What an ordeal Adren has been through. My hopes and prayers are that one day we will look back at all of it and say, "Remember that one time when that happened? And now you are 100% better!" I want to document all of my thoughts and feelings while still fresh in my mind.
Let me go back to when it all started...
I suppose the first signs that something was "off" was on New Years Eve. I'd just picked up Adren from Devron's house. He'd spent the night, celebrating Brett's birthday. He looked pale and tired to me. He said they hadn't stayed up very late but had played quite a bit outside in the snow. He came home and slept for about four hours! He woke and came downstairs for an evening of movies and lots of food and treats with the family.
At the end of the evening he and I were sitting on the floor playing a board game. We'd been sitting for quite a while and when we were done he said his legs had fallen asleep. My back was sore, I didn't think anything of it and told him to shake it off. The rest of the evening he kept saying his legs felt funny and hadn't woken up. He kept stomping and rubbing them. Jon and I really didn't think anything of it. Adren came outside with us and whooped and hollered and banged pots and pans, we sent him to bed with everyone else, thinking nothing of him saying his legs felt weird.
On New Years Day, Adren woke up to his left leg completely paralyzed but with feeling. His right leg had some strength, but had no feeling at all. Jon and I would pinch his leg~ pretty hard~ it gave me the creeps to do it! He didn't even flinch. He crawled and scooted around the house. He kept laughing about it, and hitting his leg really hard, saying it was so weird. Because of his attitude we weren't gravely concerned and I wondered if he was over-exaggerating. We finally said- "Ok, knock it off, quit playing around, this is making us worried. You really have no feeling in your legs? You really can't walk????" He was in no pain or discomfort otherwise. He started to feel a little nauseated and got comfy in our bed with Jon and watched some movies. This is where the knots and uneasy feeling in my stomach started. I busied about the house, with his situation weighing heavily on my mind. What was going on???
I am one who's mind can run away like crazy! If I let myself, it can go to some pretty dark places. Obviously Jon and I knew we'd need to take him in to the doctor's the next day. I was at the kitchen sink doing dishes and praying. I prayed that whatever was happening wouldn't be serious- or cause us to have to file bankruptcy! I prayed that he could heal quickly and that when we took him in the next day we'd get some answers. Non-scary answers. At that moment, while praying, I had a thought enter my head. I could see Adren running around our backyard! I was filled with peace and gratitude and chose to hang on to that! A little later on that day he said he was able to lift his knee up a little and said his legs were feeling different, like it was "wearing off". Jon had to help him into bed that night. He was like a sack of bricks, couldn't even take a step without falling to the ground. I wondered how in the world I'd get him in to the doctors the next day....
That night was rough! I don't think I slept a wink. Things felt like doomsday~ like they always do at night when your fretting about something. I was imagining all sorts of horrible things. Was this fatal? Would it gradually take over his whole body? Is this the beginning of the end? Would he have to have surgery tomorrow? Is chemotherapy in his future? In my mind we had already moved to a one story where the halls were wide enough for a wheelchair and we could set up a room with a medical bed in the front room.... I couldn't help it! I'd get up to check on Adren, crawl back in bed to see Jon wasn't fairing much better. The next morning I called the pediatrician first thing, Jon and I thought we'd start there. They could see him at 10am. Jon had some appointments he couldn't cancel and I tried my best to get Adren bathed and ready for the day and get the others together. When he'd try to stand I could feel his body shaking trying to hold his own weight and then his one good leg would buckle. How in the world am I going to get him out to the car and then to the doctors office??? Piggy back? Push him on his skateboard? Adren said he'd just crawl. In the snow and ice??? Adren still didn't seem worried at all. He was more amazed how strange his legs felt. The others were just excited to see the fish tank and curious what movie they'd be playing at the pediatricians office.
I decided we'd try putting him in our old baby stroller. It was packed away clear up on a high shelf of course with a million things in front of it and of course filthy dirty and dusty. I lifted the tray for him to sit, his knees folded up around his ears. He couldn't keep his feet on the resting bar so they'd slip off and the wheels would get stuck. That thing was ridiculous with such weight and going through snow and ice. But it got us in the office!
Dr. Hacking spent about 45 minutes doing different tests on Adren's strength, reflexes and motor skills. He was very thorough and I could tell he was scratching his head trying to think of something else he could test. At the end he said after 35 years he thought he'd seen it all but had never seen this. He had no idea what was wrong. ~ He started to speculate with some really horrifying diseases but I was able to change the subject with some questions. He said he was just as curious as I, and we needed to get up to Primary Children's Emergency room right away. (gulp) I was fighting back tears as I was trying to check out, I could see such concern and questions on all the nurses and receptionists faces. It was hard to see Adren's big, round questioning eyes on me, I think the seriousness was sinking in here, so I was doing my darnedest to keep it together. When the receptionist told me Dr. Hacking had waived his fee, I panicked. It was such a kind gesture, but made me wonder~ was it so bad he knew we needed one tiny kind deed to start us out on this scary journey? My eyes welled up with tears as I thanked a teary receptionist. What is going on???
Jon met me back at the house to stay with the kids for the day. I knew I should pack me an overnight bag, or grab something Adren may need? I seriously could not even think straight and left with just my purse. Before we left we said a family prayer and I had to get out of there because Jon was so teary and I had to keep it together! I remember Adren was so talkative the whole drive up. We had a great conversation about everything and nothing, and it was great to get my mind off the dread. He was in fine spirits, except told me he really did NOT want to be stuck with a needle. I told him he very likely would, but it would be quick and ok. I, however, out of pure uneasiness gulped about 64 ounces of water and was bursting when we got to the emergency entrance! I pulled up to the automatic doors around 12:30 or 1:00 and rushed in asking where the nearest bathroom was. About three nurses ran to me at once, all panic. I tried to explain it was not an emergency- well, I was the emergency, but my son is in the car out there and will need a wheelchair. As I rushed off I glanced back to see them scrambling out to the van with the wheelchair. Good grief.
