a little better

Things are going okay. Gabriel just got two of his three chest tubes and the IV in his foot out. He is much happier.

Finally last night a nurse came on who realized that Gabriel had slipped through the cracks in his quick move from ICU to step-down (the move happened in less than 7 minutes, from phone call that another more serious patient was coming up to arrival in step-down). He was to be receiving one of the OXY meds and morphine as needed for pain. The Tylenol and Advil were to be extra in case he needed them. Not just Tylenol and Advil as needed for pain. Poor kiddo hurt so badly he would cry himself to sleep and cry in his sleep as we kept demanding some more medication for his pain. He was like that for a good 4 hours:(. He is good now. The nurse saw how bad he was and went demanding something for him as well. The doctors them went ahead and requested the OXY med once every 6 hours for a while and morphine, Tylenol and Advil as needed. This morning he was the most himself we have seen him sense handing him to the nurse Friday morning!

Things are looking good. The nurse said that if he can keep his stats up a hour after the chest tubes were out they would try him off oxygen. Time should be ending shortly. Course with how fast things are around here we will be lucky if it is off by midnight. What can you do besides smile and shake your head. I demanded meds for Gabriel last night and did not get anywhere so we will try things their way for a bit, as long as Gabriel is comfortable, I am okay.

Gabriel is still leaking out his last chest tube. He is taking down the portagen like a champ. Portagen is to taste just awful! When he is hungry I swear he will eat anything. If time and portagen don't work we will go on to the next thing. I have read quite a bit about what is going on and am not as worried. It is all a matter of time and we will find the time.

The hospital allowed Gabe and I to stay in Gabriel's room last night. In fact they showed us a place where one parent could sleep while the other was in Gabriel's room for a little more room (secret information, I don't have the energy to kill you). The RMD house is FULL. We call each day but now that Gabriel is not in the ICU there is even less of a chance of us getting in. What we have going on here right now will work for us. We will make it work. Gabe and Gabriel are napping now. I am going to run down and get some fresh cold and rainy air for a few moments, too much hospital air.

Under construction... will take a moment to get pictures to the right size... Gabe awake to help

Some pictures from this morning. We enjoyed his being awake and responsive so much that I forgot to take pictures. There will be more time today!

Even sleeping Gabriel is trying to be helpful! (sometimes he takes after his daddy)



The hospital gave the kids Valentines gifts. Gabriel got a puppy. He can get his fingers behind the dogs ear. He wakes up and makes faces when I try to put it at the end of the bed so he can sleep better. What am I thinking...



Mommy and Daddy's Sunshine!!!