Monday Night

Jared has had a good day. The physical therapist put him through the wringer by making him walk out into the hall way and try to go up the stairs. He only did three of them, but it just about killed him. He is still so weak. We wanted him to be able to learn to do the stairs because our only shower is upstairs at out house. Despite how hard this was for him, he is walking remarkably well all things considered. So the plan for now is to take him home tomorrow.

He does still have one open wound that is draining quite a bit of stuff from it. They cultured it today and no new bacteria are growing so that is very good. He has to lay on his stomach three times a day to let gravity help with the draining. Then the dressing needs to be changed. I did that tonight by myself for the first time. So now I can do that.

I miss spoke or wrote earlier when I said that his antibiotic is every 8 hours, it is really every six hours, four times a day. So that would be midnight, 6 am, noon, and 6 pm. Gosh it will almost be like a nursing baby. But the good news will be that it is only for 9 days.

The other shocking news for the day is that Jared has lost 15 pounds. He is down to 136 pounds. He did not have 15 pounds of fat to loose, so it has to be muscle. That might explain why he seems so frail and has a hard time getting around. So one mission will be to fatten him back up. Each day he will get stronger and stronger. That is the goal.

My part will be to transform from the pushover mother into the drill sargent mother who can push him to be all that he can be. Actually one nurse called it lovely pulling. So let's think of it in that terms. Still let me tell you it is hard to watch your baby that almost died, be pushed or pulled or poked for that matter. I just have to keep telling myself that it is for his good. Just like when you get your kids immunized and feel like you need oxygen afterwards. Yea like that.

A BIG BIG BIG thank you to all who came to my aid today. Whether it was just a note of encouragement on this blog, a phone call, cleaning my house, a visit to the hospital, a frosty delivery, or two dinners delivered, well what can I say. I was reminded of how much I am loved. Must have forgotton for a minute. It was kind of like that final scene in It's a Wonderful Life when everyone came and helped Jimmy Stewart know that he was not alone. Yea it was that kind of a moment. Words will never suffice to say thank you, but THANK YOU to all even if it was a prayer in my behalf. Everyone gets a big gold star and lots of brownie points in heaven!!!!

So now I am going to head home from the hospital and it is only 9:30. And I will have some wonderful food waiting for me there. Hip Hip Hooray!