End of the Week

We have reached the end of the week. After the pee, poo, and police, there's not much more left to say except that I realized I never provided an update on Titus this week. It's Saturday night, all the boys have had haircuts (including Titus), everyone has had a bath, all the boys are in bed (at 8:30), and it's quiet.

Titus turned 18 months this week - what a major milestone for our little guy. We found out Monday he has an ear infection, but you would never really know it considering how happy he has been. He loves to play and just jabbers and babbles with delight. No matter how crazy a day can go, nothing melts away all the worries of the day like his smile does. He is doing good in therapy and is improving on holding himself up, holding on when you put him on your shoulder and responding to you. Lisa (our day nurse) has been working on him with basic sign language and it thrills your heart to see him respond.

Last night though was one of the roughest nights we've had in months. And the thing is, Titus slept through most of it. In fact, looking back, the issues weren't with Titus, but more with his equipment. His monitor kept going off stating his heart rate was low. Except you would watch the monitor, and the heart rate number would bounce from 95 to 78 to 84 t0 102. Anytime it goes below 80, it beeps. So it would beep, then stop. Then beep again in 2 minutes. This went on for 3 hours. Becky somehow managed to fall asleep, but I was miserable between midnight and 3 am. I was getting up to check him every 5 minutes and as soon as my feet would hit the floor or I would get to his room, the beeping would stop and his monitor would show 100& SATs and heart rate at 95 (which is just perfect for sleeping). Honestly, it was like the monitor had a mind of it's own and just wanted attention ( at least a machine can't pee on the blinds). But as soon as I would get back in bed (and not a moment before), it would go off again. I finally had a moment of lucidity at 3am and put the sensor on his right toe instead of his left toe. And, it didn't go off for the rest of the night. Why I didn't have that flash of genius at midnight, I guess I'll never know. So know we've decided to watch and see if the monitor goes off more on his left foot vs. his right foot.

This morning, we took Titus, Noah, Cade, and Tucker to an event sponsored by ECC. It made me realize how fortunate we are to live in an area that has so many resources available to assist Titus and us as parents. And, it's always good to meet other parents with children who have vision or hearing issues (or both) and share stories.

Becky and I do have one major prayer request for Titus. He is still on oxygen - and we haven't seen a lot of improvement of him coming off oxygen since we have had the flu this past Jan. With some of the issues he has managing his secretions and his crazy airway, the doctors have mentioned a tracheotomy several times. We have decided to wait until the end of the summer and then revisit the issue, but I realized, I have not put this out as a major prayer request. So, I'm asking that you will join us in praying for his lungs and airway - that they improve to a point that we can wean off oxygen, that his apnea will subside and his airway will strengthen so that a trach isn't necessary.

And last of all, Ginger has a home (we think). One of our sweet therapists who comes to our home once a month has fallen in love with her and took her for a weekend date. Ginger was so happy to get in her car and drive off into the sunset. She was loving the individual attention she was getting. And, it thrills me to know we rescued a dog who needed a home and attention. She is not the same dog we brought home 2 weeks ago. We'll know Monday if she will be taking her permamently.