Almost out . . .

Jake is feeling very well this morning. He's unhooked from the IV tubes, and is hanging out in the lounge chair in his robe while surfing the internet and watching TV. In other words, he's attached to different tubes. Jen is still feeling lousy, and she's on some medication (Cipro, etc.) that's making her feel woozy.

Jake will probably go home tomorrow. Jen was supposed to go home tomorrow, and hopefully she's stay on that schedule.

It's nice to be out of the PICU. It's so much quieter on the floor, and he doesn't have to be hooked up to all the monitors. He's probably well enough to go into the childrens' activity room, but we can't bring him there because we're on infection avoidance patrol. He still doesn't eat, but he was like that even before he got sick. All he wants is pizza.

I spent a few hours during the wee hours watching sports on the Setanta-i internet channel. Soccer, rugby, Aussie football and hurling. Best $15.00 per month I ever spent. The Giro d'Italia starts tomorrow, so I need to subscribe to that as well. It's a good thing we brought three laptop computers.

We've moved

Two hunters were being chased by a bear. The first hunter says: "I don't think we can outrun the bear!" The second hunter responds "I don't have to outrun the bear. I only have to outrun you."

The best way to get out of the pediatric ICU is when they really need your room. That's when they decide you're well enough to go to the pediatric floor. We're now in 4421.

Walkin'

He's been kind of blue (actually, more of a blue haze than blue moods) since the conception of the transplant, but he's walkin'. He's no longer steamin' at the nurses. No more live evil or bitches' brew - those facets are gone for today, at least until somethin' else starts. He takes 12 pills each sitting (pink, white, and blue in green gel) - straight, no chaser. He's got E.S.P. for when it's pill time.

Tonight he's been relaxin' with the new episode of Batman: The Brave and the Bold and Chicken Little. He's in his cool period, at least until 'round about midnight when he gets tired and gets in a silent way. So what. Lots of giant steps and other milestones have been reached for volume 1 of this process.

Hangin' in the Chair

Jake has able to get up and walk to the bathroom. His kidneys have been waiting for this opportunity for two years, so he's made several visits. He'll do some physical therapy (walking) later this afternoon. If he would drink more, they could detach the last IV line. We're supposed to move back to the general pediatric floor in the next few hours. Jen's got some bladder pain, so they'll put her on some powerful drugs which will knock her out.

5/8- Morning Update (Moanin')

Fairly uneventful night. He slept better. They woke him up at 7:00a.m. to put in a new IV port to take blood, because the old one wasn't working well. He was grumpy because they woke him up, and grumpy because he doesn't like needles, so he was a screamer. One benefit of having a younger patient is that he doesn't know any swear words. Instead, he told the nurses that he hated them and hoped that they die. It's always helpful to properly motivate your caregivers.

He had the bladder catheter removed this morning, and may have the IVs disconnected today as well. There was talk of a Sunday discharge for him. Jen may be tomorrow.

Jake finally gets to eat vegetables

He couldn't eat fresh veggies on dialysis because they have too much potassium and phosphorus.  He asked for and received a bell pepper.

5/7- afternoon update

Things are calmer now. I left for the apartment (to finally go to sleep) at 2:00 p.m., but Jake was giving the inlaws a hard time so I got the call at 2:30 p.m. that I needed to come back to the hospital because he was being "non-cooperative". It took an hour of negotiating to get Jake out of bed and into the reclining chair. I had to send the in-laws out for a Nintendo game (Yu Gi Oh GX: Spirit Caller) and a bag of Krystal burgers. Once I had that in hand, the nurse gave him 5 grams of morphine. After 10 minutes of screaming about how much it hurt (and I'm sure it did), we got him in the chair. He then spent 20 minutes reminding me of how much pain he was in and how uncomfortable he was - until he forgot. Two hours later, he was so engrossed in the game that he hopped back into bed with little struggle or effort. I ate 4 burgers and an order and a half of fries during the negotiating process, so I've got a terrible tummy ache.

Jen's got some numbness in her hands and feet, so they are taking her in for x-rays.

5/7- morning report

Jake's ornery and doesn't feel well. I was wondering how long it would take before we would get to the point where he hates all the staff and all medicines become a negotiation. Two days.



I think they may move us out of the ICU today and back to the pediatric floor. That wouldn't be bad, because the ICU keeps you attached to all sorts of monitors, and this would lessen the number of limbs that are restrained. They may also remove the catheter from his bladder, but then he'd need to get up to pee, and I don't know if he's ready to walk yet.



