Tuesday, June 2, 2009

~ X Marks the Spot~



Today was another GREAT day! He is still sleepy and in a lot of pain but he his progress has been great! His lovely nurse Katie created a board for his goals he needs to accomplish in order to be released.

Katie explained the criteria for Anthony to be released from the hospital. There are typically 6 goals that children with his type of injury and his level of severity, have to meet. First thing is to stand or walk 4 times a day, second thing is to be able to urinate, third thing is to be able have a bowel movement, fourth thing is to be eating on his own, fifth thing is to be able to drink and tolerate liquids, and the sixth goal is that they have to be able to take oral medication. So on the goal board that Katie made for Anthony were 4 empty squares for each time he stood up or walked a little bit and when I left his room to meet my husband, kids and my best friend Alauna, he had already earned 3 X's. By the time we got back he had to get up to make a bowel movement so he killed 2 birds with one stone by passing off his goal for a bowel movement and getting up for the fourth time today!

I am so proud of you Anthony. You did it! You got your 4 X's for the day! Yay! So out of the 6 goals, has already accomplished 3! Can you believe it? I can. He's my lil fighter and always will be! I'm so proud of him. He absolutely hates taking any kind of medicine and will NEVER tell you when he is in pain because he's such a sweet kid and doesn't want to inconvenience anyone, and like I said, he hates medicine. Even if I ask him if he hurts he'll tell me no. The only way I can tell is when he starts to blink his eyes to try to stop the tears.

So far he passed the standing up four times a day rule, urinating, having a bowel movement, being able to take his medication orally, and he tries to drink as much as possible but he is having a really hard time with tolerating it, so they told me as soon as he starts to eat and his stomach can tolerate liquids and food, he can be released! I can't believe it! I am soooooooo happy. It may still be a while because right now he says he can't even take a sip from his sprite and what kid turns down pop? He must be feeling really bad. I can't even imagine him being able to eat anytime soon, but I am hopeful!

Anthony got a new toy today from Alauna, and some get well soon cards from the neighbors and the kids at his school. We would like to thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts! It really means alot.

We were hoping his neck would be cleared today but unfortunately, he didn't pass. He can't move because it hurts too bad so he will be in the brace for a couple of weeks at least. Speaking of his brace, he was also visited by Beto, Marcel, Zander, and Alyzea. I guess she didn't like her big brother in that neck brace either because she kept grabbing it and pulling on it! Lol

He is now complaining about severe pain in the arm that's not broken so I'm a little worried because he never complained about it before. I asked his nurse to see if they Xrayed his whole body when he came into the ER to make sure that his other arm isn't broken too, and they didn't so he is off with the Xray tech at the moment(Update: his other arm is not broken:). I think it hurts so bad now, because they took him off the morphine and it made him sleep alot. So now that he's on oral medication he's not sleepy and it seems to ware off faster than the morphine. I think it's hurting him so bad because of bruising, but thankfully he doesn't have 2 broken arms, one is bad enough!

Anyway, I am ecstatic with the progress he is showing and I can see the light at the end of this long tunnel. Of course it's gonna be a long road ahead of us, even when he gets released because he will need constant care until the pain subsides, but I think he will be so happy to be home that it may help him not to think about his pain. I don't know, but I can't wait to go home and be with my family, but I am not leaving this hospital without my son. I am just so grateful that they do no think his head will stay deformed, he has not had to have any surgeries, stiches, and any other permanent damage. It's a miracle. It the only explanation for how fast he's healed and how minimal but painful his injuries are!

2 comments:

  1. congrats anthony!!! i'm proud of you too! Good luck at home! thanks for being such a tough patient! ~nurse Katie

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  2. Thank you so much Katie! I don't think there are enough words than can possibly come close to explaining to all of you guys at Primary Medical Children's Center, my gratitude to you for saving my sons life! I will be FOREVER grateful to each and every single one of you.
    Love, Nicki & Family

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