Looking up from here

Let me start by saying this blog entry is a little late in coming. Between life and some technical difficulties we fell a bit behind. But we are doing really well - - - now.
In mid-January Tate spent an overnight in the hospital after experiencing some tightness in his chest and trouble breathing. They did a lot of tests and the great news is that everything looks ok with his heart. The tough part is there was really no explanation for the scare.
Several days later Brett had his adenoids removed.

Brett pre-surgery

It was an elective surgery after specialists suggested it could significantly improve his quality of life especially in areas where he struggles - breathing, speaking, sleeping, eating and overall endurance. The surgery was a success and his adenoids were large - apparently they grade on a scale of 0-4 with 4 being the largest and his were a 3!

Brett post-surgery

Unfortunately he didn't weather the recovery well and instead of being an outpatient surgery they admitted him overnight. He refused to eat or drink anything so he came home with an IV in for hydration. By the time home nursing help came the next day his IV was no longer good, but she thought he was doing ok without it. By Monday he was struggling and coughing and a call to the ENT nurse said that discomfort is expected for up to two weeks and the coughing was likely related to dripping in his throat and the itching from healing.
Several days later when he broke out head to toe with hives we took him to the pediatrician to find out he had an allergic reaction to the antibiotics he was on post-surgery. He also was very sick - the cough had nothing to do with the surgery and he had RSV (a severe viral respiratory infection) and because they share everything - Jackson & Peyton had it too.
A day later Brett was still struggling to eat or drink so they admitted him to the hospital. Again only overnight.

Brett snuggling with Daddy - he cried when I left to go home to put Jackson & Peyton to bed and while crying actually said "I want Mommy" as I was leaving - his first sentence and it nearly ripped my heart out!

Once he had breathing treatments and steroids for the lungs and allergic reaction plus IV hydration he perked up quickly.


Brett feeling better

A week of breathing treatments every 4 hours x 3 seemed to do the trick.
Unfortunately we spread the germs and Grandma got sick and their cousins Caroline & Sophie got RSV too.
I also managed to get a sinus infection - my first ever and wow it can be painful!
The upside is that now that we have been well for more than a week the surgery HAS helped Brett. He is talking more - by this I mean a lot of babbling but also saying Mama, Daddy, Granddad, Elmo and Baba (bottle) on a much more consistent basis! He is eating more and taking his bottle in less time and seems to be doing better with a sippie cup too! So far no improvement in the sleep department (ugh!) but he is also cutting a few new teeth so we'll see.