Caleb is doing GREAT!

Caleb's surgery went really well and as anticipated. There were no complications and he is recovering well. He is eating and drinking and getting lots of sleep. He has been giving us lots of smiles and is in a great mood this morning. He has to stay laying down today but will hopefully be able to get up this afternoon.

Surgery Schedule

We will be heading to Children's Hospital in Denver first thing tomorrow morning for Caleb's surgery. It is scheduled for 10 am and they are estimating about 3 hours for the surgery. He should be in the hospital for about 3 days. He has to be able to do several things before he can go home. He has to be able to eat and keep it down. He has to have a bowel movement. And he has to be able to walk to the elevators. It should be a piece of cake for our active boy!!

We went on a tour of the hospital today and the new hospital is great. All the rooms are private rooms and have a pull out double bed so we can stay there with him. I will be staying the entire time with him and Baba will have to leave a little bit Friday and Saturday for some appointments but will be up at the hospital with us otherwise.

Joey will be staying with Lao Lao while Caleb is in the hospital and she will bring Joey up to visit Caleb once he is awake a little. Joey is looking forward to spending some time with Lao Lao and getting some special treats and spending the night at Lao Lao's.

Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers over the next few days.

Caleb's First Haircut!

Caleb didn't think this whole haircut thing was going to be fun at all when the cape went on!!

Once Joey came in he decided it would be ok and settled down.

And here he is after getting all cleaned up!!

Joey got a little trim too.

This Mama couldn't be more proud of her handsome boys!!

Fatty Filum

Caleb is having surgery on Thursday for a Fatty Filum or Tethered Cord. Here is a great description of what it is:

"The filum terminale is like a thin elastic band, about 8 inches long. At the top, it is formed from one of the layers of tissue surrounding your spinal cord, and extends from the bottom of your spinal cord to the tip of your tail bone. The outside of the "elastic band" has a few nerve fibres sticking to it.

The filum terminale works as an anchor for the spinal cord. For people with normal anatomy, the filum stretches when they bend over to allow the spinal cord to move up in the spinal column and then goes back to normal length when the person straightens up and gently pulls the spinal cord back to its normal position.

When the filum is fat-filled, fibrous and tight, it will not allow the spinal cord to move up and down within the spinal column, and so the spinal cord and the nerves end up being stretched instead of the filum. In most people this causes nerve damage".

Everybody has a filum terminale; it is a threadlike piece of tissue that connects the end of the spinal cord to the sacral end of the spinal canal in the pelvic area. In patients with a thickened filum (defined as more than 2 mm in diameter) [Yundt, 1997], the filum is shorter or lower-lying than normal and is thickened with fatty or fibrous tissue. This abnormality causes the filum to become relatively inelastic (a bit like a rope or cord, rather than an elastic band) and the spinal cord becomes tethered at an abnormally low level, thereby giving rise to the recognised signs and symptoms of a tethered spinal cord. "

More information can be found on the following website http://www.btinternet.com/~tetheredcordresources/tethered_cords.htm

Tomorrow we will be going to the hospital for labs and a pre surgery physical. Please pray for Caleb as he prepares for this surgery.

How Time Flies!

Jade (6) at her birthday party
Liam (4) at his birthday party
Joey (2.5) enjoying the party
Caleb (20 months) enjoying the party
Baby Ireland before the party

Wow, I can't believe it has been over a month since my last post. We have been so busy around here getting together with family and friends and Lee just celebrated his 40th birthday.

We have also been very busy with Dr. appointments with Caleb. Caleb will be having surgery next week, May29th on his back. He has what they call a Fatty Filium or Tethered Cord. So, he will be getting that repaired next week as well as his doctor for the imperforate anus taking a look at his rectum to see if he has a stricture that is preventing him from going to the bathroom very well. Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers as we have this surgery done.

We just got back from Utah celebrating my dear Niece Jade and Nephew Liam's birthdays this month. Jade is now 6 years old and Liam will be 4 the end of the month. We had a wonderful time at their party. We also saw Grandpa & Grandma Peterson and Uncle Koda..........although Mama forgot the camera at the hotel so has not pictres of that part!

I will post some more pictures in another post of the boys and activities over the past month, ENJOY!