We were brought to a room where a very nice doctor came in and did another, even more thorough exam, a lot of the same things and questions, Adren repeated his story. When he was done he was able to eliminate a handful of really scary sounding things. I remember cancerous tumor being one of those, which was a major concern, of course. He said the fact that the paralysis was not symmetrical was very telling. He said it was definitely virus related, and now we needed to figure out what virus it was, and go from there. Adren and all of the kids in the family for that matter had not been sick at all. Not even the sniffles. I credited it to the warmer weather and no snow up until Christmas day. We had all had a relatively healthy season. I appreciated how knowledgeable the doctor was and how patient he was with my questions. I had a lot! He told me with all the confidence that he would find answers by today. This is all I wanted! I didn't want to be shuffled around from place to place, wracking up bills and getting nowhere. They brought a bed for Adren to lay in and get comfortable. He laid back and watched some TV. I would go outside to get service and refresh my phone in the cold, and try to update Jon as best as I could, and as often as I could. Adren hated me to leave so I always felt I needed to hurry back. From there on out, we would be visited by several more doctors, several neurologists and kind nurses that all had the same questions and conduct the same exam. They said he would need an MRI and possibly a spinal tap for testing. They put a numbing patch on his back to get that going. I noticed every time the doctor or neurologist would tell me what tests or procedures would being done, or what most likely the prognosis was, Adren would look at me with wide eyes to see my facial expression to understand the severity. I tried to have a poker face when they mentioned that spinal tap. Every now and then I'd help Adren back into his wheelchair to go to the bathroom across the hall. He had lost his capability to hold in his bladder, I hadn't realized the paralysis had reached up to his hips, so when he felt the slightest urge, we went!
Adren was real nervous when the nurse came in with the IV. He asked if there was any way to get around that. Unfortunately, no. I felt bad for him when after the first try on his right hand the vein collapsed and had to try on the other hand. But a lot of viles of blood were collected throughout the day and evening, so he was glad to see the IV prevented all that potential poking. What I was nervous about was this looming spinal tap...
Adren held up pretty well during all of this. He was very hungry and thirsty but I couldn't do anything for him, in case surgery was needed. After a doctor or neurologist would leave he would cry a little because he was worried he would always be this way. I told him of the thought I had- him running across the backyard. I don't know when that will be, it may be years away, certainly not next month, but I think with hard work he will do it! I would just hug him and wipe away his tears and tell him everything would be ok. I told him that Dad was telling the family so there would be a lot of prayers being said on his behalf. This made him feel a lot of comfort and relief. In his words filled with relief, "Oh, good!" I felt grateful for his faith. Jon said the kids were worried at home, poor Paisley crying for Adren and missing him. Eli is more of a silent worrier.
He finally was able to be wheeled down in the bed for his MRI. I told him what to expect, no big deal at all. They let him pick out a movie to watch and informed us this would take two hours. Whoah! I watched them lay him on the bed, clamp down the big plastic cover over his head and cover him with blankets. He was shaking, not sure why he felt so cold. It was hard to see my Adren get prepped for an MRI! At that moment I hated all of this! I hated that we were there, and I hated that all this was happening! I couldn't be there once they got started, he was in the MRI room anyway, so I stayed long enough for him to hear me and close the doors. The week before I had had a terrible dream. It seemed so real, and I was so relieved to wake up and realize it was just a bad dream. It seemed like that had prepped me for something to come and I couldn't help but wish I would go to bed that night to wake so relieved none of this was real!
I took advantage of those two hours by refreshing my phone and going out front to get some service. I updated Jon and got a yogurt to tuck in my purse for Adren for later. (See? I was not thinking. Who buys a yogurt and puts it in their purse for later???) I had zero appetite. I tried to read my scriptures but couldn't concentrate on anything and settled in an empty waiting room near the MRI with Seinfeld re-runs.
The nurse came out finally to tell me they were finished, they were just getting Adren out and un-hooked. She said he didn't look so good. When I got to him, he was white as a sheet, and so rattled! He was shaky, dripping with sweat and so nauseated. It had gotten up to 96 degrees in there, and with all that banging he couldn't concentrate on his movie. He was so worried he was going to throw up with that thing clamped over his face. He said, It. Was. Awful. I felt so bad! He said he'd rather get poked by a needle again than go through that. (but there's this spinal tap coming, you see.....)
We got him settled back in our waiting room while his pictures were being evaluated. We were going on umpteen hours of the Disney channel, people. (j/k.... I was fine.) The doctor came in and explained how they could see a small portion of his spinal cord was damaged, resulting in about two inches of swelling around the area. The damage is in the grey matter, which affects the signals the brain sends. The diagnosis is Acute Flaccid Myelitis, which means sudden, paralysis caused by virus. They explained how they do not have all the answers to this diagnosis, as it really hasn't been studied further back than August. All of the children diagnosed have not made a full recovery, but they don't have enough time to see what the future holds. It is not contagious so there is no worry of my other children getting it, or being quarantined from school, and it does not spread or get worse. Most of the kids have shown an increase in strength immediately after and some improvement, and then it stalls. Physical therapy and strengthening those muscles has proven the strongest improvements. There is also medicine they will prescribe, which is a three dose, once a day hemoglobin via IV and is basically antibodies from blood donations that will hopefully attack the swelling on the damaged spinal cord and over several weeks will show slight results but hasn't proven to drastically improve the paralysis. Basically, it's all they've got. (this is where I learned we would be in the hospital for at least three days. Gulp and cha-ching.) .....aaaaaaand since the damage is high up the spine in the chest area, the MRI cuts off right at the swelling so he'll need to go in for a second MRI tonight. (noooooooooooo!)
Adren did not want that second MRI. He asked me if there was any way he could avoid that. I talked with the neurologist, but he really wanted to throw a wide net and gather all the information they needed. They wanted to make sure his neck and brain were fine, just to be thorough and rule out everything. I was against it, it seemed unnecessary, but it was scheduled regardless. Adren asked if he could be given something to fall asleep. I spoke with the nurse about it, and weighed the options and side effects. They would have to give him morphine, which would make him very out of it and possibly nauseated. He still had that spinal tap coming and they could give him morphine for that, but not both. I really wanted him to have some pain medication for that spinal tap. I needed some pain medication for his spinal tap! I talked with Adren about it, and told him he could do it! Just go into the MRI, get your mind in a comfortable place, try to sleep, you can do this! He decided he could do it on his own so we waited for them to call the MRI tech to come back to the hospital to take him in. There was a lot of waiting~ that Disney channel!
We were finally able to head down for the second MRI close to 2am. They said since this was a neck and brain scan it would be a little short of two hours. Adren chose another movie, I gave him a good squeeze and he was back in.
