Good Things Come: Slow & Steady

Since Drake was released from the PICU back in May, we have slowly been working up on his time and endurance off of the vent. We are overjoyed that he is now off the vent during the day while he is awake, and only on his vent while he is sleeping. Today his Pulmonologist was pleased to see his progress, too! He said that his vent settings are minimal and can not be weaned any further. We will continue with what we have been doing and attempt to wean some of the medications in his breathing treatments. If we are feeling brave, we can also try spacing out his breathing treatments a little. There is a fine line between feeling brave and pushing him a little and feeling scared and apprehensive because of the major setbacks we have had in the past. We will continue to walk that fine line and do our best to make what we believe will be the best decisions for Drake.

We visited the dentist this week and both Drake & Kennedy did really well! I'm so pleased with how accommodating Dr Boozer's office is with Drake. They even did his teeth cleaning in his chair so that he would feel more comfortable. Kennedy's favorite part was the fish tank in the waiting room. She quickly spotted "Nemo" and "Nemo's daddy." She also informed the dental hygienist that they did not have "Dory." Clearly she is a big fan of Finding Nemo. Both kiddos received fun new toothbrushes, and I think it is safe to say they will be ready to go back when it's time for another appointment.

Today I had planned to meet up with some friends for a lunch following vent clinic. Unfortunately, vent clinic was CRAZY busy today and we did not get out of there until much later than expected. While I was disappointed to have missed out on visiting and catching up with old friends, I was happy to have been able to spend a little time with Mimi, Poppy, Aunt Jamie, Uncle Mikey & baby Chase before we headed home.

We are still on the lookout for a new night nurse 3 nights each week. It is not easy finding the right nurse who will be a good fit working with Drake, and who we will feel comfortable with in our home. It always takes me the longest before I feel at ease enough to actually get sleep when we are dealing with a new nurse. It's difficult letting go of control and allowing someone new to care for Drake. We will continue to search and pray that our agency is able to find a perfect fit before our new baby boy arrives.

We are hoping to have a quiet week and continue with our slow and steady progress moving forward.

Our little goofballs!

We all love making Drake laugh!

Cutest little tiger!

Kennedy was so excited to pick out her baby doll at the store!

Drake's therapist made him a head strap for when he needs a little extra support with his head control. This allows him to concentrate on more important things, like pushing the button on his tray.