Our Kitchen

Here are some before pics (which we took and started the Sunday that Kenner was gone and Casey has continued while Kenner has been sick). Thanks Daddy for working so hard! We LOVE YOU!

Before (note it looks like there is one door way thanks to my perfect placement of taking this picture, but there is actually a door way and then the door to our outside.) Hmmm...how is that for insulation? NONE!! No wonder we could tell a difference when our cupboard doors were open or closed:)
This is what we see now...
Look no extra door now! More room for cupboards!
Look how nice it will be to cover up the plumbing that was going upstairs!!

Before 8/25/08

As I wind up a crazy day at the Svitak's after being away a bit at the Elge's I am trying to catch up with life. But unfortunately it is running me over!! As you will see with these pictures, I attempting to reflect on the great times we have had throughout the month of August and not let the burden of regenerating one sick child while caging the other child's energy. These pictures are really out of order, but that is how life is at the moment...COMPLETELY OUT OF ORDER!
Bubbi playing ball in the weeds. I tried playing with him, but he preferred to play "golf" by himself!
Daddy Kenner and Patton. Yes the bat came very close to Bubbi's head, but some how missed it!! Both Casey and I looked at each other and thought, "Wow that was close!"
Bub enjoying time by himself with Mommy and Daddy at Menards while Kenner was in KC with the Kenner's.
Bubb and Great Gpa Jimmy after a hard days work on our house. They came up to help Casey while I was home sick with Kenner. PRAISE God that neither my Grandpa or Grandma were sick from Kenner!
Bubb in the weeds. Smell this mommy! Yum...who doesn't like a freshly picked weed from their 1 3/4 year old son?

Bubbi riding the four wheeler in the beginning of August. Now with his week long stay in Aurora, he now knows how to say Four Wheeler and many other things like dark, and others:) Kenner on his motorcycle. He knows how to start it, but he needs a key. Hmmm any one know who hid it from him? Don't worry he went in and found other keys to try and they didn't work. Can't fool this kid!?!?
Grandpa giving them their first motorcycle ride.
Kenner's first day of school, exactly one week before he came down with croup.
Family night in the weeds. We were going to spray our lawn to kill everything in order to plant grass...but that will and can wait. Boy I can't wait to see my little boy be able to hit a ball again. We just have about coordination to swing the bat without a ball and not falling over. We will get there!

Home and then away again

Hello all! We eventually made it home on Friday night after our car decided it wanted to stop 2-3 times in Omaha, then it stopped as we turned on our last stretch of highway before Sprague it died again. Casey walked (then got a ride) into Sprague, got the truck and towed us the last mile before we made it home.

Bob and Marilyn brought us supper, only for me to find that we hadn't gotten Kenner's prescription. I went back into Lincoln and then back home. Ahhh your own bed is something you take for granted! Both Kenner and I have enjoyed sleeping in our own beds the last two nights. We both have gotten around 10+ hours of sleep. Yesterday Kenner played with Zane while I ran into town to get Daddy a present. He wanted a work radio and I was too cheap to say that he could have it. But he also has worked his tail off, so off I went and brought it home. I think he has enjoyed it already!!!

Kenner and I played a while and then we back out to the Huttes'/Mitchell's house to help with sugar cookies...or should I say eat them. Yum! They watched Kenner for a little while while I mowed our much needed lawn! It looks as good as it will get with a lawn full of weeds. Maybe sometime we will get to our lawn. Kitchen first:)

Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jan came over and took us out to the "Dairy Queen" in Hickman. It was nice and great to see them again. They said that Kenner is making more improvements than when they saw him last.

We came home, cleaned up Daddy's garage, while Daddy and Kenner played inside. Then to bed.

Daddy is working very hard on our kitchen!! We are off to Aurora this morning in order to get Bubbi and also just hang on the farm and watch Uncle Levi play football. We are very sad that we missed Aunt Lucy's play:(

Have a great Sunday. Now I know what everyone was talking about with this cold weather. It was odd to go in summer and come out fall!

Love - Rhi

It's official...doctor's orders to go HOME!

Casey was able to get the car started with out it being towed and we have doctor's orders to go home!

YEAH! Home we go!
Rhiannon

Ultimate FRUSTRATION...so close but not yet!!