This part was hard! Poor Adren! I felt so much sympathy for him and just wished I could make it all better! We were both so exhausted. My phone was about dead and I knew I'd need to move my car from emergency parking so I took this opportunity to go out to the van and move it to the parking garage and charge my phone. I sat in the car, and thought about how this was the last place in the world I'd like to be: In the parking garage at Primary Children's, at 2:45am and 8 degrees outside. This is the pits of motherhood for sure! I didn't want to call Jon and wake him so I prayed. I prayed and prayed and bawled like a baby! Those tears just flowed and flowed. I'm sure if anyone was in that garage at that time they heard me. It felt good to get it all out, everything I'd been bottling up for the past two days. I think it was a result of not sleeping the past two nights! I wondered how many parents had bawled their eyes out in that garage. I kept thinking of Adren's suffering and prayed it wouldn't be so bad. I prayed for the upcoming spinal tap. As I sat waiting for my phone to get as much juice as possible before heading back in I noticed two different cars pull in, and parents quickly lugging infant car seats into the ER. Scary times! I thought about how grateful I was to have access to one of the best children's hospitals in the country.
Adren faired about the same with the second MRI. They assured him he would have no more, so he was grateful. We got back to our room and they began to prep him for the spinal tap. Several doctors and nurses came in and introduced themselves and explained in good detail what they were going to do. Adren would need to curl into a ball facing towards the wall and stay perfectly still. They explained how it would probably feel so he wouldn't jolt or jump. That numbing patch had been on for about five or six hours so that would help. The doctor told me to stay on my half of the room and not go near Adren. A sweet nurse scrunched down by Adren's face and started talking to him and asking him questions about school, soccer and movies. I watched the needle go in and Adren did great. He was having a deep conversation with the nurse about the Hobbit movie. Everyone in the room had a job and was concentrating so hard, the lady inserting the needle, the guy holding the vile, the dr. holding down his shoulders and keeping him still. I was so grateful for the skill and confidence they had. I felt like my only job at that moment was to muffle my sobs in the corner, I didn't dare even squeak a "good job". It was so hard to watch that needle in Adren's back, slowly dripping his spinal fluid into the vile! Hard. When the vile filled and they told Adren he was done, he said it wasn't bad at all. He wanted to see what his spinal fluid looked like and they showed him how healthy and clear it looked, that was a real good sign. And that is what your brain is swimming in. He was fascinated.
They finally admitted us and had a room prepared and brought us up to the second floor. It was 4am when we got to the room. I figured I'd be in the same hard little chair I had downstairs but had grabbed a pillow from the van. When I saw they'd made out the couch for me with a sheet and blanket I wanted to cry! Sooo nice! They brought us toothbrushes and chapstick, a couple new doctors came in to ask a lot of the same questions. I fed Adren a few spoonfuls of that yogurt and got him some water and brushed his teeth. I couldn't believe all he'd been through! He was so exhausted, poor little guy. We were finally left alone and all settled in bed. It was 4:30am when Adren started getting sick. I'm sure it was that morphine. (or rancid yogurt?) I started to clean him up when two nurses appeared immediately and started bustling around him, pulling off sheets, bringing in new blankets and a fresh gown. There was nothing to do but watch! I asked where in the world they had been the past 11 years! There have been many vomit cleanings in the middle of the night, am I right moms and dads? Strange to not clean up your own child. And to have it all done in 30 seconds.
It seemed I had just closed my eyes when a team of neurologists appeared a few hours later to do some more tests and go over his blood, spinal fluid and MRI findings. I don't think I could compute anything. It was such a happy moment when Jon walked in the door that morning! Paul and Sharon had come over to our house to be with the kids for the whole day so we could both be with Adren. So very kind and generous, and relieved the biggest burden on me to have Jon there, I can't even describe it! I could even leave the room for a minute and not feel like I needed to rush back! It was a comfort knowing our kids were at home and just fine. I couldn't help but cringe at the state of my house. You know how things are extra bad right after Christmas? That's my house x's 1,000. I kept thinking I'd do a deep clean when the kids got back in school. Had I known..... Anyway...
Adren felt great and loved having Jon there. He filled him in on all that he'd gone through the day before, we were able to chuckle at a few things, and Adren told him how hovering I was. And I was! I was even unwrapping his straws and opening his drinks for him- I was hovering! The nice nurse showed Adren how he could watch more Disney channel, or check out X-Box games or movies down the hall, and gave him his own cute little menu of all kinds of meals, treats, snacks and drinks that were just a phone call away. See? Things always look brighter in the morning! I couldn't remember what the new news was from the Neurologists that morning to relay to Jon, but there were plenty of them in and out, physical therapists, nurses taking blood pressure, doing regular ultra-sounds on his bladder to make sure he was emptying it all the way~ they really needed him to pee or he would have to have a catheter. He tried and tried and just couldn't until I laid a cold pack on his tummy. (I gave that little tip to the nurse) His feeling to his bladder was getting better, by the way, much to our relief! Abby and Mallerie stopped in on their way to Elko. It was so good to see them! Abby and I had a good chat, and got laughing about who knows what. While she was there I was thinking how she was just an angel, coming to breath some fresh air into our room, lighten my mood, and help change my perspective. It has never felt so good to laugh!
They started the first of three doses of his medication, a whole bag of clear IVIG that would take about 3 hours to drip into his IV. I took a little breather and got myself a granola bar down at the cafeteria. I think I took a nap on the couch. Adren started to feel really crummy from the medicine and we turned off the lights and let him sleep it off. He slept the whole afternoon away, into the evening. My presidency and adviser showed up! It was so sweet to see their beautiful faces, Kelli, Suzy, Kimberlee and Lori, full of love and concern and get warm hugs and a huge bag packed full of treats and snacks and cards. We went down to the cafeteria and had a long chat. I appreciated their kindness, so willing to take up their Saturday to give me some love. They were taking care of everything and I knew I didn't need to worry at all about upcoming meetings and lessons. So grateful! When I got back up to the room Adren had perked up a little and was even able to get up- with some help- and his walker and use the bathroom himself.
We decided Jon would spend the night and I would go home and be with the kids and come back up the next day. I wanted to be there for that second round of medicine, it really made him feel crummy. It was hard to leave that night! I chatted with Eliza the whole way home, which was so nice. It made the drive go quickly and felt good to talk it all out and laugh and cry over the phone. What do people do who don't have people???
