Merry Christmas and Happy New 3 Year molars?

Merry Merry and Happy Happy to all!  We survived Caelen's last 2 weeks of misery and think we may be turning a corner.  Around this new corner we believe are 3 year molars.  What the heck man?  I stopped reading the baby books when I realized that Caelen had his own plan.  So it never occurred to me that there could be another set.  Really?  Guess this is what I get for not doing my homework.

We went back to the pediatrician AGAIN last Friday.  We really did manage to make it every other day for 2 weeks.  That's a record for us.  On the plus side, Caelen's oxygen requirements are shrinking.  The Dr. advised us to give Caelen his extra dose of Diuril back and it is working.  I just wish it worked for teething.  We are starting to think that the reason that Caelen has been awake every 2 hours for the last 2 weeks, well, aside from the cold, the ear infections, the bacterial infection and the rash, is that his molars are coming through.  I can't be sure though because he'd bite me if I got my fingers that far back.  In the meantime, we're starting to adjust to the continuous lack of sleep.  It's kinda like having a newborn again.  Funnnnn....................

Let's just skip to the good parts, the photos from Christmas.  Santa brought us a new camera, so I have been try to paparazzi it up.  You went from a lack of photos to now a new influx.  Enjoy!



the first time Caelen sees a cat



playing cars with cousin PJ









Caelen gets a mini version of Daddy's truck





Uncle Bruce, Aunt Michelle, Cousins Shannon and Brock



Granpa and Nan Nan

Love,
Katye, Martin & Caelen



You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both...

Ahhh, the Facts of Life.  I wish Caelen's saga would wrap itself up neatly in a half hour program.

We started the day with a nasty rash on his head, face, neck and torso.  Off to the pediatrician we went again.  We've literally been there every other day for a week and a half.  The bad news is that his ear infections are not responding to the new antibiotic and Caelen is also allergic to it.  So we are going to try a third antibiotic, Augmentin extra strength.  I'm happy that this will supposedly work, but it is hell on his stomach and bum.  He also got pink eye again, 3rd one now.  Woo hoo!  Isn't there a prize that should be given to the kids and parents for surviving so much crap in 2 weeks?!?

Oh yes, the prize...I can't always be doom and gloom.  We saw the nephrologist this afternoon for our 6 month follow up and got great news.  Caelen's kidneys are doing better and the venous pressures are dropping.  The Dr. said that he actually has good kidneys, there was just a lot of congestion surrounding them.  And as we continue to wean off of the diuretics, we should continue to see improvement.  We are heading in the right direction, and I literally started crying when the Dr. told me this.  Finally, some much needed good news.  We do not have to add another medication to our regimen as was thought 6 months ago. 

I am hoping to not have to update again until Christmas with photos of Caelen playing with boxes and toys thrown aside.  In that hope, I wish you all Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy everything :)

Love, Katye, Martin & Caelen

Double dose of yuckiness

Well it's certainly been an adventure in our household this past week.  Caelen now has double ear infections and probably a sinus infection too.  I was ready to give Caelen to the pediatrician yesterday,  he's already got 5, what's one more? 

Fortunately the Dr. got Caelen switched over to a new antibiotic and he seems to be responding.  Don't get me wrong, we were still up every 2 hours with Caelen last night, but today has seen a significant improvement in his mood.  We also can't give the ear drops because the Dr. feels that the drop in oxygen sats was too coincidental, so no pain relief for Caelen other than Tylenol.  But all in all, he is finally improving.  We are still on 3 liters of oxygen, which is higher than he was ever on at home before, but hopefully the antibiotic will help kick this crap out of him and we can start weaning again.  I'd still rather be at home on 3 liters of oxygen than in the hospital, so we'll be patient.

Must go now because the words are blending into each other from sleep deprival.  I feel like we have a newborn again.  Here's some pics of cranky Caelen yesterday in the Dr office.

Love, Katye, Martin & Caelen

Tis the Season...for ER visits?

It has been one heck of a cold season here in the Gorman household.  Pretty much since Caelen started daycare last month, it has been non-stop sickness for Caelen, who is then so kind as to pass on to Martin, myself and our babysitter.  My favorite was pink eye last week, only to get it again this week when he got an ear infection and upper respiratory infection.  This one is the one that's been the hardest.  This is only Caelen's 2nd ear infection, and the poor boy is miserable.  It makes me feel helpless because I can't do anything for him.

I took him to the Dr. on Thursday and he gave us the numbing ear drops, but they came with the caveat that said only to use them as a last resort because they have a rare side effect.  That rare and almost never seen effect is that they can cause cyanosis (lack of oxygen/blue), trouble breathing and the kids can become lethargic.  Well guess who has to be rare.

Fast forward 8 hours later and I can finish this post that was started during nap.  We just got back from the ER because the Dr thought Caelen's dropping sats were more likely pneumonia and not the rare side effect.  We had a chest xray and nasal swabs for RSV and flu.  Thankfully, everything is fine.  He just has some nasty viral bug that is taking a toll on him.   He gave the same bug to our babysitter and she tells us that she has headaches, body aches, fever, and general suckiness all around.  I think we may need to give her a raise, I've lost count of the bugs he has given her.

So right now, we have Caelen back on oxygen which he clearly needs, and this is the same reason that we were allowed to come home.  The docs at the local hospital said they would only be giving him oxygen support, so we were free to go.  I have a feeling this will be a long night for all.    :(

But on a positive note, we saw the cardiologist end of Nov and she did an echo and an EKG and both were fine, no changes.  So from a cardiac standpoint Caelen is stable.  Now if we could just get the germs under control we'd be good. 

For now, I bid you all a quiet, germ free, vomit free night.

Love, Katye, Martin & Caelen