Thanksgiving

We spent Thanksgiving with Jacob and Serenity in Mesa Az. It was a wonderful trip and the kids did surprisingly well considering the circumstances. Austin had been acting weird for a few days before we left. His attention span was next to nil, he was aggressive, and not sleeping. I know you may be thinking that most three year old boys are like this, which is true, but Austin was way beyond the norm. He was twitchy and overly emotional. Looking back he acted like what I would imagine a drug addict might. I thought to myself, it's a phase. He was really, really hard, so much so that I went to Barnes and Noble and picked up the book "Love and Logic" before we went on our trip. As it turns out Austin was getting twice as much Prograff as he should. There was a discrepancy between the pharmacist and the Dr., it really was the Dr's fault in the end since they sent eh wrong prescription with the wrong dose. Once they adjusted the dose it was like magic and the old Austin came back.
Despite having Austin act a little crazy on our trip we had a lot of fun. We played Pinochle and Settlers, and went to see the temple lights. Dinner was very good since Aunt Serenity is an excellent cook. We had good company with Serenity's Mom Laura and her boyfriend Earl.
Coming home we were stuck in a traffic jam. For two and a half hours we were in the middle of nowhere stuck in 20 miles worth of backed traffic, totally stopped. There was a fatal accident on the road and they shut down the freeway until the coroner came, since we were in the middle of nowhere it was a long process. Despite this we all had a lot of fun. We (Ben and I) got out of the car, walked around, did cartwheels down the divider line (much the the delight of our kids). We got home really late, but overall our first trip out of town since moving to Santa Clarita and Austin being sick was a great success.

Halloween

We were invited to at Starlight Foundation Halloween party which was a lot of fun. Emma felt a little timid with all the scary monsters (kids with masks). She thought Vader was especially scary (Darth Vader) and told Daddy to get the bad guys. Pretty hilarious. Austin loves all the spooky scary things. He enjoys telling stories and will start them out with "In dark and spooooky woods" and end with something like: " and then there was a with that jumped out and he said AAAAHHHH! And yeah it was really spooky, and scary." We went trick or treating with Mike and Anna Carr and their son Jeremy. Really fun and we probably collected a good 5 lbs of candy to the kids delight.

Spaghetti

Austin and Emma love spaghetti. They sometimes ask for lunch and when I am feeling especially nice I will concede. Here they are muching it down.

Water!!!

When Austin could finally eat we brought him some transformer cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday to Austin's kidney. He also received at trophy with "Austin Jones, The World's Bravest Boy" engraved on it. He loved it so much, he even kissed it! We sang "We Are The Champions" and we all enjoyed watching Austin enjoy this moment after all of everyone's hard work.

Austin's dialysis catheter came out on September 2nd. It was taken out at the same time that the took his ureter catheter out. Now he can play in the water!!!! He was able to take his first real bath in 14 months! It was awesome! Him and his sister really enjoyed themselves as well as getting the whole bathroom soaked. It has been in the 100's here and it has been wonderful to have the option of sending them outside to play in the water. We have been going a little stir crazy since Austin cannot interact with others, so for my sanity's sake the slip and slide and sprinkler have been a life saver. Austin and Emma couldn't be happier.

Austin is doing really well, and will be able to go back to church and be around others around Halloween time. We do labs once a week and will be moving to every other week soon as long as every thing goes well. My cousin Allison has been staying with us the last couple of weeks, she will be going home tomorrow. We will miss her, she has been a great help, and it has been sooo nice to have someone to talk to.

On labor day we drove down to Orange County. We love the show Storage Wars so we went to Jarrod and Brandi's store, and also to Dave Hester's. We met Jarrod, got some pictures, and picked up some things at his store. We then went to Steve's Coffee Shop, which was featured on Diners, Drive-Inns, and Dives with Guy Fiari, for some good diner food. It was a TV themed day!

Austin and Emma have been a little obsessed with blimps lately. They have a book on the Hindenburg from their grandpa. It think it is a little gruesome, but since the kids don't really get what happened, I guess it is okay. The LOVE it, we read through it and look at the pictures every night. On our way home from the OC we saw the Goodyear Blimp on the side of the freeway, so we stopped and looked at it. Our kids were ecstatic!

Austin was in a little pain, possible growth pains? Since we but Desitin on his bum when it hurts, why not put it on his legs if they hurt? At least that is what Austin though.
Ben woke up and noticed that Emma had blue toe nails/feet. She has been sleeping in our room since Allison is in hers. When Ben asked her why she painted her toe nails blue she responded "Because I couldn't find the pink!". We tied and tried to find where she painted her toes and after some coercing her she pulled out Ben's basketball shorts from the dirty clothes with hardly any paint on them! She did a really good job, and was smart enough to put something down when she painted. What a little cheeky baby. There is also one other picture of her in the pink bathing suit with her foot up. She does this when she is about to sprint, usually with her tongue out, like in the picture. It is like winding up before batting, but for running. She is so darn cute.