I arrived home to find sweet Sharon hanging out with the kids. We chatted for a bit, and the kids were anxious to hear an update. Poor Paisley was all teary, and had started on the first of many cards to bring back to Adren. I got the kids all settled and we had a good talk about what was going on and what their job was. We really needed them to help the family and do their part. I was up quite late getting things organized for the next day and peeked in on Eli to find him sobbing in bed. He was so worried and hated seeing Adren's empty bed, and missed him so much! Sweet little guy. I stayed with him a while and we talked and said a prayer together. I made arrangements for the kids to head to church the next day and sit with friends Kelly and Mary's families, then disperse after church for the rest of the day until Jon got home Sunday evening. It felt a little crazy, knowing they'd be heading back to school after Christmas break but I hoped our chat about being responsible and getting everything ready for school the night before would sink in. I was so grateful for Kelly and Mary's words of comfort and willingness to reach out and help at an urgent time. The Bishop had sent out a ward email asking everyone to include Adren in their Sunday fast. I was receiving so many emails and texts, words of comfort and concern from everyone around us. I went to sleep overwhelmed with feelings of love, so grateful for family, friends and neighbors so willing to reach out and help. It's an overwhelming feeling! I thought about how strange it would be if I lived, say, in a busy city with no ward or family. What do people do in times like these if they have no one to lean on??? I couldn't help but recognize that even though the past few days had been extremely stressful, a feeling of love and peace had never left me, even in that dark, cold parking garage.
The next morning I got the kids bathed and ready for church, I helped Paisley pack a little bag with change of clothes. We gathered for a teary prayer before they headed out the door to church. I felt bad being so emotional, kissing them all good-bye and sending them out the door. Eli especially broke my heart! Watching him wipe tears away as he walked with his brother and sister! I got myself together, knowing a little better what I'd need and getting a few things for Adren. I sent his school teacher an email explaining what was going on and not to expect him back at school that week.
Adren was feeling really good when I arrived. Some Elders had brought by the sacrament. The nurse had just started the second dose of medicine. Mommy and Daddy had visited that morning on their way to the Conference Center, but I had missed them. They were able to give Adren their love and get an update. Paul and Sharon arrived a little after I did and Jon and his dad were able to give Adren a sweet blessing. Adren marveled at how much love, concern and prayers he was receiving from everyone! I showed him every text and email I received and told him of the ward and family fast. He loved having Dad there, playing x-box games and not being so smothered by his mom, I'm sure. The therapist had taken him for a little walk down the hall with his walker and a strap around his waist to make sure he wouldn't fall. He was definitely getting stronger! He could sit in a chair and lift his knee up a couple of inches and hold it for 10 seconds. Moving his legs took such strength, I could tell. But he was able to get up out of bed on his own and use the walker to get to the bathroom. I took him for a couple of walks down the hall and back so he could check out his own games and movies. It was very encouraging seeing him walk along, using the walker! It still made me nervous, so I held that band tight! The doctors said his reflexes were looking good, and when they felt deep into his muscles as he tried to move his leg they could feel twitching, his muscles trying to move. They said all of this was a very good sign, in other cases were there is no movement recovery has been minimal. As he got back in bed, thinking of how he wouldn't be heading back to school the next day after all, playing a game and ordering a peanut butter milk shake he said, "This is the life!"
The time came for Jon to head back home and get the kids so they could be ready for the next day of school. Not how I pictured Christmas break ending! I thought about how grateful I was for the timing of all of this! What if we were in the hospital on Christmas Eve or Day? Even if this happened right at the beginning of Christmas break, it would have cast such a dark cloud over our Christmas. It really happened at the best time it could have and I know that was not a coincidence.
Late Sunday night, around 11:30 Adren started feeling so sick. He had diarrhea and threw up. The nurses that had been there that first morning were no where to be found. It was baaaaad. Poor Adren! He felt so miserable! I helped him to the bathroom and cleaned him up. When I got him back to his bed I noticed there were clean sheets and a gown for him-??? I stripped his bed and got him dressed and started scrubbing up the bathroom floor with what I could find. It was so bad! When I was done I did it again. And then went over it again. I had to keep bringing him a bag to throw up in when I could hear him gagging. I kept tossing more and more into the laundry bag they'd put by the door, I filled it to the top! I set out garbage bags to be taken away. A nurse came by to show me where the laundry room was. I ran Adren's shorts through two cycles! That urge to throw up kept coming and coming. I'd get tired leaning over him and tell him to say "mom!" when he felt the urge to throw up and I'd try to lay down for a little. I kept a cool rag on his forehead, but he didn't feel relief until about 3am. I was worried they wouldn't let him go home the next day and hoped those medicine side effects would wear off soon!
Adren felt a little better the next morning but not much of an appetite. I had a good conversation with the Neurologist that had been with us since the emergency room. He was candid on the severity of Adren's injury and the possibilities of recovery, and how other cases have progressed but stalled. After he left I kept getting teary and told Adren I'd be right back. I made my way up to the Ronald McDonald house Jon had raved about and the nice gal showed me to a room where I could get some phone service. I had a good cry and talked to Jon about all of our worries. Again, I couldn't help but wonder about the tears that had been shed in that room and wished I could offer comfort to the other people there visiting. Things could be much worse! I felt bad leaving Adren so long I knew he'd be anxious for me to get back. There was much relief and comfort again when Jon arrived after getting the kids off to school. (I may have worried him a bit) Sharon had gone back over to the house to get Zeke off to kindergarten and do some grocery shopping for us until she would go back and pick up the kids from school. (an Angel. A real life saver! Really!!!) As I was heading downstairs I passed Rick Matthes on the way up! I'm
glad he caught me. He was so nice to stop in, and is always great to
chat with. He stayed for a while and we talked about all that is going
on in our family. Ross and Trina have both recently been diagnosed with
cancer and go in for surgeries soon to see how extensive it is. So many
people to pray and fast for! Jon and I appreciated his visit so much. Adren was fitted for a boot that would help keep his foot at a 90 degree angle and keep him from tripping over it. He chose hot pink, of course! They showed him how to go up and down stairs. Up with the good foot, down with the weak foot. He really had gained so much strength back in those couple of days, we were encouraged. I was grateful to have Jon there for all the instruction from the different doctors, specialists and physical therapists that were in and out all day. They gave us information on where to rent a wheelchair and purchase a walker. We figured he'd go back to school in a wheelchair and get around at home with his walker, eventually graduating to crutches. They made it clear he had a long road ahead of him but were very encouraging. Adren was getting his last dose of medicine and then we could pack up our room and head home! (I prayed we wouldn't have a repeat of last night at home.) Adren continued to have a great attitude. He had no reason to not, he was in the best hands!