So frustrated!!! First of all no one told us that Kenner had to go to the bathroom more before we left, so therefore we can't go home until later tonight. Had they told me this this morning Iwould have been shoving liquids down him! Then they didn't bring lunch and I assumed that Casey would ask while I was sleeping, but they are treating us as if we have left and have not seen a doctor or nurse today unless I go find one on the floor some where. Casey arrived at 11:00 this morning, because that is when I was told yesterday that we would be leaving. No news, so I took a much needed nap and Casey hung with Kenner.

I woke up at 1:30, no fluids yet for Kenner. HOW CAN HE GO TO THE BATHROOM if he doesn't get fluids???? I ask for a plate for him and I needed to get out, because I was getting quite frustrated and no one needs to talk with me when I am short on sleep and patience!! GRRRRR!

So I took Casey's car to Taco Bell and it dies in the drive up lane. The staff was very nice and pushed me out of the drive thru lane. I thought it was God's way of saying that I needed to sit and eat somewhere than the hosptial so I go in, eat, go and try the car again and it starts. I get to 72nd and Dodge in the turn lane and it stops again!!!!!! (if you aren't familiar with Omaha, it is the huge intersection by Cross Roads Mall!!! A nice person, Joanna offers to take me to the hospital. She currently is taking Casey back to the car before it is being towed.

GRRRRRR
Ugh I am so mad!rhi

Going home today!

Hooray! (as Kenner would say) we are going home today. Kenner got his IV out of his right arm and last IV in him last night. He is a lot weaker on his right side, due to this IV. So it is nice to get it out! I am not sure what time we will be leaving, but they said sometime after rounds which are around 10:00

Before we embark into the real world I thought I would share some funny moments (yes I was able to take some funny moments from this whole horrible ordeal!)

Uncle Craig was telling everyone that Kenner was seduced. Um Craig Sedated!!! not seduced!

My mom was reading my brother Caleb's facebook messages outloud when they came across a guy friend's post that was reminising about previously fun times and in it was lol. My read it as lots of love. Umm Mom that doesn't really fit!

As Kenner was initially coming out of his paralytic, Aunt Becca arrived. She asked him if he wanted to see Aunt Becca and he shook his head no! Sorry Aunt Becca he does like you now. Maybe sublimably he doesn't like you or was thinking of someone else:) J/k

On the second day of being up here, Kenner's nurse Becci told Kenner (while in his medically induced coma) that he would be the best kid in the world if he didn't go #2 until after her shift was over. Wouldn't you know it that 15 minutes into the next nurse's shift he went and went ALOT! Becci came back the next day and was very happy to hear that! He did like his nurse Becci

Can anyone else remember any more that I don't remember?

Have a great Friday! **We are close to 6,000 hits. I think we have had close to 1,000 hits in 10 days! Thanks to this blog, because we would have had to tell this story over and over. Please don't be a stranger to our blog after this whole ordeal. We do have a lot of fun and I love to share our family story with you. Yes it may be crazy and you might not believe the things we do...but we do!

Love you all!

I wanna sleep with you Mommy?

Uhm...the mini matress that I have barely fits me not another little boy. Kenner got out of bed and crawled over by me and the computer.

M:What do you want to tell everyone Kenner?

K:Um pink, go that one, go do that one up there.

M: What are we doing tomorrow?

K:Um...Kansas City.

M: You went to KC a couple weeks ago. Where are going tomorrow?

K: Um...

M: Who are we going to see?

K: Jasa and Kenner.

M: No we aren't going to see Jasa this weekend. Who do you miss?

K: Grandma

M: Do you miss your brother?

K: No

M: Why not?

K: I want ball. I'm going to see Bob.

M: What are you going to do with Bob?

K: Go play ball and ride a tractor.

As you can see we are very tangential in our speech, but we have speech and we are talking about real things. Throughout this conversation he climbed out of bed, onto my bed, looked out the curtains, typed many different things...I do believe he is back with some jitters!

Thanks for all your prayers. We will be going home tomorrow morning sometime after 10:00.

AMEN!

Rhiannon

Pray for Ridge and his family. They are going to be leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for St. Louis. I am not sure how else to keep a hold of them, so this might be the last update on him, but we will continue to pray for him and his family - Dad, Mom, Sister 7, Sister 1.

