Recovery, Eye Surgery and a Big Boy Crib

JT had a few problems recovering from his bowel surgery. He was in a lot of pain. He would hold his breath and have lots of Brady’s. So, they put him on nose cannulas with 1liter of oxygen just to help him out a little. He still was at this time not getting any food. They were still waiting for a bowel movement. I got sick around this time and couldn’t get up to see him. Anytime that I thought that I was sick, I didn’t go up there. He didn’t need to be sick too. That would really hurt him. So, I stayed away for a couple of days. I think that he just needed to be held and told to straighten up and get better. We always had these little pep talks. I would tell him “Listen dude, you have to get better. The only way mommy can pick you up is if you are better.” This usually did the trick. He loved to be held and talked to. What baby doesn’t really? He just needed his mommy.

I remember going up there after I was sure that I wasn’t sick. I hadn’t been able to hold him for about 7 days. He was just in to much pain. Lisa was getting him dressed and then just plopped him in my arms. I was so scared that I would hurt him. I didn’t move. Tried not to breathe. And don’t you know he smiled at me. I relaxed a bit after that. I was so happy to be able to pick him up again that I just was smiling like a Cheshire cat. He still hadn’t had a bowel movement and he would just gnaw at my hands. His binkie wasn’t doing the trick. He knew what a full stomach felt like. And he wanted one. He had never had a bottle yet, everything he ate was through an NG tube. But, babies even if they haven’t been fed by a bottle still have that reflex.

Well, Wednesday came and he had another eye surgery. Poor kid just couldn’t take a break. But, as I found out with Johnathan. He always took the road less traveled. He didn’t do anything that was expected. He kept everyone on their toes. I remember thinking how terrible this was but, thinking about it he was probably happy for the paralytic and the anesthesia because he was in so much pain. He made it through the eye surgery with no complications. He slept most of the rest of the day and came off the vent with no problems at all. Which was good. I was kind of afraid that he wouldn’t because of the pain that he was in. But, he did.

The next day he had a bowel movement. I remember feeling so happy that hey this is one step closer to coming home. Alright. Yes, yes, yes! They started his feeds two days later. They started slow and at first he was tolerating them. He was calmer and I attribute that to the fact that his stomach wasn’t empty. He was just so content. He didn’t act like he was in pain or anything.

I walked in that night and also found out he was in a big boy crib. He was out of the warmer and had a crib. This was a big accomplishment. I almost walked past him because well, no one had told me about it. And he was dressed and he just looked so good and happy.