Nice smile big guy! I'm experimenting with a new camera, my guess is that you like it.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Approaching Ludicrous Speed
The title is an obscure reference to a silly movie you'll probably never see: Spaceballs. I like its relevance to our life though. After your little speed bump earlier in the year, you have put much of it behind you and the picket fences are really starting to fly by.
In the last 5 months, your Mom has become an expert at infusing you every other day. She has even gone so far as teaching her bumbling husband (me) how to give you your treatment as well. You are walking/running very well now and figuring out your world a bit more every day. You've only had a couple of minor bleeding episodes, but nothing we couldn't handle at home.
The best part of my day is when I come home after work. You and your sister run to me at full speed yelling 'DAD!' Thanks for being a great kid.
In the last 5 months, your Mom has become an expert at infusing you every other day. She has even gone so far as teaching her bumbling husband (me) how to give you your treatment as well. You are walking/running very well now and figuring out your world a bit more every day. You've only had a couple of minor bleeding episodes, but nothing we couldn't handle at home.
The best part of my day is when I come home after work. You and your sister run to me at full speed yelling 'DAD!' Thanks for being a great kid.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Surgical Update
Friday night we all left the hospital together: you, your sister Caroline, your Mom and me. On your first birthday a nurse from HHS taught your Mom how to give you an infusion. You are doing well, for the first time in months you have no bruises on your knees, elbows and wrists from crawling around.
After enjoying some time outside, we all headed to Aunt Mazie's 80th Birthday Party at the Bergen Irish club. There were many of your cousin's present and they all were glad to see you doing so well.
Sunday we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house to celebrate your first birthday, Pop's 72nd Birthday and Mother's Day as well. Nana Dooley, Peg, Liam and Uncle BJ were also there.
After enjoying some time outside, we all headed to Aunt Mazie's 80th Birthday Party at the Bergen Irish club. There were many of your cousin's present and they all were glad to see you doing so well.
Sunday we headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house to celebrate your first birthday, Pop's 72nd Birthday and Mother's Day as well. Nana Dooley, Peg, Liam and Uncle BJ were also there.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Surgery
Today you had a portacath( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port-a-Cath ) installed. This means you will start receiving prophylactic doses of factor to keep your bleeds to a minimum. Up until now, wehnever your mom & I suspected you had a bleed, we would contact HUMC and usually bring you into the Emergency Room to have your facor delivered through an IV. This took place about 5 times since January, and everytime except once it would take someone at least 2 tries, or "sticks" before your rolly polly veins could be accessed. Now with the port this will be a relatively easy procedure.
We arrived at HUMC by 7 and your Grandpa met us outside to take Caroline. You, your Mom and I went inside for pretesting, prep and surgery. By 10:00 am, Dr. Alexander came out to tell us that things went very smoothly. Although you were a little cranky at first you settled down quickly after some much missed food and drink. You will be in the hospital for a couple of days for monitoring, but so far so good.
We arrived at HUMC by 7 and your Grandpa met us outside to take Caroline. You, your Mom and I went inside for pretesting, prep and surgery. By 10:00 am, Dr. Alexander came out to tell us that things went very smoothly. Although you were a little cranky at first you settled down quickly after some much missed food and drink. You will be in the hospital for a couple of days for monitoring, but so far so good.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Here's the Latest Hurdle
Hemophilia
Right after the New Year began you had developed a bit of a cough, so Mom decided to take you to see Dr. Tung. It turned out the cough was nothing to be concerned about, but she was worried about some bruises you had on your side and under your arm, so she reccomended that you get some blood tests done at the hospital. The initial tests from the hospital revealed an abnormal PTT . Dr. Tung then asked us to see a hematologist named Dr. Flug. Dr. Flug performed some more tests which confirmed that you had Hemophilia A and called to tell us that night, Tuesday, January 8.
Of course the news shocked your Mom & I, but we wanted to make sure that what the doctors were saying was right, so we both began researching, reading and talking to people to find out all we could. On Friday, January 11, we went to the Hemotology center at HUMC wehre Dr. Flug and Nurse Laura Goode informed us of the details of your condition. You have a severe case of Hemophilia A, meaning that compared with the greater populous, you have less than 1% of Factor VIII.
At this point your Mom & I were even more astonished, and probably in denial of the diagnosis to some degree. We went home and thought about what to do over the weekend. Monday was fine and then Tuesday your thumb got nicked while your nails were being cut and if we had any doubts up until this point they were soon replaced with a greater understanding of your condition. I rushed home from work and we both took you to HUMC to get you first factor treatment. It was a long evening and it took the staff 6 tries to finally establish an IV to treat you, but as soon as the factor was pushed into you system, the thumb stopped dripping.
Since then you have had one other treatment at HUMC on February 2 after you fell and bumped your head. On this occaision, we went directly to the ER at HUMC, but you were still stuck a total of four times before the IV was established. The good news was that you were so spent from crying that you slept though your CT scan (which is de rigor for head injuries in Hemophiliacs it seems). The CT scan came back OK and we were off.
Your Mom & I are so glad you have come into our lives, and like I said in the title of this post, this is just another hurdle we all have to cross. We sent a letter out to all of or friends and family describing your condition and the response we got was overwhelmingly positive. So be strong in knowing that you have many many people behind you, and as long as I am alive you will not have to face these troubles alone.
Right after the New Year began you had developed a bit of a cough, so Mom decided to take you to see Dr. Tung. It turned out the cough was nothing to be concerned about, but she was worried about some bruises you had on your side and under your arm, so she reccomended that you get some blood tests done at the hospital. The initial tests from the hospital revealed an abnormal PTT . Dr. Tung then asked us to see a hematologist named Dr. Flug. Dr. Flug performed some more tests which confirmed that you had Hemophilia A and called to tell us that night, Tuesday, January 8.
Of course the news shocked your Mom & I, but we wanted to make sure that what the doctors were saying was right, so we both began researching, reading and talking to people to find out all we could. On Friday, January 11, we went to the Hemotology center at HUMC wehre Dr. Flug and Nurse Laura Goode informed us of the details of your condition. You have a severe case of Hemophilia A, meaning that compared with the greater populous, you have less than 1% of Factor VIII.
At this point your Mom & I were even more astonished, and probably in denial of the diagnosis to some degree. We went home and thought about what to do over the weekend. Monday was fine and then Tuesday your thumb got nicked while your nails were being cut and if we had any doubts up until this point they were soon replaced with a greater understanding of your condition. I rushed home from work and we both took you to HUMC to get you first factor treatment. It was a long evening and it took the staff 6 tries to finally establish an IV to treat you, but as soon as the factor was pushed into you system, the thumb stopped dripping.
Since then you have had one other treatment at HUMC on February 2 after you fell and bumped your head. On this occaision, we went directly to the ER at HUMC, but you were still stuck a total of four times before the IV was established. The good news was that you were so spent from crying that you slept though your CT scan (which is de rigor for head injuries in Hemophiliacs it seems). The CT scan came back OK and we were off.
Your Mom & I are so glad you have come into our lives, and like I said in the title of this post, this is just another hurdle we all have to cross. We sent a letter out to all of or friends and family describing your condition and the response we got was overwhelmingly positive. So be strong in knowing that you have many many people behind you, and as long as I am alive you will not have to face these troubles alone.
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