7.31.2015

Chase's Hospital Adventure

We have had quite the adventure over the last couple of days.
 
First, the back story:
Ever since Chase was a newborn he has always had raspy, wheezy breathing. I had asked my parents and his Dr about it but of course he wouldn't be doing it at the time they were looking at him. So we were told he may just grow out of it. He did stop the wheezing between 8 or 9 months old or so.
Then he got a little sick around when he turned a year old
and ever since then he has had this gurgley breathing. It sounded like he had mucus in his throat and was just too young to know how to cough up. At first it was not all the time, it did not bother him, he was still happy, played and ate well. So we didn't think much of it.
I was trying to figure out a pattern on when it would happen to see what may be causing it. If he was aspirating food or drink, if he had asthma, if he had any food or seasonal allergies.... But I could never figure out a pattern.
Over the last month or so he had developed a little cough that wouldn't go away. About 2 or 3 weeks ago the cough started to get worse. When we went to NC last week everything got much worse. I don't know if it was just a coincidence or if it was the elevation or humidity. But the gurgley breathing was all the time, not just sometimes. His hacking cough got so bad sometimes he couldn't catch his breath between coughing attacks. He was just not happy either and was not wanting to eat much. So we knew that whatever was going on with him was definitely starting to bother him.
Dad and Gwen were finally able to see what I had been
talking about and they both checked him out. Dad was thinking a possible dairy allergy or sinus infection. Gwen was thinking a foreign body in his throat. So I called and made appointments with his Dr and the ENT to get him checked out as soon as we got back to Utah.
 
Tuesday:
He got a little better as soon as we got back to Utah and was doing well on Sunday, but then on Monday he got much worse. So Tuesday morning I called the Dr to see if I could bump up his appointment to that day and not when it was originally scheduled for Wednesday.
Luckily we were able to get in. The Dr tried two different
breathing treatments with no improvement so we were then sent to Riverton Hospital to get a chest x-ray. After the first x-ray picture was taken and it popped up on the screen we all knew what was going on. There was very obviously a coin or something like it tuck in his esophagus! They took another image from the side and you could see it was in his esophagus with a lot of swelling around it, so it was starting to cut off his trachea. That explained why his breathing had slowly gotten worse.
We were immediately sent to Primary Children's
ER (since the Dr couldn't get us checked straight into the OR). Everyone that I spoke to were very surprised to hear that the coin could have been in there for possibly 4 months since that is when the gurgley breathing started. But they understood after I explained that his breathing has always been weird, so it was kind of normal to us. Somewhere around this time both my dad and Gwen showed up when I wasn't even expecting them! It was so nice to have them there so I wasn't alone. I had told Kollin not to leave work until we knew what he plan was.  The ENT's came in and said after measuring the coin on the x-ray that it was a quarter!
The ENT's started going over with me what they were going to do to get this out of him. They wanted to do exactly what I was expecting them to do and that was to sedate him and scope it out. They would put a tube down his throat and send a small camera with pinchers at the end down the tube and grab the coin. Very straight forward. The only issue was the amount of swelling that was around it, and how much damage that would cause taking it out. At first they were planning on doing the surgery as soon as he had been NPO (no food or drink) for 6 hours so they could safely sedate him, which was only a few more hours away. And then we could most likely go home the same day!
While we were waiting they came back and said the ENT that was going to do the surgery had an idea that could make things easier. He wanted to give him some doses of steroids to try to make some of the swelling  go down and make it easier to get the coin out. Which meant we now had to stay overnight while they did he steroid treatments and surgery would be in the morning. So it was an amazing idea, but just wasn't fun to think we had to stay the night.
We were moved to the RTU (Rapid Treatment Unit) and settled in for the night. Since surgery was now not until tomorrow we were given the OK to feed him. But that didn't last long because he was so upset while the nurses were getting hi settled he threw up everywhere. So the decided to keep him NPO to stay on the safe side. He was such a sad little guy.
Kollin and Tanner were finally able to come up and see us. Chase snuggled
right into Kollin when he saw him (I think he was mad at me for not being able to save him from everything going on). He was  worn out and tired he started to fall asleep. So I took Tanner for walk and when we got back Chase was completely out. Tanner was really sad when he had to leave Chase and me and go home. But I told him he could have a sleepover in Mommy and Daddy's bed with Daddy and that he was going to play with Cooper tomorrow. So that cheered him up. Chase slept for couple hours but woke up after my dad gave him a blessing. He is such a light sleeper that just feeling my dad's fingertips on his head stirred him enough to wake up.
I eventually got him back to sleep and he only woke up one other time during the night. It was nice that he was able to get some sleep although I didn't sleep that great.
 
