If the Doctor Thing Doesn’t Work Out….

There is always law.  Preston came to work with me this past Monday.  He was off, my office was open and I had a few things to take care of.  He was very excited to ride the escalator and elevator to my office.  From the office he can see the train tracks and was able to see his Amtrak trains and freight trains that he loves so much. (The train obsession is in full swing.  In fact this week’s question in school was, if you can go anywhere in the world where would you go?  Preston’s answer, “With my mommy on the Subway.”  I am pretty sure my answer would differ GREATLY, but good to know that a ride on the good ol’ 4 train is enough to satisfy my son).

So first he took up residence at the desk and colored.

Then I caught him watching Little Einsteins in the middle of the workday!  Of course the portable DVD player wasn’t fully charged, but my computer saved the day!

 

Then Preston had a blast drawing on old demonstrative evidence boards.  He also used these boards to make a fort with my boss.  He thought my boss was fabulous since he got on the floor and played with him!

Preston obviously was a huge fan of the kitchen and kept going into the fridge to retrieve all the snacks I had brought for him.

After lunch he billed some hours by coloring a train picture that one of the assistants printed out for him.  He had a great time.  He seems very interested in what I do.  In fact, when I told him I was going to deposition today and grandma would be taking him to school he inquired as to what a deposition was.  He rocks.

Yes, I Wore Flip Flops

A bit premature, but due to the ARCTIC winter we have had here and you all know my feelings about the cold.  I mean I was one phone call away from booking the retirement community spot in Arizona.  So when the temperature climbed to near 60 yesterday and Preston wanted to get out and about, I tossed the socks and flats and put on my flip flips.  It felt heavenly.  Thank goodness the pedicure was up to date!  Preston is recovering well, he had a few nights where he was getting up with a dry throat, but instead of taking water he just cried his head off, making the throat more hoarse but I guess producing enough saliva to help coat the throat.  He would also do this “pain dance” and jump around his bed quite maniacal and would refuse to utter a word, just scream. It would actually have been comical if it wasn’t so annoying and sad at the same time.  I mean if he just took the water he would have been fine. His breath is also finally starting to smell less like a sewer and more like he just forgot to brush.  For a few days there I would dry heave if he breathed near me. 

I am so proud of Preston on his bike.  His stamina is amazing and he rode to the playground and back yesterday which is a good half a mile.  I grab the handlebars when he is going downhill and gave him a few pushes uphill.  He still needs to watch the sidewalk as he has a tendency to want to see all that is going on around him (Hummmm wonder where he got the nosiness from)?  First yesterday I had to hit DSW since I had a $20 coupon.  I got three pairs of pretty awesome shoes for $45!  One was only $9! SCORE!

Here are some pics from our afternoon.

We are also starting to graduate to the big boy swing.  It is hard to teach the concept of “pumping” your legs, but I hope to have him swinging on that swing during the summer!

This morning it was pouring outside so before football kicked off we made some brownies.  Think my child has a sweet tooth?

Then we played with the new Play Doh set he got from his teacher Ms. Kim for his birthday.  It was so cool! I recommend this set!  There is a whole burger making station and then a crank to make crinkle cut fries.  And I tried hard not to hyperventilate when he tried mixing the colors (Right Destini?) 

Now off to make some pigs in a blanket for football!

Preston’s Not So Enjoyable T&A

Gosh that never gets old.  From the moment I was handed a pamphlet entitled, ‘Your T&A Journey” I just could not stop laughing.  And yes, my humor apparently is on the same level as a 13 year old boy.  In any event here is a rundown of Preston’s surgery.  Here is the dude on Wednesday morning before we departed for Baltimore. He is so obsessed with his little animals.  Here are a few that made the “cut” to the animal parade.

Wednesday night we headed up to Baltimore with my mom.  I decided to go all out and stay at the Intercontinental.  We ordered up room service and enjoyed our harbor view.  Here is Pres'’ last “tonsil” picture while he enjoyed his last supper of fruit snacks at about 10:30 pm.

On Thursday morning we were up early since his surgery was moved to 8:45.  My father was heading down to Baltimore from NY on the train.  We brought him to pre-op and the child life supervisor let each child make their own patient doll.  This was super cute.  He picked out a doll, made it’s face and dressed it in a hospital gown.  Then he got to play doctor, or as Aunt Melski calls him, Dr. McCutie.

