RSV...CICU ...Grateful

Where to start...Caelen spent 8 days in the CICU in Orlando last week for RSV and pneumonia.  That sucked!  We spent years, shots and a big co-pays protecting Caelen from RSV, and at the end of the day, it was as bad as we feared.  Thank goodness we're out now and healing. 

Instead of going back to Jupiter with my sister and her family, we've gone south to Boca Raton to live with my best friend Morgan Carpenter and her family. We needed to keep Caelen away from the pre-school germs for at least a month and give his lungs a chance to heal. So Morgan and her husband Jason were kind enough to take us in for a while. This comes down to my post: Grateful. 

I'm incredibly grateful that my sister Jen and her family have housed us for the last 3 months.  You can't ask for much more than to have our own room and a big space inside their play room.  But for now, we need to take a break. 

Morgan and Jason have 2 girls, Savannah and Grace, 9 year old twins. The girls finally got their wish this past summer in getting their own rooms. Then we came. Now the girls are not only sharing a room, they are sharing a bed.  I'm so incredibly grateful to the entire Carpenter Family for taking us in on such short notice, and especially to the girls for giving up on their own space so that Caelen and I could stay.  Caelen loves it here and he loves the time he gets with the girls, and of course with Aunt Momo and Uncle Jason.  They have always given Caelen extra attention and he thrives in their house. 

It takes a lot to take Caelen and I in. He has oxygen, 50' of tubing, breathing treatment vest and equipment, 23 meds, 3 different formulas for feeds, specialized milks for his feeds, and of course all the gear that goes with his g tube. We take up a lot of space. But Morgan and Jason didn't hesitate to offer us shelter, and shift their lives to give Caelen a safe place to recover. And for their family I am grateful.  

So I end tonight by simply saying thank you to everyone who continues to walk down this road with us. 

Love,

Katye & Caelen

Our year in review

Happy 2014!!!

What a year it's been! We started off with plastic bronchitis ruling our life and commanding many ER and hospital visits, let us not forget the helicopter ride:  Sorry Jordan Laycook for waking you, and sorry to the Hargroves for an impolite   ER passing, lol. 

But we had many more ups this year than down. Caelen fought hard against his plastic bronchitis, and me, and he's doing much better. As we sit, it's been a little over 2 months since he's had a cast.

He's adjusted really well to living in FL with his cousins and aunt and uncle, not to mention their 2 dogs that he loves to ride as if they were horses. He's ornery and argumentative, but smart and funny. The perfect dichotomy of a toddler. I love this kid. He tells me he loves me, but tells me stop singing (that hasn't changed).  He'll still a snuggle bug, so I hope that continues. He is the monkey that wakes me, the bratty toddler that tells me to go to sleep, and the light that keeps me going. 

We went to Disney and Epcot and Caelen had a blast.  He sat on Santas lap, that did NOT go well, but he did get everything he wanted for Christmas. 

Speaking of, this was the first year that Caelen finally "got" Christmas. Oh my goodnes. We've created a monster. He kept asking for more presents. In fact he keeps asking for more presents. This kid keeps me laughing every day. 

I know I'm redundant in thanking everyone, but seriously, Thank you everyone. With friends like Weston and Khloe still in the hospital, we pray for them daily, but we thank God that we are home today. 

We remember all too well what hospital life is like, so as you say a prayer for us, please also remember our ❤️ Heart friends. 

Many blessings for all of you in 2014!

Love,

Katye & Caelen