We arrived home around 5 or 6 Monday evening. Lots of teary hugs from Paisley, and big smiles and tight hugs from Eli. Home all together at last! Sharon was bustling about in the kitchen with dinner going, Paul was on his way over to join us. We borrowed Gertrude's walker for now and Adren was showing off his sweet moves. He'd do this funny imitation of an old man, all hunched over, smacking his lips over his teeth. Devron stopped by with a dinner, sweet thing. It was great to get a hug from her. Boy did it feel good that night to all be together in our own beds!
We have continued to receive an outpouring of sweet messages, prayers, meals, cards etc. from all of our family and ward members. What a blessing it is to be loved by so many. At times I could actually feel the prayers and I know Adren has too. He'll remember this ordeal for the rest of his life! He had some school friends stop by to say hi and Eli brought home a whole stack of the sweetest cards from his school mates. His school teacher told me she put his name in the temple, and I cried with the school receptionist over the phone when she told me they have all been so worried, looking at pictures on facebook and praying for Adren.
We are now almost three weeks out from this ordeal. Adren is in physical therapy. We need to do his stretches and exercises at least two times a day, so we've committed to three. It's a commitment and I have to set a timer on my phone so I don't forget. He's had a few late mornings just trying to fit it all in. Getting his boot on over his shoe takes a bit of muscle and time, so all that has to be done in the mornings. I had to get him a new pair of size 9's just to have some wiggle room! We're getting the hang of it, and to be honest I don't really care when I'm checking him or one of the other kids in a little late. I think Zeke was late every day to afternoon kindergarten that first week back and I haven't been able to go back and help in his class yet. It's all just taken some adjusting. It's been great to watch Adren's progress. We met with the school nurse and Miss Nelson, Adren's teacher, that Friday just to see about maneuvering around the classroom and changing his seat, where to leave his crutches and just make sure he felt comfortable getting around. She told him how everyone's looking forward to him coming back on Monday. We thought surely he'd go back in a wheelchair, but we skipped that altogether and he has a fine set of crutches. (He really did NOT want to return to school with a walker) The physical therapist was able to set the crutches at the right heights and give all sorts of pointers so he's much less awkward on them and can even go without them for shorter walks. Adren said when he entered the classroom on that Monday morning everyone started clapping. He said it was embarrassing but made him feel good. He falls down every now and then, but over all is getting around great! He has a lot of friends to help him at school. Last night he asked if he could walk to a friends house a block or so away. I noticed he left his crutches at home. When he came back that evening he came in the house all out of breath and said he jogged home! I had to go outside and see for myself! I couldn't help but get all teary watching him- a little awkward- jogging back and forth on the sidewalk.
People keep asking me how he's been doing. He has a great attitude about it all! Other than the few teary times in the emergency room, he's never been discouraged or sad, just all smiles and positive and grateful for everyone's love, concern and support. He just knows he'll be playing soccer again and has said, "Mom, I'm a fighter!" He's always been willing to do his exercises, I've never had to get on him for that. In some ways I'm grateful for this ordeal. I know that sounds strange, but it's been such a good reminder that whatever is in store for us, I know that our Heavenly Father knows exactly what we are going through, He hears our prayers and through the Holy Ghost will offer us the comfort we need. That knowledge and peace has stayed with me. Even when I didn't know what we were looking at, I knew we'd be ok. That alone is a comfort no one else could give me. Adren and I bonded on a different level that weekend, I think we'll remember that forever. I know I will. I don't know why this happened, it is so random and rare. The odds are great until it happens to you, then it's 100%. But it did, and now we go forward. I told Adren that one day he'll be on his mission and it will be hard, and he'll look back to this ordeal and he'll remember he can do hard things and realize how it help mold and shape his character and empathy for others. Our bodies are temporary after all. I know he'll be fine. Each day brings a little more strength in his legs and more determination to work hard. I wrote a little note to our family on the state of things and tucked it in with my Christmas decor. I know things will look much brighter a year from now, I just know it! Each day I am filled with so much gratitude for my life, I feel so blessed. We are so blessed! Adren is so positive and happy, we'll just continue to follow his lead!
Let me go back to when it all started...
I suppose the first signs that something was "off" was on New Years Eve. I'd just picked up Adren from Devron's house. He'd spent the night, celebrating Brett's birthday. He looked pale and tired to me. He said they hadn't stayed up very late but had played quite a bit outside in the snow. He came home and slept for about four hours! He woke and came downstairs for an evening of movies and lots of food and treats with the family.
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| Our New Year's Eve spread~ and Adren's sleepy face |
On New Years Day, Adren woke up to his left leg completely paralyzed but with feeling. His right leg had some strength, but had no feeling at all. Jon and I would pinch his leg~ pretty hard~ it gave me the creeps to do it! He didn't even flinch. He crawled and scooted around the house. He kept laughing about it, and hitting his leg really hard, saying it was so weird. Because of his attitude we weren't gravely concerned and I wondered if he was over-exaggerating. We finally said- "Ok, knock it off, quit playing around, this is making us worried. You really have no feeling in your legs? You really can't walk????" He was in no pain or discomfort otherwise. He started to feel a little nauseated and got comfy in our bed with Jon and watched some movies. This is where the knots and uneasy feeling in my stomach started. I busied about the house, with his situation weighing heavily on my mind. What was going on???
I am one who's mind can run away like crazy! If I let myself, it can go to some pretty dark places. Obviously Jon and I knew we'd need to take him in to the doctor's the next day. I was at the kitchen sink doing dishes and praying. I prayed that whatever was happening wouldn't be serious- or cause us to have to file bankruptcy! I prayed that he could heal quickly and that when we took him in the next day we'd get some answers. Non-scary answers. At that moment, while praying, I had a thought enter my head. I could see Adren running around our backyard! I was filled with peace and gratitude and chose to hang on to that! A little later on that day he said he was able to lift his knee up a little and said his legs were feeling different, like it was "wearing off". Jon had to help him into bed that night. He was like a sack of bricks, couldn't even take a step without falling to the ground. I wondered how in the world I'd get him in to the doctors the next day....
