He's home!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!
We have been very busy. A funny thing happened on my way to the hospital yesterday, I called to talk to Luie's dad and he gave me the great news that Luie might be coming home. I had to do all I could to keep from crying since the weather was so crappy. When I reached the hospital, sure enough the surgeon gave the go ahead that Luie could go home. Alelujah! Señor tu eres bueno!!! That means Lord you are good. My baby left the hospital December 23rd at about 6-6:30. He went to his dad's, as planned to spend Christmas with him, his step mom, his sister and his brother. I saw him this morning and spoke to him just a bit ago, he's doing good.

Luie was able to drink and hold it down with no nausea, and he was able to eat and hold it down. This is why they decided to send him home yesterday versus today. Lu's family came over to celebrate Christmas and visit with Luie. We will follow up with the surgeon on Wednesday, and perhaps will discuss the surgeries that we still have to have done.

Thank you all for your prayers, encouragement and kind words.

Day 10

I'm doing really good and the goal is to be outta here by Christmas Eve. I read your messages and think wow everyone really is worried. I walk a lot and when someone comes to visit we usually play a game. I had a hard time sleeping lastnight but I think tonight going to be different. Thanks for all your get well messages I like them and I know to remember they lift my spirits and everyone writing them will help me get through this.

Luie

Day 9

Prayers worked!! No fever, but I should have asked everyone to pray for no pain. Luie actually had pain caused by gas. A lot of it. Neither of us got much sleep. We finally figured out what helped. Luie had to sleep almost sitting up. He started feeling better almost instantly. At about 4am, we slept until about 10. Even though the night pretty much sucked, today was a pretty good day. I was a bit worried that it would not be good because they lowered Luie's meds again by half from 40 to 20, but he barely used it today. Then Luisito walked 3 times today once with me, his cousins and his dad, other mom and grandma. Since the hospital lifted the under 18 yo restriction and Luie's cousins Marissa, Mario and Meagan plus his Titi Sandra and Tio Louie came to visit today. They played bingo and Apples to Apples in the Brown Life center. Luie did really well. We came back to the room, and shortly after Lu appeared with Cherie to surprise Luie. Margie, his grandma, came later and we went for a little walk again. He had some gas pain but we worked it out. Tylenol seems to help with the pain. I thought here we go again, but he seems to be ok. He doesn't want to go to sleep now. For the good news. Initially that plan was for us to go home by today. Well because of the stuff in his stomach coming out too dark, among other things, it prolonged our time here. We were really scared that we would be here for Christmas. I maintain my faith that God will have us home. The surgeon told us the stomach fluids are much clearer and they might remove the tube from his nose tomorrow and start him clear liquids. Then Wednesday they will start him on food and if God's willing we go home for Christmas Eve. He will spend it with his dad, Cherie, Joey and Molly and not in the hospital.
So tonight I pray for no pain, clearer stomach fluids, sleep and home by Christmas Eve.

Summary... no details...pray for no fever & fast healing

• Day 1 Checked in to the hospital to prep for surgery, tube in nose, yuk, liquid given to clean out system
• Day 2 Monday, 4 hour surgery. Mom, Dad and Big Justin were here, Titi Sandra came later. All went as planned, Mom spent the night.
• Day 3 Tuesday, recovery, slept a lot, Grandma and cousin spent the day with Luie, mom came back after break which included shower, and spent the night
• Day 4 Wednesday, walked to the teen lounge, met with friend Brett, cousins Meagan and Michael visited. Mom spent the night.
• Day 5 Thursday, doing good, catheter removed, walked twice, uncle and papi visited. Tio Louie spent the night. Small fever.
• Day 6 Friday, Big Justin spent the day with Lil Lu and they walked, papi took over and spent the night, Lu made dad and step dad play apples to apples all together, good thing they get along, or the game could have been a little rough. very competitive!!! Still small fever.
• Day 7 Saturday, Fever kicking his little behind. Not feeling very well. No walk today. Slept a lot.
• Day 8 Sunday, No sign of fever for 24 hours, woo hoo, pain med was lowered by half, Luie had a sponge bath, Big Justin visited, Luie made us play Scrabble, we suck!! Then titi Sandra visited, Luie kicked our behinds. Went for 2 walks today, promised me a third! Movie time now.