Jen looked good. She's on a lot of pain meds, so she sleeps a lot, but she's pretty sharp. Today was her first day back to the Soy Vanilla Latte fraternity.



The out-out-town grandparents are leaving town today, but my brother and Jen's other brother are coming in. Her parents will probably be with us for a few weeks. We rented them an apartment in the same complex where we have an apartment.



I have now watched Son of the Mask three times, as well as the entire Suite Life of Zack and Cody series. I've also gained several pounds, having eaten nothing but Krystal and Wendys. Sleeping in the chair twists me around too much to want to go running, and the bike isn't here yet, so I just sit and eat.

Overnight report

Jake is nauseated, but hopefully that will subside. I usually say nauseous, but then Jen corrects me and notes that word is a synonym for noxious. There was a scene in Animal House about that (sensual versus sensuous). OK, where was I?

A couple of cute moments so far.

1. He noted to Grandma that he wishes that there was school over the summer, so he could be missing it while he recuperates.

2. Pre-op, the surgeon asked whether he had eaten since midnight. He immediately confessed that he'd had a single sour skittle at 12:10a.m. because he was hungry.

3. He's kind of stuck in the bed with IV in both arms, so he needed some help scratching his tush. I helped him, and we agreed that I was his buttscratcher. (obscure reference)

I expect that he'll be woozy for a while, because he's on a pretty severe anti-rejection drug cocktail. The kidney function appears to be going well, but the rejection/anti-rejection battle hasn't started yet.

Momma is doing well. America's Next Top Model was on, so I didn't want to be third wheel.

5/6 - Wasn't kidding about the needle

Apparently a needle tip broke off when they were doing the kidney removal from Jen. Given that the procedure was mostly laproscopic, they decided that they would have to open her up too much in order to look for the needle (so they didn't). They say that it isn't like a lost sponge, because the needle tip won't lead to infection. We'll see.

P.S. - Chelsea choked, so I'm switching to plan B.

5/6 -afternoon update

Everybody is doing well. Jen stood up a little, and they wheeled her up to see Jake. Jake is still very groggy, so he missed most of it. His kidney function numbers are looking good, with some (but not all) of the indicators back down to normal kid levels. Since today would have been a dialysis day, that's very encouraging.

Jen's pain is high, but slowly coming down. She's eating solid food. They apparently lost a needle in her somewhere, but they told her that should be a problem. We're hanging out in her room watching the Chelsea/Barcelona game (1-0 Chelsea, on an early Essian goal). She's willing to tolerate it,because Oprah is the only other thing on adult TV. I'm lucky that it's on now, and not during American Idol or Dancing With the Stars. I'm going to switch rooms to sit with Jake, but the chances of him tolerating TV soccer are very, very low.

I went back to the apartment from 11 to 2 to take a nap on a real bed. The bike isn't here yet (maybe this weekend), so I actually did nap.

5/6 - morning report

Jake had a fairly good night, all things considered. He's hooked up to a number of IVs and pumps, so he's tied down and fairly uncomfortable. He can take some clear fluids now, and will be able to eat some simple solids once he proves that he can pass gas (the medical version of the canary in the coal mine?). He's still groggy (I presume there is a pain killer amongst the medications), but we're watching tv and hanging out. We're supposed to do some walking today. Two of the medicine bags on the IV stand are marked "high cost drug" with a big green sticker. I don't know if I should be impressed or intimidated.

Jen is in a lot of pain, but they moved her out of the bed to a chair so she can sit up. I don't know when they will have her walking. She had some tea, and presumably can eat some solids today.

I have a digital camera, and asked Jake if he wanted me to take a picture to send to his friends. He just glared at me. Just like his mom.

Post-surgery (Jen)

Jen is laid up and groggy. The intent was to do the entire kidney removal laparoscopicly, but they ended up having to partially open up her belly. That means that the recovery will take longer and be more painful. I think one of her parents will sleep in her room tonight. If not, I'll shuttle between the two patient rooms.

If you think my wife would allow me to take a camera-phone picture of her in this condition, you don't know my wife.

Post-surgery (Jake)

We're in the pediatric ICU - room 10-458T, phone 352-265-1004. He's groggy from the surgery, the anesthesia, and everything else, and he's floating in and out of awake.