That night was rough! I don't think I slept a wink. Things felt like doomsday~ like they always do at night when your fretting about something. I was imagining all sorts of horrible things. Was this fatal? Would it gradually take over his whole body? Is this the beginning of the end? Would he have to have surgery tomorrow? Is chemotherapy in his future? In my mind we had already moved to a one story where the halls were wide enough for a wheelchair and we could set up a room with a medical bed in the front room.... I couldn't help it! I'd get up to check on Adren, crawl back in bed to see Jon wasn't fairing much better. The next morning I called the pediatrician first thing, Jon and I thought we'd start there. They could see him at 10am. Jon had some appointments he couldn't cancel and I tried my best to get Adren bathed and ready for the day and get the others together. When he'd try to stand I could feel his body shaking trying to hold his own weight and then his one good leg would buckle. How in the world am I going to get him out to the car and then to the doctors office??? Piggy back? Push him on his skateboard? Adren said he'd just crawl. In the snow and ice??? Adren still didn't seem worried at all. He was more amazed how strange his legs felt. The others were just excited to see the fish tank and curious what movie they'd be playing at the pediatricians office.
I decided we'd try putting him in our old baby stroller. It was packed away clear up on a high shelf of course with a million things in front of it and of course filthy dirty and dusty. I lifted the tray for him to sit, his knees folded up around his ears. He couldn't keep his feet on the resting bar so they'd slip off and the wheels would get stuck. That thing was ridiculous with such weight and going through snow and ice. But it got us in the office!
Dr. Hacking spent about 45 minutes doing different tests on Adren's strength, reflexes and motor skills. He was very thorough and I could tell he was scratching his head trying to think of something else he could test. At the end he said after 35 years he thought he'd seen it all but had never seen this. He had no idea what was wrong. ~ He started to speculate with some really horrifying diseases but I was able to change the subject with some questions. He said he was just as curious as I, and we needed to get up to Primary Children's Emergency room right away. (gulp) I was fighting back tears as I was trying to check out, I could see such concern and questions on all the nurses and receptionists faces. It was hard to see Adren's big, round questioning eyes on me, I think the seriousness was sinking in here, so I was doing my darnedest to keep it together. When the receptionist told me Dr. Hacking had waived his fee, I panicked. It was such a kind gesture, but made me wonder~ was it so bad he knew we needed one tiny kind deed to start us out on this scary journey? My eyes welled up with tears as I thanked a teary receptionist. What is going on???
Jon met me back at the house to stay with the kids for the day. I knew I should pack me an overnight bag, or grab something Adren may need? I seriously could not even think straight and left with just my purse. Before we left we said a family prayer and I had to get out of there because Jon was so teary and I had to keep it together! I remember Adren was so talkative the whole drive up. We had a great conversation about everything and nothing, and it was great to get my mind off the dread. He was in fine spirits, except told me he really did NOT want to be stuck with a needle. I told him he very likely would, but it would be quick and ok. I, however, out of pure uneasiness gulped about 64 ounces of water and was bursting when we got to the emergency entrance! I pulled up to the automatic doors around 12:30 or 1:00 and rushed in asking where the nearest bathroom was. About three nurses ran to me at once, all panic. I tried to explain it was not an emergency- well, I was the emergency, but my son is in the car out there and will need a wheelchair. As I rushed off I glanced back to see them scrambling out to the van with the wheelchair. Good grief.
We were brought to a room where a very nice doctor came in and did another, even more thorough exam, a lot of the same things and questions, Adren repeated his story. When he was done he was able to eliminate a handful of really scary sounding things. I remember cancerous tumor being one of those, which was a major concern, of course. He said the fact that the paralysis was not symmetrical was very telling. He said it was definitely virus related, and now we needed to figure out what virus it was, and go from there. Adren and all of the kids in the family for that matter had not been sick at all. Not even the sniffles. I credited it to the warmer weather and no snow up until Christmas day. We had all had a relatively healthy season. I appreciated how knowledgeable the doctor was and how patient he was with my questions. I had a lot! He told me with all the confidence that he would find answers by today. This is all I wanted! I didn't want to be shuffled around from place to place, wracking up bills and getting nowhere. They brought a bed for Adren to lay in and get comfortable. He laid back and watched some TV. I would go outside to get service and refresh my phone in the cold, and try to update Jon as best as I could, and as often as I could. Adren hated me to leave so I always felt I needed to hurry back. From there on out, we would be visited by several more doctors, several neurologists and kind nurses that all had the same questions and conduct the same exam. They said he would need an MRI and possibly a spinal tap for testing. They put a numbing patch on his back to get that going. I noticed every time the doctor or neurologist would tell me what tests or procedures would being done, or what most likely the prognosis was, Adren would look at me with wide eyes to see my facial expression to understand the severity. I tried to have a poker face when they mentioned that spinal tap. Every now and then I'd help Adren back into his wheelchair to go to the bathroom across the hall. He had lost his capability to hold in his bladder, I hadn't realized the paralysis had reached up to his hips, so when he felt the slightest urge, we went!
Adren was real nervous when the nurse came in with the IV. He asked if there was any way to get around that. Unfortunately, no. I felt bad for him when after the first try on his right hand the vein collapsed and had to try on the other hand. But a lot of viles of blood were collected throughout the day and evening, so he was glad to see the IV prevented all that potential poking. What I was nervous about was this looming spinal tap...
Adren held up pretty well during all of this. He was very hungry and thirsty but I couldn't do anything for him, in case surgery was needed. After a doctor or neurologist would leave he would cry a little because he was worried he would always be this way. I told him of the thought I had- him running across the backyard. I don't know when that will be, it may be years away, certainly not next month, but I think with hard work he will do it! I would just hug him and wipe away his tears and tell him everything would be ok. I told him that Dad was telling the family so there would be a lot of prayers being said on his behalf. This made him feel a lot of comfort and relief. In his words filled with relief, "Oh, good!" I felt grateful for his faith. Jon said the kids were worried at home, poor Paisley crying for Adren and missing him. Eli is more of a silent worrier.
He finally was able to be wheeled down in the bed for his MRI. I told him what to expect, no big deal at all. They let him pick out a movie to watch and informed us this would take two hours. Whoah! I watched them lay him on the bed, clamp down the big plastic cover over his head and cover him with blankets. He was shaking, not sure why he felt so cold. It was hard to see my Adren get prepped for an MRI! At that moment I hated all of this! I hated that we were there, and I hated that all this was happening! I couldn't be there once they got started, he was in the MRI room anyway, so I stayed long enough for him to hear me and close the doors. The week before I had had a terrible dream. It seemed so real, and I was so relieved to wake up and realize it was just a bad dream. It seemed like that had prepped me for something to come and I couldn't help but wish I would go to bed that night to wake so relieved none of this was real!
I took advantage of those two hours by refreshing my phone and going out front to get some service. I updated Jon and got a yogurt to tuck in my purse for Adren for later. (See? I was not thinking. Who buys a yogurt and puts it in their purse for later???) I had zero appetite. I tried to read my scriptures but couldn't concentrate on anything and settled in an empty waiting room near the MRI with Seinfeld re-runs.