A mean game of T-ball

Kenner went potty in the toilet all by himself, but had an accident in his pants due to his antibiotics. Then we were playing a great game of Tball which he had to pick up the ball and hit it off the tee. He is getting much stronger and has a great laugh! I think he will be wheeling me out tomorrow:)

Rhi

Thursday and more pancakes Mom!

Kenner did have another fever last night as his Tylenol wore off. He hasn't had one this morning. The doctors said that this is pretty normal to see after a long strenuous day of working. They said that he doesn't have anything else, but just that his body is continuing to fight his infection.

I have been ordering him 1/2 portions of his meals, because he hasn't been eating them very much and I hate to waste the food. Today he had one pancake, eggs, peaches, and OJ. After we were all done, he requested, "I want more pancakes Mom." So no more 1/2 portions. Our little Kenner is coming back. I told the food service ladies that they may want to give more than the normal portion because he eats alot!!!

When I woke up this morning, I went over to him, kissed him and said Good Morning. He said, "Good Morning Mom, I want to go home!" Yeah!! Now we have even more motivation to walk more around our room. I feel so bad that Kenner can see all the little kids having fun outside his room running around the floor with their wagons and we are stuck in here. Oh well! He is getting better. We did walk around the bed from the wheelchair (which is completely adorable!) to the other side of the bed. I used minimal help, but then he about fell over. So I went back to moderate assistance. He did take a few more steps on his own. We will still work on it!

The doctor said that if he is walking more and more today then we will get to go home TOMORROW! THANK GOD IT IS FRIDAY!!!!! We will be going to Sprague so I can get some new clothes (wearing the same two pairs of shorts, underwear, and clothes makes a person appreciate your closet at home!), check on our kitchen (Casey has been busily working on it with Trevor, Bob, Marvin, and several other helpers. Last night they were drywalling!!!), and then go to Aurora to rest and relax with Grandma Kelly, Grandpa Dennis, Levi and Lucy's help.

Have a great Thursday!
Rhi

Physical Therapy and Fever

Kenner has come down with a fever this evening. He has been given Tylenol every 4 hours since he was off the vent for his sore throat. Please pray that his fever is just his body reacting to all his physical activity today.

He did take three steps on his own today. It is amazing how much of a struggle it is for him to walk, sit up, and hit a ball off the tee. The PT said that his body is working so much on just trying to stand that it takes even more for him to think about hitting the ball off the tee.

Pray that Kenner continues to heal from his tracheotitis and his fever goes down.

Thanks to Aunt Becca for coming tonight so that I could take a break and enjoy the cold weather outside. I was able to walk over to the other hospital for supper. Uncle Craig came over too. I wasn't able to talk with any doctors today about a plan, but I am guessing that we are here for another day because he isn't sitting up by himself yet.

Shanael was here today and Justin and Bella weren't able to come in, because only siblings can come in. Kenner lit up when he opened his puzzle! Thanks so much. Your love and support has been amazing!

Well Palin is off the stage, so I might go to bed again tonight at a normal time. I felt as if I slept for days last night! I hope that Kenner sleeps all night as well.

Love you all! Rhi

Note from my Dad

All: I wanted to pass on that I received a call this morning from Kenner. He sounded pretty wraspy but that is to be expected after having a tube down your throat for a week. I went up yesterday afternoon to give Rhiannon and Carlece a little relief sitting with Kenner. It was pretty scary as he looked like a lost puppy and had no expression and just gazed out the window or at the TV. He moved out of intensive care yesterday morning into a really nice room. Last night they started him on methadone and another medication to relieve his withdrawal symptoms from being on the heavy meds for the past week. I think that really helped him out and the Kenner we knew before has started to come out of the shell which made us so happy. He was talking and eating this morning so I think he will be able to get out tomorrow. Since the Svitak's are remodelling their kitchen I think he and Rhiannon are going to join Patton with Casey's parents in Aurora for a few days and recoup. I think we are out of the woods now and wanted to thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. Pat

This note was from my Dad. My grandparents (Jim and Jan Kenner) came up this afternoon after my mom, Annie, Jeremy, and Craig were here for lunch.

Kenner has PT two times a day due to his inability to even walk or sit up. Thanks to my experience at school I have been able to make hime work all morning. We are taking a break now for a nap and then we will be up when Aunt Becca and Daddy come.