He really wants water, but all he gets for now is an ice chip (singular) ever 15 minutes. He's got a bunch of IV tubs in him, but he's not intubated, and generally looks a lot better than when he was in the ICU 2 years ago.

They did an ultrasound in the room, so I saw the incision. It's almost a foot long, which is enormous on a little guy.

Momma is somewhere on the 9th floor, but I haven't been down there yet. All the grandparents are down there, because visitation is less restrictive than in the PICU.

Jake's out of surgery, and everything works

The transplant surgeon came down to the waiting area, and told us that Jake is out of the operating room, and that the kidney worked (at least on the urine front) as soon as they plugged it in. As soon as we download the firmware upgrade and the service packs, he'll be kicking butt. The hospital's financial services people are all over me on the extended warranty.

The surgeon also stopped by the recovery room to tell Jen, who is apparently groggy but happy.

They will bring him to the pediatric ICU in an hour or so. We'll spend a few days in the ICU and then get sent to a regular room (or home).

Jen is out of surgery

Jen is out of surgery. It was about four hours all-in. Getting the loaf out of the pan in one piece is always the hard part. She'll be in the recovery room for 2 hours, and then she goes to her hospital room. We don't get to see her in the recovery room.

They are now stuffing the kidney into Jake.

They just wheeled him in . . .

Mom had her kidney removed, but she hasn't left the operating room yet. Apparently the general surgeons take out the kidney from her left side and the transplant surgeons install it on his right side. I was hoping the transplant surgeon would bring the kidney out on a platter before transplant for us to see (like a live lobster at a steak restaurant).

The nurses just wheeled Jake in. They didn't let me go back with him, but he's such a stoic trooper that he doesn't appear to need me. We did the Obama fist bump, and then they wheeled him in. He didn't have any questions or concerns once the doctors promised that they wouldn't put in the IV until he's asleep. That's been his concern for days. Like an educated consumer, he knows the process and knows what he doesn't like.

The surgery is probably easier than my process of attempting how to put on Jake's surgical gown. It's a good thing I didn't have a stapler handy. It's a one-sided button-up tunic - like what the drummer in an 80's new wave band would wear (but with teddy bears on it). This picture was in pre-op 2 minutes before he went in. The iTouch (with the "bubble-pop" game) is a very useful pre-op device.

The overnight shift

Jen has to be ready at 6:00a.m. for her 8:00a.m. operation, and that is supposed to take an hour or so. Jake goes in at 9:00a.m. If I was a dedicated blogger (or if I was iCarly), I'd post footage of the operation. I ain't and I'm not.

Jake's blood pressure is pretty high. He's up late because they come in to monitor it every hour, which makes trying to go to sleep pointless. They told him he couldn't eat after midnight, so he guzzled a bottle of water and a pack of Sour Skittles at 11:59p.m. I downloaded the complete 4th season of Camp Lazlo for his iPod, so it should be a full and rich evening's entertainment.

Checked-in - contact info

Jake is now checked in to the hospital. The blurry photo is from the admissions waiting area (just like it says on the sign). He's got dialysis this afternoon, but right now he's playing video games on a laptop in his room. We're in room 10-458t on the pediatric ICU. The nurse station number is 352-265-1004, but it's better to call me on the cell at 305-915-5173 (and only if absolutely necessary). For the those who have spent a lot of time in a hospital room, the room phone is usually really loud and scares the heck out of you.

We are enduring the usual but inexplicable hospital delays. Jen had to fast for her final tests today. She's getting grumpy because she can't eat until the tests are finished, and the staff is apparently running way behind.

Jen will be in a different room after tomorrow's surgery, but will probably get wheeled in to say hello.

The wireless internet is strong with Shands -- the mark of a top-notch health care facility.

Getting ready for check-in tomorrow

Jen will drop me and Jake off at 8a.m. tomorrow for hospital admission, and will meet us later after she undergoes some final tests. Tomorrow is my first night in about a year on one of those foam chairs that folds flat(-ish) into something that works as a bed for people with no spine. Jake is packing his overnight bag full of Yu Gi Oh cards so he's ready to duel if the nurse is bent on world destruction.

We had dinner from the drive-through at Krystal. Sadly, this was my idea. At least I know what I'll be eating for the next week. I presume you all know that the Big Tex has been voted vending machine pastry of the year four years in a row. It's my hospital vending machine prime-time (i.e., 3:00a.m.) performer.