Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Update on Patient Jack

Thanks for all of you who have been checking up with our little patient Jack. Since Saturday we (and the doctors) feel that he has made great improvements. We hung around the house all weekend and on Monday Jack and I went to two different doctors for follow ups. They both agreed that Jack's lungs sound a ton better. We are spacing out the treatments to every 6 hours unless needed earlier and are still monitoring his oxygen level and eating...but both are progressing as well. Unless he spikes in fever again which would indicate a secondary infection (usually an ear ache) we have to continue the treatments we are currently doing for another week or two.

Here is the little man himself. We took away the coffee table and bar stools (the stools bruised his eye lid Sunday night) so he spends most of his time climbing on the couch...they were already in poor structure condition with milk stains...but now they are covered in mucus. Looking at it one would think we have a huge dog that slobbers...nope, just a sick Jack. Wanna come hang on our couches and watch a movie?!?

"Are you my Mommy?"


Nick and I were trying our own little "holistic" approach to treating his RSV by pumping him with the remaining back stock of breast milk from the freezer that is full of germ fighting goodies and is sweet tasting- despite his lack of appetite he chugged it down. Here he is with the last baby of "My Mommy's Milk" that I worked harder than you would know to get for him. Notice the stain on the shoulder of his onsie...his toy attacked his chin...Jack's is 0 for 3!



Here is our medicine counter...it all has to be close at hand. Thanks Kim for giving me the hint to getting our new head thermometer to operate correctly- taking the protective cap off worked!


The cool air humidifier runs all night on the highest setting to help break up that junk in his system. The noise from the humidifier is filling the void of the crib motion detector for Nick since Jack is sleeping in our room.


Here is Jack's new nebulizer. He has started to grow fonder of the dinosaur on the nose piece...when he is awake during treatments he holds on to it and plays with it's horn. Most of his treatments though we try to do when he is sleeping so he doesn't move around as much. We own this one but hopefully we won't have to use it later with colds/asthma like the doctor's predict.

Here is the last of our IEP Modifications for Jack and his RSV. This is him in his swing at the foot of our bed. He naps here and starts out the evening here until we are ready to go to bed. Tomorrow we are going to try him back in his crib...but if the water works causing an overflow of mucus back to our room he goes...getting him back in to a routine is going to be quite a challenge.
Til Monday Jack and I will be at 740 Rolling Hills (unless we sneak out for quick runs to Starbucks or the bank) because he can't be around children until he is completely rid of this.

Sorry Ethan...you were unlucky in being around him before we knew what was going on. Hope you are feeling better soon and that you'll be willing to play with Jack again one day.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Dear Santa,

Dear Santa,
I have been a very good boy so far this year even though my nickname is Trouble. OK- so I play in my crib, climb onto the coffee table, and mess with every electronic in my sight...but that's just me exploring my environment so I can learn more. Ask the Elf on the Shelf...he'll tell you the truth. Now that I have pleaded my case...let's get down to business. Below you will find a list of my wishes. If you have questions about them contact Mom (she's the know it all of the house). I plan to leave you cookies and treats for the reindeer...let's hope Mom and Dad don't get into them like they do everything else. See you in December!
Love,
Jack Anthony Relle
  • Britax Marathon Convertible Car Seat in Granite (Albeebaby.com has great prices and most of the time free shipping) for Pathfinder
  • Fisher Price Safe Voyager Convertible Car Seat in Black (Albeebaby.com has great prices on this as well) for Jetta
  • Jack and Lily Brown Trainer Baby Shoes (cream/brown size 6-12 months: BabyStyle carries these)
  • Any cute Pedipod shoes maybe with some black in them(size 6-12)
  • Clothes (size 6-12 in most brands)
  • Laugh and Learn 2 in 1 Kitchen by Fisher Price-It has been recalled because of a few parts falling off (choking hazard). Hopefully it will be back out on the shelves by Holiday Shopping Time
  • Go Baby Go! Stride to Ride Lion by Fisher Price
  • Stacking Rings (this website has great original wooden toys not made with lead in China- http://www.novanatural.com/ )
  • Cube Shape Sorter (the wood toy place might make something like this too)
  • See and Say
  • Cardboard Books
  • Tub Toys
  • Bathtub Toy Holder for the corner of the tub (One Step Ahead carries this)
  • Stationary/Cards with his name for thank yous (expressionery.com has really cute stuff and the code HOME4 gets you a 40% dicount)
  • Gymboree Play and Music Gift Certificate for Spring Classes (hold off on this til Jack and I try out a new place that just opened...we may go with them for the Spring-we'll keep you posted)
  • Money for Savings, Classes, Misc. Items
  • Enfamil Lipil Milk Based Formula with Iron for Babies 0-12 Months (yellow label)
  • Classic Disney DVDs (Jack is starting a collection but wants the classics like Cinderella, Peter Pan, etc.)
  • A week or two in Greece this Summer on the islands with my mom and dad (and anyone else who wants to join us-maybe if we went we'd bring back a brother or sister like they brought me back :) )

To avoid duplicates please post an anonymous comment if you are purchasing from the list-to do this click on comments and before typing in your text click on the bubble below that says anonymous. You don't have to sign in or register. Only what you are buying will appear. I've done an example for you to see what it will appear like.

Saturday, November 3, 2007

What an UnBREATHable Week!

This is as close to a Christmas picture that little man Jack is going to get today. We had an appointment at 12:20 to get our family Holiday pictures taken but since Jack had not eaten since Thursday and wouldn't eat this morning; combined with his mucus, coughing, crying fits we knew we needed to see the doctor again. Cancelled our appointment and headed to Dr. Guettersloh's office.

Dr. Newton was the doctor on call and he was very thorough and nice to Jack and us. Jack weighed in at 16 pounds, had a temperature of 98 degrees, and had a little wax in his ear that he cleaned out. The biggest problems besides the lack of eating (which led to lack of urine output) was that Jack was wheezing. At the office we did a breathing treatment (which Jack did not enjoy AT ALL) and then the doctor checked his breathing again and oxygen level. They both had improved so he sent us home with the following instructions:

  • Breathing treatments every 4 hours til Monday
  • Suction mucus often
  • Offer bottles often
  • Jack must have 1 wet diaper every 8 hours or we need to take him for IV fluids
  • Come back for a follow up on Monday

Once we got home Jack instantly took a 4 oz. bottle. His second breathing treatment went a lot better since we did it while he was napping in his swing. His mucus seems to be better and since then he has had an additional 6 oz. with 2 semi wet diapers.....looks like we are on the right path to treating this funk.


What a true Tiger...despite all this- him and his Dad put on their colors and put on their game faces to cheer on the Tigers against Nick Satan! We'll keep ya posted on how our little man is doing.

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Baby Shambles

Those of you that read this...know me. Those of you that know me...know that this is obviously an illustration of a Jennifer that has lost control...Our house, our life- Baby Shambles.

Click to enlarge....Prize goes to the person that can find all the frozen meals in the picture.

You think this counter looks bad...you should see the kitchen table...that is if you can find it.


Nick, Jack, and I's room. Here are all my outfits from the past week...even though I don't shower at least I have on clean clothes.


Instead of the walk of shame...the hall of laundry. Bad thing is....I couldn't remember which piles were dirty and which were clean so I did them all again to make sure.

One would think I would be too embarassed to post our house in such a state...but this is reality and the reality is....husband working 15 hours a day, sick baby, and no family in town.