The Six Pack

Zachy seemed to be on the mend yesterday. He was playing, crawling, and even slept much better last night! But late this morning he started going downhill. He was clingy, sleepy, cranky, and had little appetite. I put him down for a second nap and ran some Halloween errands with the older boys. When I returned, Steve said he had been sleeping or crying the entire time. He was lethargic and in obvious pain. His cough was extremely congested. So off we went again to the doctor! This time he found a double ear infection and gunky lungs. Fortunately, Zachy's O2 sats were holding up, down about 5% but still not alarming at 75%. He is not breathing fast, but his airways are inflamed so the doctor prescribed nebulized breathing treatments and antibiotics for his ears. I hate to see Zachy so uncomfortable. He is utterly miserable. But I do secretly love the fact that he is happy with none other than Mommy (except when I have to go to the bathroom.) I love that he stops cr...

Two weeks. Five little piggies. Swine flu? I'm awfully suspicious. For two weeks now, one by one, my five little piggies have been ill. Alex was the first. He brought a fever and cough home from school, and passed it on. David was out of school for three days this week, returned on Thursday, but feels crummy again today. Zachary was the last to succumb to the virus. He spiked a 102 degree fever Wednesday night, and yesterday he saw the doctor. No pneumonia, but we're watching him closely. He woke constantly last night. The H1N1 virus is running rampant through the schools, and the vaccine hasn't hit the shelves fast enough here in Wichita. Those who get it are awfully miserable for about a week, but most of them make a full recovery. It hits especially hard for those with chronic medical conditions, like Zachary. He's a strong little guy, though, and so far he's pulling through. Please remember to keep him and all the little sickies in your prayers. S...

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We have had a slow week, with Joseph and Alex missing a couple days of school each due to fever. This morning David and Sammy woke up with a fever, too! Fortunately, Zachy hasn't (yet) come down with the bug. We're doing all we can to avoid the really bad stuff... This week the three little ones and I made our way down to the health department--the only place in town that still had the flu vaccine. It also seems that we have resolved the insurance issues so that Zachy can get his first Synagis injection in November. And as soon as that H1N1 vaccine hits the shelves, we're on it! Our vacation from a couple weeks ago was a hit. It was a LONG drive, especially through the winding mountain roads. But the scenery was incredibly beautiful and the kids had a blast (even though in our two days of fishing we didn't even get one bite!) Some of you wonder how we kept the kids entertained on the long road trip. Of course, we had a good stash of sweet and salty snacks that ...

Please lift your prayers up once again for Zachary's special heart sister Lindsay. Lindsay is just sixteen months old and received a heart transplant in June. Last night she was flown by helicopter back to the hospital in Ann Arbor for a high fever and signs of rejection. Please pray for this to be something minor--a bug that doctors can treat effectively in the hospital. Lindsay and her family have been through a roller coaster and she was just beginning to settle in at home. Follow her at http://lindsaysheart.blogspot.com/ , and keep sending those prayers!

Zachy just crawled across the kitchen floor today to grab a pencil. While it's so exciting to see him reach another milestone, it's all the same very scary to know he now has access to just about anything. Our floors have a tendency to "grow" clutter--plenty of clutter that Zachy shouldn't be into! Zachy also had his first haircut last night--just a little trim over the ears! Pictures to follow... Over the weekend I finally completed our "Memories" slideshow from 2008. You'll find it in the sidebar of this page. Note these are last year's memories (I'm a little behind) and the "bigger" baby in the video is Samuel, not Zachary. As I was watching the video over the weekend, I couldn't believe how my Sammy has grown up so fast. Just last year he was crawling around (he walked late, at around 15 months,) and today he is nearly potty-trained! He takes himself to the bathroom whenever he has to pee, but we're still working...

Last week, Zachy had the unique opportunity to reunite with one of his U of M heart sisters, Olivia. Olivia lives in a small Kansas town a few hours away, and was in Wichita for a doctor check-up. Olivia, too, was diagnosed with tricuspid atresia, but she struggled with many more complications and spent nearly four months in the hospital. You would never believe she has been through so much if you met her today! Olivia is a beautiful, chubby baby who is always smiling and meeting her developmental milestones despite the earlier setbacks. It was a great feeling to get the babies together again, and we look forward to many more reunions! Note the spoon Olivia is holding in the first picture. By the time we were done clicking our cameras, she had handed it off to Zachary and he was sucking on it in the last picture! Nothing like true love... We thank God for Zachy's health and progress, as we know full well that things could have gone the other way for him. But there are chal...

On Tuesday Zachary went to visit his cardiologist, Dr. Battiste. I'm impressed with his doctor because she really takes her time to do a thorough examination (appointments often last two hours or more!) The biggest change she noticed with Zachary since July was that he has a full head of hair! Otherwise, his heart is in good condition and she dropped his Lasix from twice to once daily. The only other medication he's on is aspirin, which he will take his whole life to protect against clotting. Zachary impressed her during his echo cardiogram when he threw a grand little fit and held his breath without passing out. He must have a strong ticker if he is able to do that! Please keep Zachy's U of M heart sister, Brittney , in your prayers. She is back in the hospital with a bacterial infection. Also pray for Lindsay's dad who is undergoing surgery and her brother who came down with a nasty bug. Lindsay's family had to cancel their much-needed vacation due to th...

Here's a preview of our great vacation! Click on this picture to view the album, or enjoy the slideshow below. Arkansas