Wednesday:
Bright and early in the morning (about 6:15) the ENT team came in to tell me what time surgery was going to be (7:30 or 8) and what they've decided to do. They were still planning to do the scope, but the Dr wanted to check hi trachea as well to see if there was any damage because of the swelling.
As soon as they left I called Kollin and told him to get
going to get Tanner dropped off and up to the hospital since the surgery was going to be so soon. We didn't have to wait long until they came to get Chase ready to go to the OR. The next thing I knew we were being walked to the OR. We went into a waiting room and I spoke with the anesthesiologist and Dr Meier, who was the ENT doing the surgery. I had met him before when Tanner liked to put things up his nose, so it was nice to be familiar with him already.
They went over the surgery and the risks and then
it was time to had Chase to the anesthesiologist. Kollin still hadn't made it yet, so I was all alone when this happened. I was so worried my PTSD from Tanner would kick in and I would make Chase more scared, but I was very happy that I didn't.
As they walked away, with Chase screaming and crying
for me of course, I went to check into the waiting room then went find Kollin downstairs. We went outside for a minute and headed back up to the waiting room. As we were walking down the hall Dr Meir was already in the waiting room looking for us! The surgery was done and everything went smoothly. He said there was some irritation, but hardly any damage so recovery shouldn't be too difficult. Then he gave us the cup the coin was in, and it was just a PENNY! We couldn't believe it.
Then we went back into the waiting room
to wait for them to tell us when we could see Chase. A while later we were taken to the recovery unit and finally got to see him. He was till out cold and was taking a while to wake up. Which was expected, because Kollin and Tanner take a long time to wake up from anesthesia.
Once he was awake we went back to our room
to recover more and work on feeding him so we could be discharged. We were given a popsicle and jello. He loved the popsicle and he almost finished the entire thing. He also kept trying to get to our breakfast which was bacon, eggs and biscuits and gravy. We knew it was the bacon he wanted, but couldn't give it to him because he is now on a soft diet for a week or so. He was mad.
When the nurse came in to check on him she was
surprised to see him walking around and being completely awake. Since he was doing we she rushed the discharge papers and we were out there!
 
We aew now home and a day later and he is doing great. He's a little clingier than usual, but not bad at all. They best thing so far is that he is wanting to eat! He has finished anything I have fed him today when he has only eaten maybe half of things for the past while. So happy and excited to have my happy, hopefully not as high maintenance boy back!
 

7.26.2015

Family Vacation! Outer Banks

We just had the most amazing family vacation!
 
Everyone in the family from Dad and Gwen on down were there, including Grandma and Grandpa Richens. It was a full house!
 
We all flew out to Durham, NC, visited Libby and saw her cute house and stayed in a hotel the first night. The next morning everyone gathered back at Libby's house and we all drove a 4 hour drive to the Outer Banks.
 
The boys did really well on the flights and the drive. It was very nice. Once we got to the house we unloaded and then headed to the beach. It was the first time both Tanner and Chase had been to the beach. They weren't too sure about it, but that's ok.
 
The next day was Sunday and while everyone went to church we went exploring and souvenier shopping although we didn't find anything. Then I believe we went to the beach and also swam in the pool at the house. I'm pretty sure we were at the beach and in the pool every single day. It was great!
 
One of the days we went on a Pirate Adventure. It was amazing. The kids got to dress up as pirates and got tattoos panted on their arms. Then they literally snuck out to a real pirate ship. We set sail and we all got to watch the kids find the hidden treasure map, send enemy pirates to Davy Jones' Locker, hunt for treasure and learn how to talk like pirates. It was a hot hot day, but so worth it. The kids had so much fun I hope they remember it for a long time.
 
We also saw the Wright Brother's Monument as well as the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Kollin climbed to the top of the Lighthouse while I stayed in the air conditioned car with the boys since there were height limits and carrying kids was also not allowed. It was fun that was because he got pictures from above and I got pictures from below.
 
On the last day we went to the beach and Britta took family pictures. I can't wait to see them and hopefully I will have them added to the family album! Then we packed up and drove the 4 hours back to the hotel for the night. The next day we all went to hang out at Libby's house for a while and we all went out to lunch before we had to say good-bye. It was so sad to leave Libby and her sweet little family. We sure miss them!
 
We went to the airport and started our journey home. This time the boys were not too happy about the flights and layover. I think they had had enough from so much going on all week. But we eventually made it back to Utah late at night. Troy came and picked us up and we went straight home and everyone went right to bed we were so worn out.
 
It was such a fantastic experience to go out there and spend that special time with the entire family.
 
First time at the beach



Getting ready to sneak to the pirate ship on the Pirate Adventure

Sneaky sneaky




Firing cannons at the enemy pirates!

Pulling the treasure chest out of the ocean





Gwen also planned another treasure hunt at the house that night and all the kids got pirate pj's

At the Wright Brothers Monument







Kollin at the top of Bodie Island Lighthouse


Chase was waking up Daddy one morning with blowing raspberries into his arm.

Going to the beach



Grandpa Cannon showed up to the airport the first day in SLC in this shark hat. It was hilarious! Just like my dad!





Our beautiful house we stayed at


On the first plane ride from SLC to Detroit



Layover in Detroit

At the car rental place in NC. Tanner is really into Transformers right now and wanted a picture by "Bumblebee." But he was worried he would transform. I told him he was sleeping and wouldn't transform. But then he got excited and wanted to know when he would wake up so he could say hi. Such a sweet boy!

About half way through the 4 hour drive. Grandpa Cannon upgraded our rental car to a mini van so we could haul whatever luggage that wouldn't fit into other's cars. That's why our car looks so full, and it was not all ours!

Over the last hour or so of the journey Chase started to get sad. So desperate times called for desperate measures, and those measures were called Oreos.

The view from the balcony at the house the first morning.



We found a bull riding machine in one of the stores we shopped in, but it was a hammerhead shark! The boys loved bouncing around in it.

Grandma Cannon teaching the kids a Sunday evening lesson. They actually held still and listened!

Grandpa Cannon is the most amazing grandpa ever!



Shirts Kiersen and Andrew had made after seeing a hilarious YouTube video of a southern woman telling everyone to stay out of the ocean because there have been a lot of shark attacks in the Outer Banks this year.

You won't catch me up there!

I had to get a picture by the Manatee mailbox that was across the street from the house.





Last day on the beach


First flight home. Durham to JFK

Second flight, JFK to SLC. Things were getting sketchy


Grandma and Grandpa did bubbles with the kids one night in the driveway