You have to love the seriousness while listening to his patient’s heart and lungs.  And I totally laughed when he put the stethoscope around his neck. Next Preston became both a surgeon and an anesthesiologist (pretty awesome) and administer the gas.

 

Next we checked vitals and put in the IV line:

I met with the anesthesiologist who looked like Dr. Arizona Robbins from Grey’s. And I know they have to give the risks but it’s unsettling to hear about heart attacks or pulmonary issues, etc. Then it was back to the operating room.  There was nothing cool about watching your child go under anesthesia.  When he had his hernia operation at 2 1/2 months he was too young to realize he was going into the operating room.  But this time he saw all the contraptions and all the nurses, doctors and residents.  He told me that the room looked weird and that we all looked “ugly” in our outfits (scrubs and shower cap hats and surgical masks)-coming from the kid in the gown with dogs on it.  He was awesome.  mask over his face, couple of deep breaths, eyes rolled back and he was out.  I gave him a kiss and they all applauded me for being so strong-until I saw my mom and dad and cried a bit.  They told me the surgery would be about 2 hours, but as I was finishing up my coffee 40 minutes later they told me to come on up.  As I walk into recovery I hear my son SCREAMING “MOMMY! MOMMY!”  I rushed over and he settled a bit. 

Preston immediately started drinking and we were moved to his room.  Dr. Tunkel does not believe in pain medication, only in the recovery room, so it was Tylenol.  Tylenol to me is syrupy purple liquid with no potency.  It barely helps him break a fever, but that was that.  Dr. Tunkel told me he could go home, but by 1:30 he stopped drinking and eating.  He had gobbled down pudding but then built up some saliva, started crying and choking and spitting out the saliva. So I figured I’d suck it up and stay the night since he’d get fluids through the IV.  That was fun. The heart monitor falling off and me having to reposition it.  Then the IV was starting to come loose so that beeped every 15 minutes until 5:30 when I begged them to shut it off until we woke up at 6:30.  I slept on a plastic fold out chair.  Comfy.  The accommodations sucked and when the second in charge for Dr. Tunkel came in the next morning to release him instead of putting in another IV I almost wept with relief.  He was tired, I was tired.  Tunkel was right-the kids do better at home. Once home we had a few crying fits, but he is eating and drinking and getting sleep.

The full effects won’t be seen for about a month, but already the difference is amazing.  His new tubes are in so I don’t have to worry about that for awhile.  His nose has stopped running so profusely and he is not snoring as much.  He told me he is not snoring anymore because of Dr. Tunkel.  I would feel guilty about getting a good night’s sleep knowing my child was struggling to breathe, choking and having apnea episodes. I’d be up at least four times a night turning him.  This hopefully will be the saving grace. 

 

Thank you all for your prayers, beautiful messages and kind thoughts.  Love you all!  And Preston, Mommy truly hopes your next T&A adventure is just shares amongst guys in a locker room and I don’t have to be part of it! ;-)

Preston & Peyton’s Second Date

It was so great to see the whole Mazur family again in Richmond! We met at the local outdoor mall-but did not eat outdoors don’t worry. It is still beyond freezing here in Virginia, much to my dismay. It was so nice to meet Laynie and Riley too as well as Danielle’s mother. Prior to going Preston wanted to know everyone who would be there and after I told him about the three girls he asked me, “Where are the boys?” It did not take him too long however to warm up to all the female attention. The date started with pizza but Pey and Pres did not wait until date’s end to pucker up!

Public display of affection at CPK.

“We’re not doing anything. Just eating and chatting…”

The cuteness is almost too much to take!

After dinner all the kids had a blast running around and keeping warm by the fire pit!

This was also the point in the night where Riley and Preston, being too rambunctious four year olds had a blast running around chasing each other.

It was such a nice visit. I love our blog family so much. I can’t wait until Nashville!!!! Thank you Mazur family for braving the cold and having dinner with us!!!!

In other Preston news, we braved outside to ride the bike for about 2.4 seconds before the wind chased us back inside. I am so proud of Pres because he is really getting the hang of it!

Here is my little dude in his Fargo hat:

This week we played with Preston's new Lite Brite. Lite Brite was much cooler I think when we were younger, although this one does not need to be plugged in. The issue I have is there are not enough of each color peg to make the whole picture. In any event, Pres had a great time: