Good mood, weird day.

So this morning, they did a X-ray like they always do. Well the results showed that the effusion on the left side was almost gone and that the right side had just a little bit. They decided to put a chest tube in anyways to get rid of the right effusion. Most of the liquid was gone due to them giving me extra Lasiks and a dose of another diuretic. My lungs still kind of looked patchy with fluid. They put in the tube and I was very unhappy for a while, but they gave me a little Morphine to calm me down. After that, I did ok most of the day. Later on, it looked like I was breathing pretty hard still. They had done a ultrasound and haven't got the results on that yet. They also did another X-ray and that looked great, just the stuff on my lungs. So I just need to get rid of the goo in my lungs and then I should be feeling alot better. Oh yeah and once they get rid of the tube too. Anyhow, time to get some more sleep. Love, Ayden.

Totally not wanting to be tubular!

So, they did an X-ray on Friday when we got here, and then did another one Saturday morning. The docs said they looked pretty much the same with only minor differences. Then I had a bad episode of respitory distress in the afternoon. It took me awhile to calm down and Mom and Dad were very scared. The docs did another X-ray and said that the effusion on my left side had gotten bigger, therefore they would have to ship us down to the PICU and have a chest tube put in. They were going to call in Dr. Langley but decided that I was not in dire need of the tube right away and that I was for the most part stable as far as my vital signs go. So they decided to wait till Sunday morning. If this works out, we should get moved back upstairs today, I think. Anyways, just thought I would let everyone know what was up. Love to everyone. Oh yeah and GO DUCKS!! (that was for Uncle Gary and Grandma Sam)

So much for a good Thanksgiving

Well, on Wednesday I started having breathing issues and so Mom and Dad were watching me carefully. On Thursday, Happy Thanksgiving, I did not get better. So Dad called Doernbecher's and talked to a doctor. We tried giving me a extra dose of Lasiks, which did not work. So then Mom and Dad and I took a trip to Mercy's ER and got a X-Ray. They also got a IV started and gave me Lasiks through that. They let us go home with the intent on us going to the Doctors in the morning. So this morning, Dad took me and the doc examined me and talked to the doctors at Doernbecher's. They decided that the best plan of action involved Mom and Dad and I hopping in the car and driving back to Portland, again!!!

So here I am, sitting a hospital room, with a IV in my right leg, and another pleural effusion (that's doctor talk for build up of fluid in my chest cavity) on my left side now. They are giving me IV Lasiks, and saline through the IV and also giving me Aldactone (another diuretic) and potassium orally, along with my acid reflux med and methadone. They hope that giving me the extra diuretics will get rid of the extra fluid in my chest and hopefully will prevent me from having to get a chest tube put in. If this works out, keep your fingers crossed that it does, I hope I won't be here for very long, but if history repeats itself, I will be sending pictures of me wearing a Santa hat to everyone. NOT!!! Anyways, once again, Mom and Dad have had to drop everything, like work, to deal with this. I want to thank both Grandma's for taking care of big brother and also being there for Mom and Dad! Anyhow, wish me luck and I will be home before you know it. Love, Ayden.

Home Sweet Home

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Mommy and I got home on Friday evening. So far, I have been doing really good with everything. I stay awake alot more, I am smiling and talking and playing with my toys alot, finally just getting to be somewhat of a normal little guy. The only cruddy thing is that everyone who wants to come see me has to get a flu shot on doctor's orders. I can't get sick at all. It would not be good. Anyhow, I am really tired and I am gonna hit the crib. Love ya all, Ayden

Droppin this place like a bad habit!!!

In the words of Jar-Jar Binks, "Weesa goin home!" Mommy and I are finally getting to go home. Did you know, by law, Mommy should have changed her address on her Driver's License because if you reside in one place for one month or more and it's different than whats on the license, you have to change it. But it is okay cause she knows a few cops. ;) Anyways, I am in the best mood that I have been in in a long time. I am on less meds than I was after my surgery and also after I got discharged on Friday. Anyways, I also have more tests and two doc appointments scheduled in the upcoming months, so I will be very busy. Well got to finish packing. Love you all and thanks for your help. Love Ayden

This is getting really old!

