Saturday 22 June 2013

Hangin in the Procedure Room...Still

Day 2 of Calgary's State of Emergency and it is still very surreal...the sun shone today and from my end of this city you'd never know there was crisis elsewhere.  I've heard many stories today about families evacuated and people that have possibly lost everything.  I chatted with a Hutterite gentleman tonight at ACH and he was telling me stories of his community and how some people have lost everything.  We (I) think that this is just affecting highly populated areas, of course that's not true...I am intrinsically a 'helper' and it pains me that there isn't anything I can do at the moment.  I do have a few ideas though and I will keep you all posted.

There is a family that is part of the ACH family here that is displaced from High River.  B and Sawyer were next door neighbours in PICU when they were tiny so I have spent many a day seeing their familiar faces.  They have 5 kiddos and their little one had lived here at the hospital for 568 days (yes, almost 2 years).  They JUST got to take him home this week to High River only to be evacuated by boat only a few short days later.  They are back here in ACH so he can be properly cared for (he's on a ventilator) but they are now displaced with 5 children and only the clothes/toys with them.  I asked how we (I) could help today and she said they are okay right now with clothes and they have a place to stay but they are short on toys and entertainment for the kids.  If anyone has any ideas or electronics that they would like to donate please let me know! Here is their story...CLICK HERE and then click on Sawyer's Story.

Jumpity jump jump
Other than the chaos of utter devastation in the city (be thankful for all you have everyone)  Mr.B had a pretty low-key day.  He had Rose for his day Nurse who he's gotten to know so I took the morning to spend at home with the big boys and made them brunch (no guilt...who am I kidding?).  I realized awhile ago that B's been bored but I figured today that I would bring in his bouncer for him to give him some exercise.  He was very slow to jump in it which is hilarious because he used to love it so much.  He did seem to remember it after a while and then went to town.  He pretty much had every Nurse on the floor come to see who was making all the noise (we've not been kicked out yet).

climbing the walls...
I also had him out on the mat on the floor as well but he gets quite frustrated that I keep putting him back on it...the floor here scares me a bit.  I let him crawl a bit and then feel panicky that he might catch something else (that was brought in on a shoe?) and put him back on the mat.  He is getting really good at moving forward though, he's so very determined at times.  I think by the time I get him home he'll be mostly moving forwards because he is seemingly headed in that direction (when motivated).


Pretty sure Allison was more entertaining then B...count the
legs, he's a popular guy!

The only 'odd' thing of the day today (with B that is) is that he had some fluid coming out of his left ear.  I saw some wax on his ear lobe and rubbed it only to find it was wet.  There isn't too much to worry about, it was clear fluid.  The Resident came up to take a look and she said she can't really see if there is a hole in his membrane or not but it could be the source of a fluid leak.  He's not got any swelling or pus in the ear so that's a very good sign.  He doesn't have a tube in that left ear drum anymore and has had fluid behind it for quite some time now so I wouldn't be surprised if it has a leak now.  He is also on two antibiotics that he takes daily for other things so it could just be keeping the infection at bay enough to not get much worse.  The only other thing is that he's been running a low grade fever on and off but again, it's not all the time.  It is simply another 'wait and see'.

Breanna and B...if only I could take these Nurses home!
The craziness of the hospital has seemingly subsided a bit today as well with the openings of many road in town.  We were looking at possibly being moved to Rotary Flames House at one point last night.  We are still in the procedure room as the Unit is still full but we are making it work.

'Chatting' with the brothers tonight on Momma's phone
The announcement has just come down tonight as well that our school's will be closed again on Monday...I think the school year could be done early.  Not great timing for us, that's for sure!  I am counting down the days until my In-laws arrive for some much needed entertainment for the big boys!

listening to my 'tunes'
From Our Home (Hospital Room) To Yours...

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