We're home!

So I'm a little late in writing this post, but with good reason... pure exhaustion from lack of sleep and a really stupid self-inflicted injury.

After a sleepless night at the hospital on Thursday night due to the Ari's bowels "waking up" and gas that had him crying in pain and moving more than his body wanted to allow, Larry and I switched sleeping arrangements.  It was Cheersport time in Atlanta and I had a weekend planned with Liv, the A-Towne All-Star family, and 20,000+ other cheerleaders at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Ari had an esophagram (a fluoroscopy study of the esophageal motility) on Friday to check for visible esophageal leaks.  When none were seen, he had a popsicle and sat up in a chair for the first time.  A huge step for him!

Friday night was smooth for Larry and Ari and Saturday brought a big advancement in his healing- the bedside removal of his chest tube which freed him to take a few steps.  Unstable on his feet, he wobbled over to the chair and waited for Liv and I to visit after Day 1 of competing.  He was so happy to see her  wearing her ATA uniform!

On Sunday, his eating progressed to applesauce and pudding and the doctors decided that he was well enough to go home.  After having his central line removed, they were discharged!  There was a problem. Liv had not even performed yet and we originally went to the hospital in one car, which I was driving.  In stepped my parents, who were very excited to be part of Ari's discharge process.  As I cheered on Liv's team, I wondered once again what we would do without them living so close.

Ari's nights were... and still are... not the best.  He's having a lot of nightmares yelling "no needles!" "I don't want to be here!"  "don't do that to me!  It hurts!".  It literally breaks our hearts.  Additionally, the movement in his sleep in painful at times, though it's getting better.  He woke up crying for me six times last night.  It's a wonder I actually got Liv to school on time this morning.  Larry's out of town for work, or we would have shared the duty.

It took some time for Ari to get his balance and strength back, but now he's his normal, active self.

And now for the stupid injury portion of this blog...

My parents bought the Liv a trampoline, a promise they made to her years ago and had it delivered on Monday.  It's HUGE and literally takes up our whole yard.  She is beside herself with excitement.  So much for all the English garden ideas on my Pinterest Board!

Those who know Larry and I well know that we are not, shall we say, the "handiest" of people.  I quickly opened the boxes and convinced Larry to put it together with me.  After attempt number one failed (a legitimate mistake), we put it together a second time and it was still not right.  My dad came over on Tuesday morning to help while Larry was at work.  Somehow, I managed to crush my right pinky between a falling metal bracket and the metal frame.  My nail immediately turned dark purple and the throbbing pressure was unbearable.  After watching a YouTube video on how to alleviate the pressure behind the nail, I heated up a safety pin, help my breath, and burnt a hole in it.  Can you guess where this is going next?  Yep... I successfully alleviated the pressure AND successfully inserted an infection directly into my nail bed.  Brilliant.  A tetanus shot, antibiotics, and a full round of labs later, the trampoline is still not put together.

That English garden is sounding better and better!

I'm amazed at how well Ari is healing, though I'd like to see him put on some weight.  We're starting an appetite stimulant tonight and we'll see if that helps at all.  Once he gains a few pounds, we'll schedule the spinal MRI (third time's a charm!) and an endoscopy to check out the esophageal healing.  We also need to schedule the mitrofanoff surgery... more details on that to come.

For now, we are enjoying some family time, trying to catch up on sleep, and will eventually put together the #^!%* trampoline.

Ari's healing is nothing short of miraculous and I know a lot of it has to do with the support and prayers of all of his friends and family.  Larry and I reflected on this often as he spent his time in the hospital looking at pictures friends drew him, watching movies they gave him and snuggling with new stuffed animals.  We are overwhelmed by the generosity and love of our family, friends old and new, and Liv's cheer gym- the ATA family... THANK YOU!!