"Mickey Mouse" "I want my Mommy"

First phrases out of Kenner's mouth today after a great night sleep by both Kenner and Mommy! For those of you that may think, "Can I just have one moment of silence from my children's talking?" please look at the positive that your child is healthy and can talk. Kenner ate a whole thing of applesauce, had POP!!, ate mini M and M's, opened his presents, smiled when he say all his balloons, laughed when he hit the balloon and it hit Mommy's face!

AMEN! I know that God has a plan for all of us, but many times it is difficult to willingly follow. Thank you Lord!

Thanks to my wonderful collegues in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy I have been able to apply some strategies while we are in the hospital today. He used a pincher grasp when picking up his mini M and M's. We did have a PT come and visit today. She said that he is weak, but that is from laying in a bed for more than a week. Because we are in isolation they get to bring all the toys into us. She said she would bring a bat, ball and TEE back. I hope these windows are plexi glass, because I don't think they understand his strength (when fully recovered).

Kenner got to say, "I love you Bubbi" today on the phone. He got to speak with several people and is Kenner again minus his fatigue...but well expected.

WOW! Words can not describe the amount of energy I have now that Kenner is talking and himself and after a full night's sleep. I think I doubled the amount of sleep I had all last week in just last night's sleep!

Thank you for all your support and love! I really couldn't have made it without your comments and prayers.

Thanks again - Signing out as a very proud and happy mother of two boys that are on the move to being healthy again!

Bubbi is feeling better but just has a cough.

YEAH!!!

Smile for grandpa!

Grandpa Pat came to help relieve me today. After I wrote the last post, I came back and asked the nurses if we could go to the HUGE PLAY area. I thought this might motivate him to get up and feel better. Grandpa and I went - me with Kenner and Grandpa with the IV - to the play room (note: this floor has a lot of toys and not clothes like my post read from last night:)). I held Kenner while Grandpa played basketball, fooze (sp?) ball, and Thomas trains. While playing fooze ball, I put Kenner's hand on the bar and told him "Go get Grandpa's ball." His little hand took hold and turned it 2-3 times and then he looked up at Grandpa and I with a 1/2 a smile.

It was the first time he made any move upwards (as opposed to frowning) on his face in a week. He then sat in the wagon and went around the floor with Grandpa. He sometimes laid his head on the back and looked up, but some of the time he looked like a normal little boy.

When we arrived back at our room we were met by the floor's pediatrician who said that we can't go out of the room due to him being placed back into isolation due to his cough. The doctor also started him on withdrawal medicine, because he has tremors, hasn't talked, doesn't sleep, etc. This medication he will be on for 5 days and tastes horrible. He got a chocolate malt tonight and hopefully will be getting to be more like Kenner.

We have the isolation 'suite' on this floor. It has two doors to enter so that they can garb up and then come in. This also makes it feel like we are in a hotel or something. As compared to PICU, there aren't any beeps and very quiet. Hopefully with this new medicine he will begin to be more like Kenner.

Thanks to Craig for continuing to bring his computer. It is a haul to go to the Family Resource Center.

A special prayer request for Ridge, our friend with 1/2 heart we met in PICU. His parents have to make some very big decisions about going down to St. Louis to wait for a heart, finding care for their other two children (their mom is a stay at home mom) and just be themselves. They do know that God has a plan for all of us and have made quite a place in my heart. Pray that Ridge's fluids might become less and that his parents will be able to clearly hear God's plan and know what to do.

Rhi (I am feeling a bit better than when I wrote before because his smile brought joy to my heart, thanks for listening. Even if no one checks this blog, I am able to get things off my chest and be less of a mess for the doctors and nurses here.)

501 - quiet and peaceful

Hello all! I am writing from the Family Resource Center as a break. My dad came so that I could go get something to eat and inform the world about my son (yes world...we have had over 500+ hits since I first blogged about Kenner). The prayers are being heard, but please continue!

Kenner is still in a daze and isn't recognizing anyone. I am the equivalent of the new nurses we just met when we went up to floor 5. He has not voluntarily moved a muscle from his nose down (exception of his neck and lungs). I have gotten to hold him in my lap, but he is unwilling to even sit up on his own. The doctors are saying that this is somewhat normal after all the meds and things he has been through this last week (yikes...it has been a week!)

Please pray that we get to see that handsome smile soon. He is experiencing a withdrawal like any person addicted to heavy drugs would be. This mean tremors, sadness, irregular heart beats (which isn't one to sleep well on), and not talking. We haven't heard a single word out of his mouth nor have we really even heard a cry. I pray that his vocal folds are not damaged too bad after being intubated and such.

