Wink from Heaven: Still in the hospital

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Still in the hospital

We're still in the hospital and are hoping to come home today.
Happy things:
* We've been able to be at Utah Valley hospital so we're close to home.
* I was able to walk to Kneaders for lunch and saved a fruit tart for later!
* I got the best parking spot in the lot!
* The doctors and nurses are being wonderful to us.
* Caleb and I snuggled in his bed and watched Lord of the Rings.
* We had a some really handsome visitors last night before turning in.

Tender things:
* Caleb still feels pretty yucky.
* He's needing lorazapam every 4 hours around the clock just to take the edge off.
* The Klepsiella he keeps growing in his trach, bladder and lungs just keeps getting more resistant to antibiotics, so I worry about what that means for the future.

We're crossing our fingers that we can come home today! We need to show Caleb that it's okay not to be in the hospital over holiday weekends!
HAPPY PIONEER DAY!

8 comments:

Lacey said...: Oh I hope you can get home today. We want to come play when Becky and Junior come. You'll have to tell me where you live!; July 24, 2010 at 9:57 AM
Angie said...: Thinking and praying for your family! I just love watching Caleb grow up on your blog! Happy Pioneer Day Caleb!; July 24, 2010 at 10:36 AM
Devon said...: Oh honey, I had no idea!! I'm glad he's doing better, though. Hope you get out today! Happy Pioneer Day!; July 24, 2010 at 10:52 AM
Junior said...: Oh Caleb, I hope you get to feeling better very soon. So sorry you had to stay in the hospital.

April you guys are in our prayers. We hope you are able to get home today. Hugs and can't wait to see you.; July 24, 2010 at 11:16 AM
Anonymous said...: Sorry to hear Caleb is still in hospital.

I can understand your worry for his resistance to the AB's.

Thinking of you all and hope you get your little man home soon.

xxx; July 24, 2010 at 4:16 PM
young women said...: oh no - I was hoping you would be home by now. Tell him to hurry and get well, so he can hang out with Becky :)
Noah has tested positive for pseudomonas years ago which means we are treating it with long term nebulised antibiotics and also that it's a worry about the future too as he is also becoming resistant to the antibiotics we use. Fingers and toes crossed and lots of prayers, that he will get home soon.

This is Lisa - Noah's Mum. Just can't be bothered to sign out of our Stake YW blog account :); July 24, 2010 at 9:03 PM
Unknown said...: Oh hospital holidays, known all too well. but i promise, you do get out eventually and get some holidays at home!; July 25, 2010 at 6:03 PM
Kel said...: I haven't read the next post yet, so I don't know how the story ends, but I am sorry you were there over the weekend. Yuck. We worry about antibiotic resistance too. Scary stuff. Hope you get the perfect regimen so Caleb can feel top-notch again.; July 28, 2010 at 2:36 PM

Prayer for Caleb

(written by Caleb's Grandma in her weekly column -2008-)

In my family we have a secret code to communicate our love for each other when we are out in public. We wink. When one of us is about to perform or speak, we look for a family member’s face in the crowd. Then we wink at each other. Closing one eye and winking is our secret code for saying, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

About three years ago, my grandson Caleb was born into our family. He must have known before birth that he would never be able to speak to us because he was born with one eyelid permanently closed. So, he is always “winking” at us, always communicating, “I love you. You can do it. You’re wonderful.”

Caleb has one eye lid permanently closed because he is missing one of his eyes . . . and he is also missing his brain. All the doctors said he would die soon after birth. They were wrong. Caleb is three years old. He is a medical miracle. The doctors say he can’t see, hear, speak, think or move. Those who know and love Caleb understand he has his own unique way of experiencing the world and communicating his love to those around him.

After Caleb was born the hospice people told us to buy a burial plot and continually warned us of his imminent death. We soon learned you can not live well in a state of fear and sadness. We decided we could spend Caleb’s entire life anxious and scared he might die at any moment, or we could celebrate each day we were blessed to have him with us. In the beginning, my daughter April celebrated Caleb’s birthday every week instead of every year with balloons and cupcakes because we simply did not know how long we would have him with us. We stopped the cupcakes after we gained ten pounds, but the celebrating goes on.

We all prayed for a miracle when we first learned about Caleb’s condition. We got one. Caleb’s birth, life and mission have had a deep and lasting impact on our lives. His spirit, eternal identity and most of all the loving, individual relationship he has with each of us is truly a miracle. Because of Caleb we know that each of us has a divine purpose and that the physical body is a sacred gift we should never take for granted. We better understand the worth of a soul and the resiliency of the human spirit.

Caleb’s five year old brother Matthew said, “Grandma. The doctors said Caleb was going to die, but he didn’t. That’s the first miracle I ever saw!”

Sometimes Caleb’s baby brother Mitchell pulls out his feeding tube while they hold hands riding together in their double stroller. Sometimes the only intervention that can get Caleb’s heart rate up is when his older brothers Josh and Matty crawl in his crib, hug him and sing, “I am a Child of God.” ...If you have a moment please offer a prayer for the little boy who has never been able to utter a single word and yet has taught everyone who knows and loves him – all the secrets of a rich and meaningful life.