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Loaded Diaper?!?!?

Today's post title comes to you from the one and only Greg Garka... Thanks for the idea babe!

As far as Mason is concernced today was another good day for our little man!
We made our goal and got up and went on a total of three walks. The last walk of the night he spotted the “playroom” and was interested so we stopped and visited with our neighbors while he played. It was the highlight of the day.

His appetite decreased today but that is to be expected since he hadn’t yet had a bowel movement (in 6 days)– however about 60 minutes ago things changed in that department and I am happy to report his bowels are working and back in action…


During his echo he was again a crowd pleaser and was on his best behavior. The technician said that he was the best 3 year old she has done. It is so funny; he gets upset when something is about to happen and he doesn’t understand what. He tells us he is scared and then after we explain to him what they are going to do and that it won’t hurt – he is fine and does everything they ask of him. He really is a brave little boy!

His medicine still does not agree with his stomach and each time he takes it he immediately throws it up. This was discussed in rounds this morning yet they thought it could be due to his constipation – since this is not the case; I am requesting that tomorrow this be re-evaluated and his medications be immediately changed. I should have been more persistent this morning. Lesson learned. Thank goodness his night nurse is on my side and she said she would try to have it changed by the morning.

Chest tubes are still draining and I know I have mentioned this but in order for them to be taken out (so we can head home) each one must put out less than 30cc within a 24 hour period. This must be a trend for two or more days in a row. In order to keep me on track of how we are progressing I have started to track his outputs:
- 11/10: Right tube – 290cc / Left tube – 144cc
- 11/11: Right tube – 210cc / Left tube – 80cc
- 11/12: Right tube – 380cc / Left tube – 200cc
- 11/13: Right tube – 270cc / Left tube – 180cc
I don’t know today’s output since their 24 hour period begins and ends at 6am.
As you can tell his output has dramatically picked up on 11/12 and the reason why this happened is because that was really the first day we started introducing more activity back into his life.

(This is a picture of our care board in his room. This tells us our nurses names, the date - thank goodness or I would be completly lost, what is care plan is (pain control), this is where I track his output from his chest tubes and where we put our goals (you are ready to leave when...)


(This is the machine that collects the drainage from his chest tubes)

In other Garka Family news: I have finally made another ultrasound appointment and we will find out if we are expecting a girl or boy this Wednesday. Don’t expect a breaking news story. We haven’t decided if we are going to find out. We go back and forth hourly since we have a lot of time to discuss things like this now. Mason though is convinced it is a baby girl and I am kind of afraid to tell him if he is wrong.
Greg and I well we just want a healthy whole hearted child - the sex doesnt matter to us.

Hope that you all had a wonderful Monday!

Goodnight!

Comments

~Sarah said…
Leave gender a surprise:)!!! We LOVED having the moment of birth be THE big moment!! We won't find out gender next time either! That's our 2 cents anyways!

Praying for you NON-stop!!

~The Barci's
Esther said…
Great news. Praying for you, all four of you, and your vigilance. Thank goodness for the bowels to do their thing!

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