more airplane mommy." I think he melted Lucas' heart a wee bit.
I just love Owen's smile face! And just look at Henry looking at Owen's hand, "he's actually TOUCHING me!!"
A very nice helicopter pilot let Owen and Henry sit in the Jet Ranger.
When I said it was time to leave, Owen said, "just one more airplane mommy." I think he melted Lucas' heart a wee bit.
Self Portraits
Amazingly, I got three good self-portraits with each of my boys today. Even more amazing: they were all the first shot.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Hosptial
Our last trip at the hospital was a lot shorter than we had planned: three days instead of three weeks. It didn't give us much time for too many pictures, but a cute one of the boys playing in the window.
A sleeping baby.
A sleeping baby.
Henry
A few pictures of Henry at play.
In the "time tunnel"
Riding in the car, being pushed by Owen.
Bedtime with Lucas
Playing in the kitchen, how does he know how to use a phone already!?
He's getting so tall.
In the "time tunnel"
Riding in the car, being pushed by Owen.
Bedtime with Lucas
Playing in the kitchen, how does he know how to use a phone already!?
He's getting so tall.
Owen
Here are a few pictures of Owen from the past week or so.
When we were checking into the hospital on Mother's day, Owen (with the help of Lucas) became a fish in the front lobby aquarium.
Enjoying spaghetti last night for dinner. He eats a lot more if he forgoes the fork and uses his hands...
I say it often, Owen is our therapy. He makes us laugh... and laugh and laugh.
When we were checking into the hospital on Mother's day, Owen (with the help of Lucas) became a fish in the front lobby aquarium.
Enjoying spaghetti last night for dinner. He eats a lot more if he forgoes the fork and uses his hands...
I say it often, Owen is our therapy. He makes us laugh... and laugh and laugh.Monday, May 2, 2011
Update
I realize that I haven't updated this blog in a while about Henry's progress. Lucas and I both update our Caring Bridge blog often, but this one I seem to neglect. So, here's the update.
When your child has cancer, every day, every hour is a roller coaster. This past round of chemo was pretty rough on Henry. He developed horrible mouth sores, which made him not want to eat. He actually stopped eating, so we started TPN (all his nutrients and calories provided via his central line) But, when he started receiving all the calories he needed, he started playing and laughing and learning more than he has is a few weeks. Good and bad. Up and down.
We got a phone call last Thursday that told us his bone marrow biopsy he had on Wednesday showed he was in remission. In the same conversation, we were told to check in the next day to start a four week round of chemo. Up and down.
On Friday, we went to the clinic to start chemo. We were told that we would get to go home after chemo, and check in to the hospital for four weeks on Sunday. Good news, we get to go home. But then Henry's labs came back. He didn't have enough neutraphils (a type of WBC) to start chemo. Good and bad. Another weekend at home, but another delay in treatment.
Spending time at home is wonderful, normal, and perfect. But knowing what's looming ahead of us is like a million bricks holding us down. We laugh, we cry, we laugh because we're crying. A crazy roller coaster.
Ultimately we focus on the fact that Henry is doing really well for everything he's going through. He's close to walking, starting to babble more and makes us laugh. As long as we keep hearing that our oncologists are happy with his progress, we too will be happy.
When your child has cancer, every day, every hour is a roller coaster. This past round of chemo was pretty rough on Henry. He developed horrible mouth sores, which made him not want to eat. He actually stopped eating, so we started TPN (all his nutrients and calories provided via his central line) But, when he started receiving all the calories he needed, he started playing and laughing and learning more than he has is a few weeks. Good and bad. Up and down.
We got a phone call last Thursday that told us his bone marrow biopsy he had on Wednesday showed he was in remission. In the same conversation, we were told to check in the next day to start a four week round of chemo. Up and down.
On Friday, we went to the clinic to start chemo. We were told that we would get to go home after chemo, and check in to the hospital for four weeks on Sunday. Good news, we get to go home. But then Henry's labs came back. He didn't have enough neutraphils (a type of WBC) to start chemo. Good and bad. Another weekend at home, but another delay in treatment.
Spending time at home is wonderful, normal, and perfect. But knowing what's looming ahead of us is like a million bricks holding us down. We laugh, we cry, we laugh because we're crying. A crazy roller coaster.
Ultimately we focus on the fact that Henry is doing really well for everything he's going through. He's close to walking, starting to babble more and makes us laugh. As long as we keep hearing that our oncologists are happy with his progress, we too will be happy.
Airport
We went to Twin Oaks airport on Sunday to watch the airplanes.
Owen spent a few minutes showing me how he was a jumbo jet.
Henry opted to have a little nap with Suzi.
Owen spent a few minutes showing me how he was a jumbo jet.
Henry opted to have a little nap with Suzi.
park
Suzi was in town this weekend to help out. A bonus prize was that Henry had a bonus weekend at home, so we all got to play a little bit more together. We went to the park on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. 
Owen spent 15 minutes putting a stick into the water under the bridge.
So happy.
Goofy, but so cute!
Owen spent 15 minutes putting a stick into the water under the bridge.
So happy.
Goofy, but so cute!
Bike and Car
We enjoyed a little stroll around the neighborhood. Owen on his tricycle, Henry in a little car. Both boys had a great time. Especially when Owen took over pushing Henry around.
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