Back Home Again

Brody enjoyed a few days at home after our long stay at Nationwide Children's.   He was busy playing with his dogs,  his buddy Lucy,  and his brothers.   He finally got to celebrate the fourth of July on Saturday night and set off some of the fireworks he had bought for the occasion.   He was having an awesome time and overall was feeling very good.  

Our friends Tom and Carolynn Corthell helped a lot with getting Brody home from Nationwide Children's.  They waited for all the medical supplies that were arriving at our house that day before we got home.   Carolynn was busy cleaning things again for us too.   It was very nice to come home to a clean house and Brody's hospital bed was already set up and made just where we wanted it.   Carolynn surprised Brody with a giraffe dream lite.   He loves giraffes and dream lites.   So totally perfect!  

Unfortunately, Sunday afternoon he started to experience a lot of belly pain that was progressively getting worse and worse despite the pain medication we were giving him.   He started vomiting and dry heaving a bunch too.   We ended up taking Brody to Toledo Children's Hospital on Sunday evening.   (Jaden and Geordi stayed the night at the Roush's house so that Bill and I could both be with Brody that night.   Thank you Roush family!  We needed both of us to get him to the hospital... one of us to drive while the other held a basin for Brody as he kept vomiting and also fixing a defective NG tube drainage bag).  

The team at Toledo Children's were waiting for us when we arrived and acted very quickly to get Brody comfortable fast.   He got morphine,  hefty dose of zofran,  some ativan,  and hooked up to suction right away.   After all that he was feeling much better and has continued to feel good.   The social worker at Toledo Children's started working on getting Brody a NG suction device for home early Monday morning.   It was difficult finding a place that could supply it.  (The discharge planner we had in Columbus was not able to find one for us and instead we were told to manually suction the NG every few hours.... this just isn't enough in Brody's case).  I was about to just buy one and have it shipped.   They're expensive though.   Fortunately,  the social worker at Toledo Children's came through and found a place we could rent it from and got it approved through our insurance.   It all finally got arranged today.  This helps immensely with the belly pain,  belly distention,  and allows us to actually get some sleep too.  We have our precious in home NG suction device and we are so incredibly thankful for it.  

Brody's meds to control pain and nausea at home were converted to all IV meds rather than some of them being given through his NJ tube.   He was also given stronger pain medications.   This has helped tremendously with keeping Brody happy and comfortable at home.  

After spending another 3 nights in the hospital we are all happy to be back home again.   Brody got home around 3pm today and his NG suction device and new IV medications arrived shortly after.  

Brody enjoyed a brief outing after we got home to a local hair salon (Villagio).   He got his hair washed there today.   With his port accessed,  the nephrostomy tube,  NJ tube,  NG tube,  and colostomy bag.... he cannot take a regular shower.   He has to do sponge baths.   It's difficult to find a comfortable way to get his hair washed at our house.   He greatly enjoyed getting his hair washed at the salon.   His friend,  Lucy,  went with us too.  Brody was having a great time just talking and hanging out  with his friend while waiting for his hair wash.   The owner at Villagio refused to let me pay for him getting his hair washed and got us scheduled so we can plan to come back on Tuesdays and Fridays to get his hair washed.   Pretty cool!!  Plus it's only about a mile or two from our house.

First day back to school is tomorrow morning (Thursday morning).   Geordi will be starting 6th grade at Fallen Timbers Middle School.   He loves school and is excited to be headed back tomorrow.   Jaden is entering 4th grade and Brody is starting 3rd grade.   Jaden and Brody will be doing school at home with mom and dad starting tomorrow.   Obviously,  the amount Brody does is dependent both on how he feels and his interest in doing so.   Jaden will be kept busy,  busy,  busy learning at home with breaks to play with Brody.   Jaden doesn't mind regular school but wants to stay home with Brody so he can spend more time with him.  

Well.... better get some shut eye so I am rested up for our first day of school.