Tank Busters

I'm Luie's dad (Big Lu) and I have a story I'd like to share. I have a friend at work who I've known for a long time. His name is Joe. I've known Joe longer than Luie has been alive so he knows all about my little guy. When Joe heard about what Luie is going thru he told me this story about when he was in the Italian Army during the late 70's when he was in a unit called The Tank Busters.

The Tank Busters were a special forces unit. Because of the dangers involved in tankbusting, only soldiers who volunteered were in it. Only the bravest and/or craziest soldiers volunteered because The Tank Busters were required to position themselves, undetected, alongside tanks as they drove by. Then just as they were out of the view of the tank driver, they had to run and lay down directly in front of the tank and as it drove over them, they attached a bomb to the underside of it. When the tank passed them they'd get up run and detonate the bomb blowing up the tank. However, if the tank driver was to see them, it would be pancake time for the soldier. Get what I mean? That's why it was so dangerous and only a select few volunteered. Anyway, when you became part of the Tank Busters unit you got a pin with the insignia of the Tank Buster unit, which was a sword with a circle behind it and flames running up the blade of the sword. The sword represented the unit. The circle represented the bomb and the flames represented the bomb exploding. When other units in the Italian Army saw you wearing your pin, they knew that you were not to be messed with because you were one of the Tank Busters and you had to be nuts. Obviously Joe was extremely proud of being part of the Tank Busters. Joe had saved his Tank Busters pin for 30 years! After telling me the story, Joe handed me the pin and told me to give it to Luie. He said that Luie is a soldier and to tell Luie that Uncle Joe would be proud to have him in his unit anyday. That Little Lu is a true Tank Buster! One of the elite.

I had the honor of telling this story to Luie and giving him the pin which he has worn proudly since. Luie is a trooper and the bravest kid I know. I'm very proud of him and how he's dealt with his adversity. I love you Luie. God bless you. Keep on getting better and you'll be home before you know it.

Love,
Your Papi

I wanted to say...

Im doing good today and had many visitors. The people that came were my uncle Louie who slepped over yesterday, when he left my step dad big Justin came, then my grandma came. I took a nap and when I woke up my grandma was gone and my uncle Lance was there. Uncle Lance left and when my papi came him big justin and I played apples to apples. Later big Justin left my Titi Tati and cousin Alex came. Titi Tati got me over 200 get well letters from students from her school because she is a nurse. My papi is sleeping over with me today and right now im just hanging out with him. Other then all this good stuff I woke up with a lot of pain this morning. Also the tube up my nose is making it hard to talk(it hurts). I took another walk and today played battleship with big Justin, I beat him 2 times he beat me 1 time. I'll type another blog tomorrow on how im doing and feeling.

A busy day

Last night was pretty mellow. Luie woke up a few times but went right back to sleep. He woke up at 6am and started watching TV. I was not waking up. I finally woke up at 9:30 and he fell asleep. It works out, I tend to stay up late to watch over his pain and he gets up early to control his pain. Another tube was removed today, so he was able to get up to use the bathroom. It made walking so much easier too. THE MAYOR was in the hospital today. The nurses invited Luie to come meet the Mayor but he had just fallen asleep so he said he was not waking up. They did add another IV for a feeding tube, but he's not eating foods yet so they have to feed him. Plus it's not as uncomfortable as the one he had. He went for 2 walks today. First we went to the teen lounge just to play games and get a board game. He wanted to be ready for when his dad and Tio Scottie come to visit. He was up and ready to go when they came. He wanted to go for a walk with his Papi and Tio Scottie. Then they came back and played Chinese Checkers and Apples to Apples. By the time I came back and it was time for them to leave at 7:30, Luie was exhausted.
I must say, our team of nurses has been fantastic. I have to go find that fish bowl where we are supposed to leave comments. We have our favorites but we won't name names. We do want to say thank you to Lynette, Tobin, Danielle, Lindsey, Juliette, and in the picture, Ally and Rosa. If I forgot someone, I'm so sorry. But thank you all for taking care of my little Lu. Tonight his uncle Louie is coming to spend the night with him and then he gets to spend the day with Big Justin and the evening with his dad Lu and bonus, his dad is spending the night. I will be back Saturday. I'm having anxiety thinking I won't be here for that long but I know between his family and nurses he'll be in good hands.