Enough Already!

So it has been quite a long time since I have written a post, and I would like to say it is because I am just lazy and am not making the time... but this time I think I have a pretty good excuse. Matthew has been in the hospital for a full week! Now before our little family of 2 became 3, that might not have been too much to handle, but juggling naps and 45 min trips to the hospital is all that my life is consumed with at this time. So here is the story for anyone that doesn't know what happened. He has been having gallbladder attacks for about 3 years now, and has simply ignored them and figured he could live with the pain. (smart right?) Anyway on Thursday (July 24) he had an attack at work and was sent home because he wasn't able to do anything through the pain, it didn't let up like it normally does after a few hours, and by Friday he was rather jaundiced.(you know there is something wrong when he is tanner than me). Now I know you're thinking "well finally he got some help", but no, what does he do? He goes to work Friday morning and then waits all weekend dealing with the pain and yellowness. Finally Monday morning he is convinced its time to get help so he asks a surgeon to order some labs and they do. Then he calls me and tells me "the good news is they know whats wrong with me, the bad news is they are admitting me to the hospital right now so maybe you could come down and see me later today." So I packed up a few things, and Ethan and I head to the hospital to see Matthew and wish him well as he goes in for an ERCP. Then Tuesday morning they took out his gallbladder. Now for most people that would be the end of the story and all would be good...but not for lucky Matthew. He got pancreatitis. So for most of the week he has been writhing in pain and used as a human pin cushion. He has had all kinds of IV fluids(including some strong pain meds-sorry anyone who recieved one of his "drunk" I miss you phone calls). To make things better he got a PICC line and has been recieving TPN through that. Anyway today was the official 1 week mark and things are looking a lot better. We went for a stroll through the hospital today (several floors mind you) and even found a terrace to go outside on. (Matthew got tears in his eyes just to be outside for the first time in 7 days, or maybe it was that he got to eat food today for the first time in 7 days, anyways...). We are hoping things continue to improve, but I think that it is safe to say we will be spending our 7 year anniversary (tomorrow) in room 4101 at Centennial hospital (probably the most expensive "hotel" we have stayed in yet!!! I have to say this week I've had to remind myself of the "for better or worse in sickness and in health" vow I took 7 years ago (just kidding honey I love you no matter what). Even though Matthew has made some nice friends on the 4th floor (all 80+ years old) this week, being in the hospital is a pretty lousy way to miss one friends' 30th birthday, another friends' 28th birthday, another friends' wedding and our anniversary. So for any of you out there that think the old gallbladder might not be doing so well, get it checked out early because I can tell you from watching Matthew it is not something you want to ignore!

On a lighter note, Ethan is now 7 months old (another milestone Matthew missed) and he is so fun to watch as he is learning about the world around him. Today he got up on his knees in his crib for the first time, and we played peek-a-boo with him finding me crouched down beside the bed. He also has figured out how to open the drawer of my desk and thinks that it is great fun to open it and chew on the edge (I haven't found anything he doesn't want to put in his mouth which has proved to be gross, when your spending a lot of time in a hospital everyday). He is amazing to me and I love waking up in the morning wondering what new thing he will do that day. Right before Matthew went into the hospital Ethan figured out that he could launch himself out of his highchair and now every meal has become a game of "mommy catch me". Ethan, Max, and I keep waiting for the day Matthew is able to come home, and ditch all of the IV's and Ted hose (not that they aren't very sexy) but we just want daddy to come home so we can all be together again soon!!! We love you Matthew!

I'll be brave for you daddy, I've been here before.

Pre-ERCP (little does he know what's ahead)

Happy family waiting and waiting and waiting!

Still smiling through the pain

This is the face you'll see when you finally come home daddy!