Back and forth, We don’t know what’s up or Down. Talk about stress! I think taxes this year we get to write off another homestead! Just kidin, I wish we could ,with the time spent in the hospital they should let us. Well Zach is home again! and doing great. Smiling, laughing and to much energy, which we are not use to. In the hospital crib he was almost pulling himself up to a standing position. Before Transplant he was not able to bear any weight. He is also finally getting his 24 hour feeds into the g-tube (stomach) and not into the J-tube(intestines), which is a BIG step for Zachary. He has not had anything in his stomach since he was 6 weeks old, so it’s like having a new baby. His little tummy is awake and will be hungry just like a new born, how fun is that. Kiley is battling a bladder infection which is kind of scarey. The doctor is ordering a ultrasound on her kidneys just to make sure that they are ok. If one child is sick why not the other . Zachary has a doctors appontiment on Jan 11, next Tuesday. We will be updating daily if possible. Thank you for all your support and prayers.

Well, the New Year is following the same ups and downs pattern as 2004.

January 2,

They removed the Hickman (central line into heart) as test results showed he had a blood infection and suspected it could be the source. They thought they could just remove it as it hadn’t been in that long – well, it had started to attach and the removal was very painful. Poor Zach just screamed. With that gone, all blood draws and meds will have to come through his little veins.

January 3,

Two months prior to the transplant, they went in and checked his bladder and found that it was fine. Now they have decided that it is too small,thick and it needs to be enlarged. They plan on doing this in a couple of weeks or sooner. He is doing better and got to go home.

January 4,

Oh, it is good to be home again The day was going pretty good until late afternoon when his urine output dropped to about 10cc/hr. That is the lowest they want it to go. He was also kinda fussy which is not like him at all. Around 1:30 am he started having trouble breathing and aspirating so they hooked up the oxygen and called 911. The medics were able to get him settled and he didn’t have to go in.

January 5,

GI (gastrointestinal)Doctor check-up this afternoon. They did not like that he was having these episodes and promptly admitted him again. They removed the G-J tube as it keeps plugging and replaced it with just a G-tube(right into the stomach). They are going to try again to use that for feeds and Meds. If you’re able to keep all these tubes and names straight, you are really good! Since the Hickman is gone, they needed to draw blood and also hook him up to an IV. Well, they ended up putting the IV in his head. Stacey about came unglued I guess but, reluctantly we agreed. They took him for a wagon ride to try and calm him down, he was not liking that dome and turban they had placed on his head! So about one hour later Zach, the hudenee had managed to pull the IV out. This caused a huge hematoma on his head. The night is not going as well as planned, They had to stick him two more times until they were able to finally get the IV in for fluids. This one is in his left leg.

That’s about it for tonite, I will try and do better on keeping this up.

Gma E & revised by Wade

Thanks mom! I have a hard time comprehending all this and I am here!

Happy New Years to all of You from all the Elsenpeter’s

The last few days of 2004 were calm, things were going pretty well and the Famous Smile was all over his face. However, New Years Eve Zach spiked a fever with no other symptoms so they told them to bring him back in. At least now when they have to take him back in, they go right to a room instead of sitting in ER for several hours. He has some kind of infection in the blood, but they weren’t sure what was causing it. They put him on an antibiotic and that brought the fever down. They checked out the Hickman and that looks good. His “J” tube has been plugging up, but they have been able to get it cleared with sprite, however the new cleaner of choice is “diet coke”! Modern medicine!

At 4:00 today they took him down and replaced his PNT (drain tube) with a larger tube. He cried once and then he was fine as they did their work. This kid is so tough, it is amazing. He has to have the PNT for 6 weeks, so at least we’re half-way there.

We had prayed that 2005 was going to be a much better year. Instead we started with another surgery and some kind of rain-ice-snow storm with lightning and thunder. Funniest looking little pellets you ever seen. Only in Minnesota!

Gma E