Weeks...

Hey Bubba,

Well here we are again, a week later and we are still trying to catch up and find enough down time to write you a note and fill you in  on all the big happenings around this place. There has been a lot going on in this last week as I'm sure you have noticed but there has actually been just as much or more going on that you haven't even been able to be a part of yet. Lets start with the important stuff though, the stuff that directly affects you of course.

So this week we have been working on wrapping up all of the education we have to have completed before you are cleared to leave the hospital. We have a one page check list for both mommy and daddy (and Grandma and Grandpa have ones they are working on too but thankfully theirs don't have to be completely finished for you to go). It may not sound like that much but when you have to do almost all of it three or four times each it can be quite time consuming. Not to mention the fact that some of the things on that list are trach changes and twelve hour stays. You can only do those so often and that means more time.

But we are making our way down the list and finally, as of yesterday, only have two things left we need to get checked off on. Mommy and I have to do our twelve hours stays (there are two each, one daytime and one nighttime) and we have to practice getting you in and out of the car. That means we are getting close. Before you know it we will have those checked off as well and we will only be waiting on the home health people to finish up their part of things and you will be headed to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

In the mean time the doctors have been working hard to get you off of as many medicines as they can before you leave. You are almost completely off your methadone (that will be gone by Thursday) and your ativan will be down to just twice a day tomorrow. Your clonadine (spelling?) patch was cut in half this week too so you are getting really close to not having any more of those yucky sleepy medicines that were making you so groggy these last few months. You are also going to get an MRI next week to take a look at your little head and see if the clots that were there are gone yet. If they are then that will be one less medicine (and two less needle sticks a day) when you get out of here. So the list is getting smaller and less daunting every day.

Your mommy and I can really tell that the medicines are going away in your system too. In the last two or three weeks you have really come into your own as they say. You are playing with your toys, you are getting more and more done with therapy, and you are interacting with people around you all the time. We can really see the little man named Connor in your eyes now that the haziness of the medication is almost completely gone. Mommy and I can get you up and play with you and hold you and you are constantly looking at us and grabbing things and doing all those things little guys your size should be doing. Its pretty amazing to see.

You may have also noticed that you have had a lot more visitors lately. You still aren't getting the receiving line that you probably would if the hospital allowed it but now that you are out of the ICU we are starting to let some of your family get in and meet you for the first time. Right now we are still taking it very slowly though, we have to make sure you don't get sick or we won't be able to take you home so we can't let too many people in at once. However, as long as people are healthy and check with mommy and daddy first then maybe we can get them some time in your busy schedule.

One of the visitors you had this past week was someone who hasn't seen you in quite a while. Now that isn't because he hasn't wanted to, but with his work schedule and the crazy weather we have had the last several weeks its has been difficult for your Pappaw to get up here. He did come yesterday though, and he hung out with you and your daddy and mommy for hours. He even go to take you for your first field trip outside of your unit. That one was kind of a big deal and Pappaw was super excited to be a part of it. He pushed you downstairs to the floor beneath us where you got to see your mommy's friend Lisa. She works here and we have been waiting for the day when we could stop by and say hello to her with you in tow.

You also got to see your Grandma and Grandpa again this week. Grandma was here a few days and Grandpa came down for your mommy's birthday (that was Thursday). I asked mommy if she wanted any birthday presents from you or I but she said she just wanted to dress you up and make you look adorable. So that is what she did and you would not believe how many people came in to see you. Nurses were stopping in just to take a look at your handsome attire. Good work mommy, and a happy birthday to YOU!

A couple people we thought you might see this week weren't able to make it to see you because of some bad news for them. Your Gigi and Grandad Rooster were hoping to get out this way and see you again while you were here in your new unit but it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon. You see your Grandad Rooster had some pretty serious heart trouble a few days ago and it put him in the hospital for a while. Things were kind of scary for several days while the doctors worked to find out what was wrong and make it better. He didn't have quite the same stuff as you but he did spend some time with some cardiologists and did end up having a few little procedures done to help out his heart. But, like you, Grandad Rooster is a tough guy and he fought through it and is now back home and playing with Ollie again. He may not be able to come see you for a little bit but I'm sure that he will as soon as he can. I can't tell you just how thankful all of us are that he is doing better now, Its pretty amazing how strong some people's hearts are, but you know that already I'm sure.

So some of the stuff that has been going on lately that hasn't been directly tied to you... Well we have some nursing interviews this week to see if we can find some nice people to help us take care of you when you get out of here. We also have a company coming to check out Grandma and Grandpa's house to make sure it will be ready to go with everything you need when you get out of here. Mommy is actually there right now getting your room all set up and ready. I'm sure it will be both functional and fun if she has anything to do with it. Good thing its her and not me or we might have missed on some of the fun because of the functional.

We have also been getting a lot of things done that were due (boring stuff like taxes and car registrations) to be finished before you leave here. Mommy and I still have a lot to figure out before we can get back to having our own life but we are working on it slowly and will hopefully have most of the big stuff figured out before too long.

So I looked up at the top of the screen and I realized that I have now written you a book instead of a note. There is more to tell you but I think I will try to write you another one of these tomorrow instead of cramming any more into this one today. Plus I always forget things and mommy will remind me later what I need to add. Before I wrap this up I do need to tell you one more big piece of information though, you finally have a discharge date. You are set to go home on April 16th. That is just weeks away buddy!! So that is why we have been so busy around here lately, we are getting you ready for your grand exit from this place. So don't get too comfortable around here, we aren't going to be here much longer.

Keep up the good work little man, mommy and daddy are so very proud of you.

We love you Connor.

- Daddy