The nurse came out finally to tell me they were finished, they were just getting Adren out and un-hooked. She said he didn't look so good. When I got to him, he was white as a sheet, and so rattled! He was shaky, dripping with sweat and so nauseated. It had gotten up to 96 degrees in there, and with all that banging he couldn't concentrate on his movie. He was so worried he was going to throw up with that thing clamped over his face. He said, It. Was. Awful. I felt so bad! He said he'd rather get poked by a needle again than go through that. (but there's this spinal tap coming, you see.....)
We got him settled back in our waiting room while his pictures were being evaluated. We were going on umpteen hours of the Disney channel, people. (j/k.... I was fine.) The doctor came in and explained how they could see a small portion of his spinal cord was damaged, resulting in about two inches of swelling around the area. The damage is in the grey matter, which affects the signals the brain sends. The diagnosis is Acute Flaccid Myelitis, which means sudden, paralysis caused by virus. They explained how they do not have all the answers to this diagnosis, as it really hasn't been studied further back than August. All of the children diagnosed have not made a full recovery, but they don't have enough time to see what the future holds. It is not contagious so there is no worry of my other children getting it, or being quarantined from school, and it does not spread or get worse. Most of the kids have shown an increase in strength immediately after and some improvement, and then it stalls. Physical therapy and strengthening those muscles has proven the strongest improvements. There is also medicine they will prescribe, which is a three dose, once a day hemoglobin via IV and is basically antibodies from blood donations that will hopefully attack the swelling on the damaged spinal cord and over several weeks will show slight results but hasn't proven to drastically improve the paralysis. Basically, it's all they've got. (this is where I learned we would be in the hospital for at least three days. Gulp and cha-ching.) .....aaaaaaand since the damage is high up the spine in the chest area, the MRI cuts off right at the swelling so he'll need to go in for a second MRI tonight. (noooooooooooo!)
Adren did not want that second MRI. He asked me if there was any way he could avoid that. I talked with the neurologist, but he really wanted to throw a wide net and gather all the information they needed. They wanted to make sure his neck and brain were fine, just to be thorough and rule out everything. I was against it, it seemed unnecessary, but it was scheduled regardless. Adren asked if he could be given something to fall asleep. I spoke with the nurse about it, and weighed the options and side effects. They would have to give him morphine, which would make him very out of it and possibly nauseated. He still had that spinal tap coming and they could give him morphine for that, but not both. I really wanted him to have some pain medication for that spinal tap. I needed some pain medication for his spinal tap! I talked with Adren about it, and told him he could do it! Just go into the MRI, get your mind in a comfortable place, try to sleep, you can do this! He decided he could do it on his own so we waited for them to call the MRI tech to come back to the hospital to take him in. There was a lot of waiting~ that Disney channel!
We were finally able to head down for the second MRI close to 2am. They said since this was a neck and brain scan it would be a little short of two hours. Adren chose another movie, I gave him a good squeeze and he was back in.
This part was hard! Poor Adren! I felt so much sympathy for him and just wished I could make it all better! We were both so exhausted. My phone was about dead and I knew I'd need to move my car from emergency parking so I took this opportunity to go out to the van and move it to the parking garage and charge my phone. I sat in the car, and thought about how this was the last place in the world I'd like to be: In the parking garage at Primary Children's, at 2:45am and 8 degrees outside. This is the pits of motherhood for sure! I didn't want to call Jon and wake him so I prayed. I prayed and prayed and bawled like a baby! Those tears just flowed and flowed. I'm sure if anyone was in that garage at that time they heard me. It felt good to get it all out, everything I'd been bottling up for the past two days. I think it was a result of not sleeping the past two nights! I wondered how many parents had bawled their eyes out in that garage. I kept thinking of Adren's suffering and prayed it wouldn't be so bad. I prayed for the upcoming spinal tap. As I sat waiting for my phone to get as much juice as possible before heading back in I noticed two different cars pull in, and parents quickly lugging infant car seats into the ER. Scary times! I thought about how grateful I was to have access to one of the best children's hospitals in the country.
Adren faired about the same with the second MRI. They assured him he would have no more, so he was grateful. We got back to our room and they began to prep him for the spinal tap. Several doctors and nurses came in and introduced themselves and explained in good detail what they were going to do. Adren would need to curl into a ball facing towards the wall and stay perfectly still. They explained how it would probably feel so he wouldn't jolt or jump. That numbing patch had been on for about five or six hours so that would help. The doctor told me to stay on my half of the room and not go near Adren. A sweet nurse scrunched down by Adren's face and started talking to him and asking him questions about school, soccer and movies. I watched the needle go in and Adren did great. He was having a deep conversation with the nurse about the Hobbit movie. Everyone in the room had a job and was concentrating so hard, the lady inserting the needle, the guy holding the vile, the dr. holding down his shoulders and keeping him still. I was so grateful for the skill and confidence they had. I felt like my only job at that moment was to muffle my sobs in the corner, I didn't dare even squeak a "good job". It was so hard to watch that needle in Adren's back, slowly dripping his spinal fluid into the vile! Hard. When the vile filled and they told Adren he was done, he said it wasn't bad at all. He wanted to see what his spinal fluid looked like and they showed him how healthy and clear it looked, that was a real good sign. And that is what your brain is swimming in. He was fascinated.
They finally admitted us and had a room prepared and brought us up to the second floor. It was 4am when we got to the room. I figured I'd be in the same hard little chair I had downstairs but had grabbed a pillow from the van. When I saw they'd made out the couch for me with a sheet and blanket I wanted to cry! Sooo nice! They brought us toothbrushes and chapstick, a couple new doctors came in to ask a lot of the same questions. I fed Adren a few spoonfuls of that yogurt and got him some water and brushed his teeth. I couldn't believe all he'd been through! He was so exhausted, poor little guy. We were finally left alone and all settled in bed. It was 4:30am when Adren started getting sick. I'm sure it was that morphine. (or rancid yogurt?) I started to clean him up when two nurses appeared immediately and started bustling around him, pulling off sheets, bringing in new blankets and a fresh gown. There was nothing to do but watch! I asked where in the world they had been the past 11 years! There have been many vomit cleanings in the middle of the night, am I right moms and dads? Strange to not clean up your own child. And to have it all done in 30 seconds.
