This morning my sister and my daughter in law issued a challenge of sorts:
Not being one to walk away from a challenge, I got to work right away, and this is what happened:
It is not very big, just big enough for a not quite two year old girlie girl.
I am sure she is going to love it!
It’s National Craft Month. What are you making?
Now that the scary stuff with Owen is over with, I have a little time to reflect on my extended visit with Amelia. As you may know, it was the first time that we met since I have not been able to make it up to Maryland to visit since she was born on my birthday almost two years ago.
Because she did not know me, she fought everything I needed to do for her. Change a diaper? Nope, she ran away. Wipe her nose? Oh, heck no! She ran away. Get dressed? Forget that, you old hag! She ran away. This went on for the first four or five days. After that, she gradually warmed up to me, but by then, it was a game to run away. The difference was that instead of saying “No, Ganny, I don’t want to!” while running away, she laughed while running away. Sigh.
We had some good times, for sure. I discovered that she loves grapes and bananas. That she will ask to watch Despicable Me and “Ming Ming” on TV. That she calls her bottle her BoBo. And that she likes sleeping in her own bed with the door shut. That her “Blankie” must be within eyesight at all times. I also discovered that she does not like having her hair brushed, wearing her glasses, or wearing pants for very long at a time.
By the end of the “Twelve Days of Ganny”, we were good friends. She helped me make a video for Owen. On the last day there, she even came over to my chair and lifted her arms to me to be picked up after she had her bath and was in her jammies. Even with her Mummy and Daddy in the same room. I would say progress was made.
Sorry to keep you hanging, but it has been a whirlwind and I am worn out. Owen came home from the hospital on Sunday afternoon. He was so very happy to be there, too. The look on his little face when he saw his dog, Libby, was absolutely priceless. He can’t walk due to laying in a hospital bed for 16 days, and also from still being medicated with a sedative. But, he crawled over to Libby and gave her a great big hug, and her tail wagged so fast I thought she’d fly!
Now that he is home, I also headed for home on Monday. I have no idea why American Airlines does not have a direct flight from Washington, D.C to Atlanta, but they don’t, so I went from Washington to Chicago, changed planes, and then to Atlanta. The deprture gate in Chicago was on the opposite side of the airport from the arrival gate, so I had to hurry up and walk as fast as I could. I almost stopped to buy something to eat, but decided against it, and I’m glad I didn’t–they started boarding about 5 minutes after I got to the right gate.
I found out something about myself on this trip: I am good with take offs but really bad with landing. That landing part just about scares me out of my skin. And I had to do four of them–two on the way up and two on the way back. I think it may be another 20 years before I fly again, unless it is a non-stop flight.
When I got to Atlanta, my prince of a husband, Fabgrandpa, picked me up and took me out to eat at my favorite place–Red Lobster. It was delicious as usual! Then we headed home with just a stop at Piggly Wiggly to get some of their Rainbow Sherbert. He loves that stuff! (so do I). And, when we arrived home, this is what I found:
Someone missed me!
Last night my son, Seth took me, Amelia, and Michael to the hospital to visit with Owen. The last time I visited him there, he was completely sedated so he did not know I had been there. When we arrived last night, Amelia was the first person Owen saw, and started grinning ear to ear. When he saw me, he smiled really big and said “Hi, Granny!” I couldn’t believe he remembered me because it has been two years since the last time we were together. But little Owen was so happy to see us all.
The respiratory therapist had given Owen a bottle of “bubbles”. While we were all there, Owen spent about a half hour blowing bubbles to help strenghten his lungs. We all had fun catching and popping bubbles, and pretending to eat them, which made the little guy laugh. It was very obvious that this little exercise wore him out, though.
This morning Sarah posted this good news on her Facebook wall:
“Docs just came in to see Owen. They are pulling the feeding tube today and if he showing good progress with the weaning of the methadone and the Ativan and not getting the horrid side effects then he gets to go home tomorrow around 10am :)”
We are really hoping that he can come home tomorrow. He has been in the hospital since February 10th, and that is a really long time for anyone, much less a little 4 year old boy. I especially hope he gets to come home, because that would mean I would get to go home too. While I have enjoyed being here for the most part and spending so much time with my son and his family, I wish it had been under happier circumstances. And I really miss Fabgrandpa.
This is a very good day! Owen was moved from the Pediatric ICU back to the Pediatric floor. My son just called to tell me the good news! They have removed the IV that was in his groin, too. Things are really looking up for our brave little soldier.
Seth said when they were ready to move, he tied Owen’s balloons onto the bed. When Owen saw the balloons, he started shouting, “Hey, look at my balloons!” to everyone in the area. The little guy will be in the hospital for a few more days, but it is just so great that he is no longer in ICU!
I had a very good report from Sarah, Owen’s mother just a bit ago. He is feeling a little better today. He is now using the oxygen on the wall and not on the ventalator. If he tolerates the oxygen levels being turned down for 48 hours, they will take off the nasal tube. He is still very weak but thats to be expected. He ate 2 fries, drank 1 1/2 cartons of apple juice and 1 and a half sticks of kit kat. (Sarah says that is not very nutricious but a start!) He will still have some night time feeds through his tube to give him extra nutrition and he still is being weaned off of three sedatives. If he does better the earliest he can come home is Monday. He is still having some sadness, tremors, and very bad diahrea as side effects from the strong medications he has been having to take. He might need some rehab and physical therapy because of muscle weakness. This was a very good day though and our little champ is doing fantastic! Thank you for your contiued prayers,messages, love and support.
On the home front, I have to report that Amelia and I are getting along much better. She only told me once today to “Go Away!” when her Daddy came downstairs. As long as it is just me and her, and she has to depend on me for everything, I am the best!
I also have to mention that the community and military family here at Andrews Air Force Base has been so tremendously supportive. They have provided dinner every night since I arrived. Promtly at 5 o-clock every afternoon there has been a knock on the door, with a different person standing there with a home cooked meal, cards, and money donated to my son and his family. It is so nice to know that such compassion and comraderie exists in this day. And more often than not, when I ask for the person’s name, they will tell m “Oh, they don’t know me, I just wanted to do something.”Isn’t that just wonderful?
Yesterday the doctor removed the breathing tube from Owen’s throat, and brought him out of the sedated state he was in for almost a week. He was still frightened and upset by all that was going on, so he was given something to calm him down. He still has an oxygen tube, but it is the kind that attaches to the outside of your nose. He had a good afternoon and night.
This morning Sarah said they were able to lower his oxygen in his nose to 60%. He is still taking meds to relax and partially sedate him. His stats look good and doctors are hoping to pull the feeding tube today as it is annoying him. He still doesn’t know whats going on and is having drug withdrawal symptoms. They are going to see if he wants to eat today or drink once they pull the tube from his nose. Thank you for your continued support, prayers, get well wishes, love and kindness.
Last night Seth stayed home and made an “Island of Sodor” , which is where Thomas the Train lives, for Owen. It will be a surprize for him when he gets to come home. 
Owen loves Thomas the Train, and plays with his for hours. Seth created this on plywood so the track can stay set up all the time, and just slide under his bed when it needs to be put away.
When Seth and Sarah got to the hospital this morning, the doctor told them they would most likely be removing the ventilator tube early this afternoon. Once they have him off of all the tubes, they can bring him out of the sedated state he has been kept in for a week. He will have to stay in the PICU for 48 hours after being awakened before he will be moved to the pediatric floor.
Amelia and I made a video for Owen this afternoon:
WE are hoping he will be able to see it tonight.
