Friday, February 25, 2011

Owen

So many pictures of Henry, trust me... Owen is not forgotten, just usually the camera is in the wrong place... This is a very serious Owen modeling his boots and PJs. Always excited to dust...
Owen is our therapy... he always brings a smile to our faces.

One year ago today, we brought Henry home from the hospital. The sixteen days he spent in NICU after he was born seemed to be an eternity... Here were are fifteen days into this hospitalization, and it seems like we have an eternity to go...

More pictures, more days...

Here's Henry and Lucas playing with a mirror, an idea from speech therapy to help him out. I think Henry is more in love with the pink rattle/teething toy, than the mirror. It's his new security toy. Taking in the view from our room


The packaging doesn't taste as good as real food.
Where's Henry.
While he still has hair, he is demonstrating "rock star" hair... or maybe it's pudding hair.

We were moved into a smaller room. The good thing is that it has positive air flow, so it's healthier for Henry... blow the germs OUT! Here he is taking in the new view.
Sound asleep last night, clutching his rattle. He woke up screaming last night, he had dropped the rattle. As soon as it was back in his hand, he fell right back to sleep.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Routines

We are starting, ever so slowly, to develop a routine. Each morning, we bring Owen to the hospital and spend a few hours as a family of four. Here are a few pictures from the past few days.

On Saturday, Henry started the "big gun" chemotherapy. We dressed him up for the occasion. Tiffany was in town for the weekend, hence a family of four picture. Owen is in love with the green "swabbies" that we use to give some mouthwash to Henry. He brushes his teeth endlessly with them. (that's what's in his hand)
Beautiful eyes.
Owen showing off his shinny teeth.
Brothers.
Hospital life is tough.
Self-portrait.
This is one of the many chemo drugs Henry gets through his IV. This is the prettiest one. Looks like Cool-Aid.
Bob-Bob feeding Henry his FAVORITE food... pudding.

Overall, he's tolerating chemo better than we thought. No puking yet, just maybe a little more tired, but still playing... still my sweet Henry. Our oncologist is happy with how well he's doing... so far, he's doing well. And that's all I can focus on. Today, this weekend was a good weekend. Today was a good day.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Caring Bridge

We have started another blog, this one dedicated to Henry and his hospital journey. It's through Caring Bridge. A huge plus is that I can update it via my phone, yes, there's an app for that, so easier to update at the hospital...

If you care to take a peek:

www.caringbridge.org/visit/henryfriedler

Fun times

Being in The Children's Hospital has a few perks. One is Music Rx, a part of Children's Cancer Association. Wonderful volunteers go room to room three times a week and play music and sing, and leave musical toys with the kids to play with. Then, we will rotate toys next time we see them.

Henry is loving this drum. (note, he has both hands back because we got central IV access yesterday!) He looks so big! But the hair does add a few inches.


Coolest Ever

Owen got the coolest sleeping bag EVER from his Aunt Allie yesterday, or the day before... It's a dinosaur sleeping bad. With a dinosaur pillow and removable dinosaurs on top.

Owen and Penguin LOVE it!

Qutoe of the Day

Lucas took Owen home after visiting Henry at the hospital. At night, the moon was beautiful. Owen and Lucas were outside, Owen's arms were reaching up.

Lucas: Owen, what are you doing?

Owen: bring moon to brother.

Sweet kid

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Today

We are trying to get into a routine... and ever evolving, crazy routine. Part of the routine is getting Owen to the hospital everyday. Start acclimating him to the fact that we are here for a long while. I won't lie, he's having a tough time, which is normal. I'm told by the fantastic child life program that this is normal, and he will get used to it. We've set up a drawer in our room just for Owen, and plan on putting fun little things in it every day.

We also have a pad to play on the floor with Henry. Some floor time is always fun. We've acquired three balloons: an octopus, a caterpillar and a turtle. Owen wore all three today. I'm surprised he didn't float away!
Upset Owen... octopus wouldn't stay behind him. When he got upset, we started a stroller ride to find lunch. All was better with some fruit and a grilled cheese sandwich.
The steroids are making Henry so BIG! Look how easily he can pick up that car!
We are on day five of chemo. As this is just high dose steroids, he is still pretty happy most the time. The "big guns" start on Saturday. I'm planning on a sick, tired, pukey baby real soon...
Good news: his blood counts are coming down nicely. This makes the oncologists, and us, very happy...
Bad news: we are only on day five of a 365 day journey.

Pictures

Finally, I'm home, on a computer... I can upload some picture of Henry. We didn't take any while he had the breathing tube in... and for that I think I'm grateful. He looks pathetic enough without any extra tubes.

It's amazing how some blood and steroids can help a kid out. He's more playful now than he has been in a month!


"where's Henry" is his new favorite game. Since his left arm has an IV in it, and is all bandaged up, he has adapted to a one handed approach. (these are still in PICU)



Playing with toys. He loves to throw toys on the floor, which means endless cleaning with disinfectant wipes for us.

This picture looks like a self-portrait. When did he learn to use a camera!

Sleeping baby foot.


"Oy, what have I gotten myself into?!"

When we moved out to the pediatric unit, we could wander the halls in a wagon. We will only be able to do this a few more days. When his white blood cells decrease a little bit more, he won't have any ability to fight off infection, we will we be quarantined to our room... to keep all the germs away. But before that happens, we will stroll along. Owen rode with him for a while, then decided it was more fun to help push the wagon.




Family of four

I love this picture. Owen is "smiling" his smile, and Henry is just in love with Owen.


Henry is such a trooper. So happy and playful (again, blood and steroids)... but it's not always fun. Sometimes he is inconsolable for a little while. We call the "roid rages". The nurses say imaging a terrible twos time ten!


He cycles pretty quick. And quite often, food helps. He's eating the hospital out of all their vanilla pudding! (steroids)

And then more tears. It doesn't help that he's made 10 teeth since the start of the year.


"where's Henry"

There he his.

Henry's First Birthday

One week ago today, we celebrated Henry's first birthday. We celebrated a crazy year, and a million milestones. We started the day with a trip to Munchkin Playland. Birthday lattes for the parents, and playtime for the boys. Sailing away together.
"where's Owen?"
Such a beautiful child.
Me and the birthday boy.
Sweet kisses by daddy. (looking back, Henry really WAS pale...)
Go Beavs!
"there's Owen!" Such a little model.
After Munchkin, we went to play with Page and Presley. Henry was a Bee. Owen was a butterfly with a tiara!

Owen helped open the presents from Grandma and Grandpa. I think Owen thought it was a pretty good day... lots of new toys. Henry was happy with the wrapping paper and envelopes.

We had dinner at the Spaghetti Factory with mom and dad.

It was such a wonderful day, such a milestone. We were planning on having his birthday party on Sunday the 13th, instead, we were in the hospital... at least we got to celebrate his birthday proper... and believe me his second birthday, will be the biggest bash of the century!