It seemed I had just closed my eyes when a team of neurologists appeared a few hours later to do some more tests and go over his blood, spinal fluid and MRI findings. I don't think I could compute anything. It was such a happy moment when Jon walked in the door that morning! Paul and Sharon had come over to our house to be with the kids for the whole day so we could both be with Adren. So very kind and generous, and relieved the biggest burden on me to have Jon there, I can't even describe it! I could even leave the room for a minute and not feel like I needed to rush back! It was a comfort knowing our kids were at home and just fine. I couldn't help but cringe at the state of my house. You know how things are extra bad right after Christmas? That's my house x's 1,000. I kept thinking I'd do a deep clean when the kids got back in school. Had I known..... Anyway...
Adren felt great and loved having Jon there. He filled him in on all that he'd gone through the day before, we were able to chuckle at a few things, and Adren told him how hovering I was. And I was! I was even unwrapping his straws and opening his drinks for him- I was hovering! The nice nurse showed Adren how he could watch more Disney channel, or check out X-Box games or movies down the hall, and gave him his own cute little menu of all kinds of meals, treats, snacks and drinks that were just a phone call away. See? Things always look brighter in the morning! I couldn't remember what the new news was from the Neurologists that morning to relay to Jon, but there were plenty of them in and out, physical therapists, nurses taking blood pressure, doing regular ultra-sounds on his bladder to make sure he was emptying it all the way~ they really needed him to pee or he would have to have a catheter. He tried and tried and just couldn't until I laid a cold pack on his tummy. (I gave that little tip to the nurse) His feeling to his bladder was getting better, by the way, much to our relief! Abby and Mallerie stopped in on their way to Elko. It was so good to see them! Abby and I had a good chat, and got laughing about who knows what. While she was there I was thinking how she was just an angel, coming to breath some fresh air into our room, lighten my mood, and help change my perspective. It has never felt so good to laugh!
They started the first of three doses of his medication, a whole bag of clear IVIG that would take about 3 hours to drip into his IV. I took a little breather and got myself a granola bar down at the cafeteria. I think I took a nap on the couch. Adren started to feel really crummy from the medicine and we turned off the lights and let him sleep it off. He slept the whole afternoon away, into the evening. My presidency and adviser showed up! It was so sweet to see their beautiful faces, Kelli, Suzy, Kimberlee and Lori, full of love and concern and get warm hugs and a huge bag packed full of treats and snacks and cards. We went down to the cafeteria and had a long chat. I appreciated their kindness, so willing to take up their Saturday to give me some love. They were taking care of everything and I knew I didn't need to worry at all about upcoming meetings and lessons. So grateful! When I got back up to the room Adren had perked up a little and was even able to get up- with some help- and his walker and use the bathroom himself.
We decided Jon would spend the night and I would go home and be with the kids and come back up the next day. I wanted to be there for that second round of medicine, it really made him feel crummy. It was hard to leave that night! I chatted with Eliza the whole way home, which was so nice. It made the drive go quickly and felt good to talk it all out and laugh and cry over the phone. What do people do who don't have people???
I arrived home to find sweet Sharon hanging out with the kids. We chatted for a bit, and the kids were anxious to hear an update. Poor Paisley was all teary, and had started on the first of many cards to bring back to Adren. I got the kids all settled and we had a good talk about what was going on and what their job was. We really needed them to help the family and do their part. I was up quite late getting things organized for the next day and peeked in on Eli to find him sobbing in bed. He was so worried and hated seeing Adren's empty bed, and missed him so much! Sweet little guy. I stayed with him a while and we talked and said a prayer together. I made arrangements for the kids to head to church the next day and sit with friends Kelly and Mary's families, then disperse after church for the rest of the day until Jon got home Sunday evening. It felt a little crazy, knowing they'd be heading back to school after Christmas break but I hoped our chat about being responsible and getting everything ready for school the night before would sink in. I was so grateful for Kelly and Mary's words of comfort and willingness to reach out and help at an urgent time. The Bishop had sent out a ward email asking everyone to include Adren in their Sunday fast. I was receiving so many emails and texts, words of comfort and concern from everyone around us. I went to sleep overwhelmed with feelings of love, so grateful for family, friends and neighbors so willing to reach out and help. It's an overwhelming feeling! I thought about how strange it would be if I lived, say, in a busy city with no ward or family. What do people do in times like these if they have no one to lean on??? I couldn't help but recognize that even though the past few days had been extremely stressful, a feeling of love and peace had never left me, even in that dark, cold parking garage.
The next morning I got the kids bathed and ready for church, I helped Paisley pack a little bag with change of clothes. We gathered for a teary prayer before they headed out the door to church. I felt bad being so emotional, kissing them all good-bye and sending them out the door. Eli especially broke my heart! Watching him wipe tears away as he walked with his brother and sister! I got myself together, knowing a little better what I'd need and getting a few things for Adren. I sent his school teacher an email explaining what was going on and not to expect him back at school that week.
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| Eli wanted me to take a picture of him to show Adren at the hospital. |
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| Adren's first "walk". We kept a strap around his waist in case he lost his balance or strength and took a tumble. |
Late Sunday night, around 11:30 Adren started feeling so sick. He had diarrhea and threw up. The nurses that had been there that first morning were no where to be found. It was baaaaad. Poor Adren! He felt so miserable! I helped him to the bathroom and cleaned him up. When I got him back to his bed I noticed there were clean sheets and a gown for him-??? I stripped his bed and got him dressed and started scrubbing up the bathroom floor with what I could find. It was so bad! When I was done I did it again. And then went over it again. I had to keep bringing him a bag to throw up in when I could hear him gagging. I kept tossing more and more into the laundry bag they'd put by the door, I filled it to the top! I set out garbage bags to be taken away. A nurse came by to show me where the laundry room was. I ran Adren's shorts through two cycles! That urge to throw up kept coming and coming. I'd get tired leaning over him and tell him to say "mom!" when he felt the urge to throw up and I'd try to lay down for a little. I kept a cool rag on his forehead, but he didn't feel relief until about 3am. I was worried they wouldn't let him go home the next day and hoped those medicine side effects would wear off soon!
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| I was so happy when Adren was able to get up to the bathroom on his own! It felt so encouraging! |
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| These two were so sweet. Non-stop giggling and talking and catching up into the wee hours. |
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| Next door neighbor friend stopped in to say hi. |
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| I texted this to Jen after she and Jonah sent a sweet package for Adren. |
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| We're all happy to be getting back into the swing of things~ all together! |