[tri-med] Update on Brendan (long)

Hi All,  

We are finally all settled in the new house and have got the computer back up 
and running.  We moved in to the new house in the beginning of April but 
still had some painting to do before Michael made he first communion.  Of 
course I had to have a big party for that and invite the whole family over to 
show off the new house.

Brendan is doing well, back in the beginning of march he was hospitalized for 
possible aspiration pneumonia.  When he was released we tried to feed him 
orally again but was having some trouble finding a therapist qualified enough 
to help us with it.  I decided that we should take a break until I could have 
one with me to do it.  Brendan was doing great considering all the moving 
around we were doing at the time.  Then in the beginning of may he was sick 
again.  This time it was pneumonia from aspiration from reflux.  We took him 
back to the hospital where we stayed for 8 days.  The doctors were going back 
and forth on whether to do surgery or not.  The cardiologist were there 
saying that before he can have any surgery they will have to fix his PDA and 
they could not do that until he gained more weight.  Brendan weights 11 lb.  
They want to do surgery to stop the reflux and to close the cleft in the soft 
palette.  

We finally decided to wait on the surgery and try to treat his reflux with 
more medication and to keep start him on a continuos feed.  I have always 
given him his formula bolos through the G-tube but now he is on 20 hours of 
continuous feed, which make getting out of the house a bit harder.  He also 
came home from the hospital with oxygen, a nebulizer and a suction machine, 
all of which I am slowly getting aquatinted with.  The add equipment is all 
to be used as needed.  The oxygen is for when we feel that he looks a bit 
pale, generally when he is in a deep sleep.

I feel that I am Handling this the best way I know how.  I just push all the 
bad thoughts from my head and move forward.  I have applied for Care at home 
and I am hoping to get some more nursing help, right now I have a home health 
aid three hours a day 5 days a week.  I am finding it hard to find time to 
spend with the other three children.  

Thanks for listening to me 



Mikki (Michelle) Rooney  wife of John (8 years)
Mom of Michael (8), Caitlin (5), Siobhan (2) and
Brendan T-13 (9 months)


                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
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