go tigers!

Dalton is getting stronger every day, just needs to work on some endurance. He gets tired really quickly but the little guy has been through a lot. We cheered for our Memphis tigers on T.V. and I almost had a heart attack...too close for comfort for a while.

When we went to pick up Sullivan from school yesterday, Dalton wanted to go in and see all of his brother's classmates and tell them thank you for the get well cards. The kids were surprised to see him and Dalton enjoyed being able to talk to all of them.

We were spoiled once again with another yummy meal. I'm pretty sure my husband is going to be sad when I have to start cooking again. The kids will probably be not so happy either b/c the desserts will probably end.

I am going to start on thank you notes this weekend. I've been putting it off. Not because I'm not thankful, I just think it's hard to get how grateful we are on a piece of paper. We have been showered with meals, prayers and visitors. The show of support has overwhelmed us and lifted us. Thanks again to everyone!

all calm

Yesterday was a pretty good day for Dalton. Just one complaint of a small headache but the rest of the day was pretty uneventful. His appetite still isn't quite what it was prior surgeries, but he's coming along.

Channing on the other hand, came down from the playroom to exclaim she had poop in her underwear. Really? "Is there poop anywhere else?", I asked. "Yeah, in the playroom." Great, I get to clean up poop today....really?

It came to mind what a nurse said to me in the hospital. She said, "You know, God won't give you more than you can handle, so He must think a lot of you." My first thought....God must have me confused with someone else b/c I'm pretty sure I've handled all I can handle....but my next thought is...I don't really buy into the God won't give you more than you can handle...in fact, many times we are faced with situations greater than we can handle. It's at that point we have to stop trying to control and fix things ourselves and lean on Him. I think we are given times we can't handle but He never gives us situations He can't handle.

We are doing well again today. All is calm at the Peterson household. It's nice. Hopefully, the calm will stay here for a while. Thanks for checking.

we're home

Hey guys. Good news. We are finally home! Hopefully the posts will slow down as I have less to report? Yay, home......

wooo hooo!

Still looks like we're going home today. Dalton went downstairs to see the dogs for pet therapy and then came back to his room where a dog came and visited him. The pet therapy is so cool. Dalton's face just lights up when he sees the dogs.

Got some excellent news. Looks like when we go home, we can do the vactomycin every 12 hours instead of every 6....yay! Sleep, here I come! The next 2 weeks of antibiotics won't be so tough on us now. Wooo hooo!

Dalton seems to get tired very quickly but when he is awake, he's very active, giggly...his normal self. We're thinking that maybe all the surgeries and laying in bed this past month has caught up to him. We're praying that's all it is. It will be so good to sleep in my bed again....and get to sleep.

hoping Dalton eats a good breakfast

Yesterday Dalton got up and walked with PT. His balance was still pretty off and he fatigued quickly but he got up and walked a little. It did look a little better than the day before. The neuro resident came in a little later and flushed his shunt with a needle. He said the fluid flowed well so he didn't feel there was a problem there.

After having his shunt tapped yesterday, he went to sleep. This became a pattern for the day. He woke up to eat lunch and then would go back to sleep. He woke up long enough to play a few games of Chutes and Ladders with Channing and me, then back to sleep. Last night for dinner he complained of being too tired to eat dinner and only took a couple of bites (very unlike him because he loves food!)

Every time he fell asleep, he could always be awakened easily, which is good.

This am neuro residents came in....6:22....to check on him. Going to watch him a little today and see how he's eating. I'm going to try to make him stay awake more today so we can go home. I hate pawning my other 2 kiddos off on people. Thanks Denise for taking Sullivan and thanks Angie for taking Channing.

I had to do something I was praying I wouldn't have to do this am....we got the 1 nurse I was so hoping we wouldn't. I hated having to go and do it, but I requested another nurse this am. The original one was the same we had last week when we were discharged. I felt like she cut some corners (didn't follow Dalton's flush in his central line with heparin) and some other short cuts at discharge. How is it we got her again on the day we are possibly going home? Yuck. Anyways, we got another nurse.

another good start

Dalton slept all day yesterday away and then had a fair night. He ran a temp. of 101.4 yesterday for a little while but was controlled with tyelenol and ibprofen. Last night, lots of twisting and turning in bed which had alarms going off and nurses scurrying but nothing to worry about.

The neuro residents were in here bright and early as always (6am) to check on Dalton's status then out the door. Nurse change at 7 am, then Dalton was up at 8am. Dr. Sanford, neurosurgeon, came in shortly afterwards to see Dalton and check status. Dalton was alert, talking and being his social self. I think Dr. Sanford spent 10 sec. (not exaggerating) in the room assessing then left.

Dalton's alert and watching T.V. right now. He looks like his normal, sweet little self. So, I was sitting here just about to write that I think we'll go home today considering how good Dalton looks right now when Dr. Einhaus walked in (the neurosurgeon who performed the shunt revision). She thinks he looks good too but wants the neuro resident to come in and tap and flush the shunt (requiring a needle to be stuck in his head and into the shunt). This will just double check that flow is good and if there is any debris in there, this could help flush it out.

Looks like we're staying another night....which means Channing will be spending the day with me and Dalton here in the hospital. If anyone wants to come visit today and entertain us...come on.

really good morning

We started off the morning really well. He was alert, eating and ready to go. PT came in and walked him. He was very uncoordinated. His balance was extremely off and he fatigued very quickly. He wasn't able to finish walking the square around the floor. I had to get his stroller and roll him back in the room.

He sat up in his chair for a little bit but then was ready to get back in bed. Once in his bed, he started to get sleepy. We played a game of trivia on the T.V. but then he fell asleep before he was awarded his prize. He slept for quite a while.

He's been able to awaken but he tends to fall back asleep somewhat quickly. His behavior isn't like yesterday but to me, still seems a little off. He started running a temperature as well. I am watching him closely to make sure he's just tired and not having complications. It's so hard to tell b/c he did just have surgery last night.

Still praying everything is ok and we get to go home tomorrow.

a good night

Dalton had a good night. We actually got some rest, which was nice. This morning, he is alert again and requesting pancakes. The neurosurgeon came in to do her checks and wants him up out of the bed walking today. If he does well today, we will go home tomorrow.

Dalton looked up at her with his big browns and said, "You mean I'm not going home today?" Even the neurosurgeon couldn't help but melt and offered him a possibility of going home this evening if he got up and walked around today. What!? Slow down....I kinda nipped that in the bud. He just had surgery last night. I counter offered with....let's have a good day today, up walking around and if we have a good night, then we go home tomorrow. No need to rush things. I feel much more comfortable with going home tomorrow.