So, I got discharged like my last blog said. Dad and Big Brother show up on Friday night and I thought things would get better, but my body said otherwise. I was very grumpy and pukey all night, just ask Dad. He slept with me in one bed, so Mom could have a break. Saturday, I was pretty much the same. Nothing really made me happy, and Sunday, the same. I was somewhat better that night, due to getting some Pedialyte that Grandma Sam brought me. So Monday rolls around and we go in for the tests. My X-ray looked great, my blood work looked great, but the ECG worried them. Not anything to do with my heart or anything, but more with my blood vessels. So that along with my grumpiness over the weekend made them decide to admit me back in the hospital. At first, it was hopefully going to be for a 24 hour observation period, but now it sounds like it will be for a few days. They are taking me off all the diuretics, because they think I was getting to dehydrated and they also thought they were trying to ween me off of the Methadone to quickly. So once they have these problems figured out, hopefully that will be the ticket out of Portland. I think they should make a new Snake movie starring me, "Escape from Portland" I have the scars for the role already. Anyhow, wish me luck and thanks for all of your support. My whole family really appreciates it. Love Ayden.

Hopefully Home on Monday

Well the doctor came in today and told Mom that my X-ray looked good, and that I would be discharged. But because we live so far away, he wanted us to stick around through the weekend and re-evaluate me on Monday. So, when we do get discharged, Mom and I will stay in a hotel and Dad and Big Bro will come see us after he gets out of school. I am so looking forward to this, as is everyone else. I really miss being home. Well just thought I would let everyone know. I gotta go pack. Love Ayden

Good news!!!!

Well the last week has been stressful. There has been a lot of fine tuning going on and I think it has paid off. Today the doctors have removed the chest tube. This is a very big step. If there aren't any problems within the next couple of days I might be able to go home!!!!!! I am going to keep this update very short and not bore you with the painful details of this past week. I just wanted to share the good news. Love Ayden.

More good things than bad things

So they did the usual daily x-ray and my chest looked worse than yesterday. I had fairly good vitals all day, aside from the pesky annoyances. My absentee father showed up before noon and I treated him to my handsome face smiling within 5 minutes of him being here. I sure do miss him and big bro. They did a ultrasound of my chest today because of how my x-ray looked and on it there was a small pocket of fluid, so we thought that might mean another chest tube. After review, the ruling on the field was overturned and Dr. Langley said, "Read my lips-- No New Tube!" Now to the bad things. My central IV line is gone kaput and is also leaking. This is not good. Dr. Woodward came in and tried to get a periphal IV line twice, with no luck. Usually he is on the up and up. The PANDA team came in and was able to get one in my right arm. They even had good flowback from it and got the labs they needed from it. The docs are worried that I might have a blood infection, so they are doing a culture to find out and as a precaution, started me on two antibiotics. But for the most part, today was fairly good. I was in a fairly good mood, I smiled lots for Daddy, Mommy and Aunt Tricia, plus stuck my tongue out for her too. She likes it when I do that. I was awake for quite awhile today and now I am really tired, so I think I will hit the hay. Love Ayden

My first Halloween!

I am the most adorable pumpkin ever. Check out my fantastic pumpkin hat!!!! My Grandma Penny made me the hat and I am so adorable. I didn't get any candy this year but that's only cause I'm saving up for next year. All the nurses visited me and told me I was the best pumpkin they had ever seen. I wish I could have seen my big brother in his costume. He was a Clone Trooper from Star Wars. As you can tell I am a Star Wars fan. Well I wish that Halloween could have been fun. Unfortunately that night at 6pm they did a procedure called a cardiac catheter. It is a surgical procedure where they put cameras in major arteries and get a video of your heart and surrounding areas. They put whats called coils around two arteries in my lungs to hopefully relieve some pressure off that duct that seems to be leaking. It also will help create even better flow in my lungs. They're was a bit of a scare when I came back after the procedure (whats a good Halloween without a few scares) I developed a blood clot in my left leg and when my mom saw that my leg was purple she freaked out. It was okay though they gave me a blood thinner and things worked out. My leg looks fine and no clot. Well still working on the chest tube issue hope it gets better soon I really want to go home. Hope to see you all soon Love Ayden.