This is a difficult time for me as my patience is decreasing hour by hour. I am being very truthful here...so please be kind in your thoughts of me. After being told a week ago that "give him an hour and he will be better" then told once we get him extubated (vent off and tube out) he will be his normal self in a day. It has been more than an hour and more than a day. I am a person with a huge cause effect mind, so these things not ringing true tests a person. I find myself impatient in my mind with him not wanting to drink or eat more. I am sure this all has to do with a total of about 15-16 total hours of sleep I have gotten the past week and the frustration that I desperately want my little boy to play ball with to hear his misarticulations of his l's and r's, to hear his bumpy speech when he is telling us a made up story, to hear him say "I wove you too Mom" and many other things.

He is showing us his beautiful brown eyes and he does occasionally scrunch them together in order to tell us that he is ignoring us:) It does bring a smile to my face. He is breathing on room air and clearing his lungs and throat by himself, which is much answered prayer!

Thanks for all your support and love you have given us and hopefully I will be writing soon about all the stories Kenner has told us.

Rhiannon

Up but not here...

We need a different prayer request for tonight and tomorrow. Imagine a puppy who was taken away from his mom and put in his new home. The puppy is very timid, shy, and looks like it wants to cry all the time.

Kenner is very unoriented and scared. All the nurses have to wear masks and complete garb so they look scary. He is not sure where he is and isn't talking.

Please pray that he will begin to come out of his drowsiness and be more like Kenner.

He will be moving to the 5th floor tomorrow where there are a ton of clothes. I am not requesting things, but if you happen to send anything or give Kenner anything if you could wrap it like a present. We are approaching this whole situation like a birthday party in the hospital in order for him to understand this whole thing and make the hospital situation a good thing to him.

Thanks for all your prayers. It was the greatest gift to be able to hold my son and let him sleep on me a little today. He hasn't said anything yet and is only barely shaking his head yes or no.

My days of Speech Pathology in the hospital are coming to use with swallowing and neuro evals of him. Praise God that I still have that information:)

Thanks again for all your prayers! I won't be posting during the day tomorrow, because Uncle Craig has to go to work with his computer:( He will probably be upstairs for 2-3 more days until he is a normal boy again.

Good night (not so much sleep tonight...due to his alertness PRAISE GOD!)

It's out!

Kenner is now breathing on our air with some support through his nose and is not on any medication until he shows us that he is in pain.

He is showing his rather stubborn self now with not opening his eyes and sleeping.

WOW! It is great to see him with the tubes!

Rhi

coming out soon!

Kenner is on a sedation medicine that you can't be on for more than 8 hours. They are doing the rounds now and when they are done he will get his vent out.

After all the sleep I have not gotten you would have thought I have had 50 hours of sleep with my energy and excitment!

Rhi

Plans for getting the tube out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kenner's leak has stayed and if it continues to remain a leak then tomorrow at 4:00 am they will begin taking him off his sedation medicine and putting him on a drip type of sedation. This will allow them to immediately take off the sedation medicine when they take out his tube.

They will also stop his feeding and gradually ween him off the ventilator. Hopefully this will happen in a matter of 6 hours and about 10 am he will be off the ventilator and be able to breathe smoothly. He will be hoarse and will have morphine to help him with any pain that might linger.

The morphine part was a huge relief for me as I saw first hand how much pain he was in before they vented him when he attempted to clear his throat. I was afraid of this happening again. I will be rest assured that he will have to be breathing without stidor, eating well, and healthy before he leaves.

This will mean that he will be in PICU for 12-24 hours, then upstairs for 2-3 days until he is completely healed.

God is good! Pray that this plan is God's plan and that we have a talking little boy tomorrow.

Thanks for all your support and continued prayers!
Love - Rhi on behalf of Kenner and the Svitak's

MORE AIR and responding!!

Kenner is really wheezing now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After his last breathing treatment, he was kind of awake and I asked him if he wanted me to read him his Sally book and he shook his head yes.

God is good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hearing him breathe!!

I have heard his tube leak a few times this morning! This makes all the drowsiness of not sleeping for a couple days go away. Hopefully we will be hearing more and more and they can get that tube out!!! PRAY PRAY PRAY