Naps

Caleb woke up happy from his nap the other day.

Home Sweet Home

We're writing this from the comfort of our own home. They've decided to go ahead with the surgery. Since it isn't emergent surgery, they discharged us and we'll call tomorrow to get everything scheduled. It should happen sometime around the first or second week in August. We're glad that we are finally progressing past the endless cycle of tests, but sad that it means Caleb has to head to the OR.

Thanks for everything you have done. I don't think I would have made it through the day without the visitors and people stopping by, especially on Wednesday. It was a life saver.

On to the Operating Room.

CHOP II

Caleb was admitted to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on Sunday night for another intussesception. This is his third one in about six months. As our doctor explains, when a child has one intussesception you think, oh, that's interesting-- and you move on. They're pretty routine. When a child has a second one, you think, oh, that's strange-- and you start to keep an eye on it. When a child has a third intussesception, something is definitely going on and it's time to get serious about it.

So far we've had a full colonoscopy, an upper endoscopy, a CT scan, a high resolution ultrasound, X-rays and an upper GI small bowel follow through. He currently has an NG tube in and an IV, so he's been able to stay hydrated with the IV and he gets some nutritional supplements through the NG Tube.

During the colonoscopy they found that his Ileocecal Valve (ICV) is inflamed and irritated. If they cannot find the cause of the irritation with a few more tests then they are thinking that they will do a small surgery on Friday (maybe Monday, who knows?!) where they would insert a camera into his adomindal cavity to check things out. If that doesn't provide any answers, they might have to open him up (just a bit!) and manually "run his bowel." Which means they'll pull out his bowels and feel for something the old fashioned way-- with their hands.

We'll let you know what they decide! Thanks for all your support and prayers. We know we couldn't do this without all of you.

CHOP

We've been in CHOP since Sunday and it looks like we'll be here till at least Friday-- a little longer if they end up doing surgery. They've promised us that they won't send us home until they know what's going on.

Sorry, I know that there's a lot I'm leaving out, but that's about all I can do right now. Hospital couches do not lend to a good night of sleep :)

Update

Well Caleb's Sitz Marker Test went really well and they are letting us do the rest of his tests on an out patient basis. Yay!

In other news... he has the Chicken Pox. Confirmed by the doctor this morning. Apparently you can still get them even after you've had the vaccine. He only has about 5-10 spots on his body, so it's not bad at all, but he's "contagious" so we're having fun in isolation.

See you all in 4-7 days.

Chao.

I've Lost Count...

... of how many times we've been in the hospital at this point. And Caleb IS NOT a sick kid! Believe me, I have seen sick kids while we're at the hospital. THOSE kids are sick and Caleb is the maniac running around the place with his IV drip wheeling behind him. Seriously... don't believe me? Ask just about any nurse at CHOP what a lion says and they'll know-- Caleb made sure of it.

Anyway, looooooooonnnnnnggggggg story short, Caleb went in for his GI follow up appointment on Wednesday. Instead of the "everything looks fine, come back in a year for a check up, stay on the medications" etc that we were expecting, we were greeted with "Caleb really should be admitted for 5 days while we run some tests."

Lame. Peter is gone this month in Baltimore and the idea of 5 days in the hospital for some tests made me want to cry (OK, so maybe I leaked out a tear or two) so the doctor took pity on us and said we would run one test at home over the weekend and re-evaluate on Monday. Apparently they are concerned with some of his lab/test results as well as his drop in weight (we have to do pediasure-- has anyone done this? Any suggestions?).

They think he:
A. Has an internal hernia... not really sure what this means, but sure, we'll go with it.
---or----
B. Has something obstructing/slowing things down in his colon.

The test we are doing at home (called a Sitz Marker Test) times how long it takes for something to make it through the intestines. We'll go in on Monday for an X-ray and CAT scan and from there we'll decide if we can come back home to play or if we must terrorize the nurses for another week. They did make us stay in the observation area for a few hours, after his appointment, just to make sure his stools were not TOO bloody (TMI? sorry). After some good ol' IV fluids, strict instructions on how to feed him, and flirting with everyone he saw, they let us out to come home and chill.

We'll keep you updated!

What We've Been Doing

Just Hangin' Out:

Get it? Just hangin' out? "Cuz his diaper is hanging out... Ok, so only I think I am funny.

My "Bala and Papa" Farr-- aren't they too cute?!

Jenny, Ying, and Maeli

Maeli, Grandpere and Nana

Papa, Maeli, Bala and Caleb

Laughing:

Caleb playing with my grandfather-- "Papa" Farr

Being terrorized by Dad

Thinks the camera is funny.

Exploring:

At my parent's place in Maryland.

Maeli, mid flight.

Sophie wasn't too sold on the moon bounce

Gardening:

You know your day is shot when your child looks like this by 7 AM

Napping:

Nana and Sophie

Sophie and her lamb

Peter and Caleb

Maeli and her new friend Ying

Posing:

Pete and I at the Maryland Symphony Orchestra Concert on the 4th.

My brother, Tracy, and his beautiful wife, Hanna

Their daughter, Sophie, in a classic "What the heck are you doing" expression.

Hanna at the concert

My sister-in-law, Jenny, and my niece, Maeli. They are in the States (they live in Hong Kong) for six months, yay!

Quilting:

I've been planning on making this quilt for, oh, about a year now. Better late than never, right?

It's a rag quilt, so the edges are snipped.

Are you shocked at how domestic I am? You should be.


That about sums it all up.