Home For Good

Austin came home on the afternoon of the 16th. It was a loooong two weeks, but he made it. His kidney is working well. It is has been somewhat nerve racking, but really great to not have dialysis. Everything is new. New meds, new things to look for, new things to worry about. He is doing so well that they are going to switch him to once a week labs/visits. It has taken some getting used to, sometimes I have to remind myself to take a step back and appreciate this for what it really is instead of nit picking or borrowing trouble over little thing. Austin has received a successful kidney transplant. Wow. It feels great to say that!

Going Home...Then Back Again

His post transplant trophy.

His incision.

Playroom

Bubble Machine from the Hospital Fairy.

His pancakes and bacon when he was allowed to eat.

Dr Sonal (fellow), Dr John Nygen (fellow), Dr. Eileen Tsai (attending)

We went home from the hospital on the 9th, just a week after the transplant. While at the hospital we had cupcakes and sang Happy Birthday to his kidney, then we gave Austin his trophy we had made for him. He loved it!!! He played a lot of bowling out on the playroom terrace, and painted and drew pictures in the playroom. Daddy went to get him his pancaks and bacon since breakfast is over at 10 am at the hospital. He ate all his bacon. He also loved the bubble machine that the Hospital Fairy brought, it was great motivation when he had to do hard things.

Going home was awesome. Whenever we leave the hospital we feel a sense of accomplishment. Almost like proving to fate that we beat it once more, and we are leaving with our son. After what happened with his HUS whenever we can leave with Austin feeling well, I will feel like this.

We went home and Austin was so happy to be there. When Austin went to bed that night, I couldn't sleep. I was nervous to be home now, with this new routine, and different responsibilities. Now he had meds that had to be exact, and with his depleted immune system and the very new kidney. Things could go bad, fast. That is why we go to clinic twice a week with labs each time. Austin woke up around 2 am groaning like he was in pain. I gave him some Tylenol and he slept very little. The next morning we gave him some more Tylenol at 7:45. At about 9:30 he was looking kind of tired and laid down on the couch. At 10 he was acting lethargic, and when I checked him he was really hot. His temp was 100, a half an hour later I took it again and it was 100.1. I called our transplant coordinator and she told us to come down, but we didn't have a car since Ben's mom was running errands. We packed and when she came we left. I gave him Tylenol at noon and were on our way. We got there at 1 and he did not have a temp, which was frustrating. I let the pediatrician know that he would have a fever if he didn't have Tyleonl before we left, he didn't believe me.

While we were there our transplant coordinator came to let us know that Austin's results came back positive for a UTI from a specimen that they took before he left the hospital. They ordered a catheter to get a clean catch. I argued with the Dr.'s that he could pee in a cup but they said that they had to do it this way. Uggh! He screamed and kicked, and was in so much pain when they did it. The catheter went in all the way and nothing came out so they pulled it out. I then asked him to pee in a cup and he did! All of that for nothing. Frustrating.

We kept taking his temperature. At 5 the nurse took it under his arm and no temp, but he was really hot so she took one rectally. It was 101.5. So they said that they need to admit him, took us to the ER so we could wait for a bed. Ben came down to switch with my Step-Mom and me so we could rest up. While we were there our Attending Dr. Tsai came to let us know that he was not rejecting his kidney. I broke down into tears when she said that. So grateful! She said that this is really common and she knew that I would be frantic about it (Who me? Frantic?) and wanted to assure me it would be alright. That was awesome and a load off all of our minds.

He is on IV anti-biotics. They are going to see if another form of the anti-biotics that can be taken orally will work on the samples they have so we can go home, otherwise we have to see if a nurse can come to our house to administer the IV meds that must be given every 8 hours for 8 days.

This is just a little bump in the road. Right now we need to get a urine sample from Austin but he doesn't want to give it! They will have to cath him again if won't pee in a cup. Poor little buddy, he has gone through a lot. *UPDATE* He peed! Way to go Austin!

Nothing New....Just a Brand Spankin' New Kidney!

Our heros, the main characters of our story.

Davita Dialysis Crew: Chirstian, Louann, Loraina, Lauren, Luz, Mark, and Jennifer.

The night before surgery, zoning out, with his no-no on.

We made Jacob a shirt that says on the front: I gave my nephew a kidney and all I got was this lousy t-shirt, and the back says: Move aside, world's greatest uncle coming through.

This last weekend we prepared for the transplant on Tuesday. Ben's Mom Diane and my Mom Mindy came down, as well as Jacob and Serenity. Monday morning we woke at 5am to go to dialysis. Austin's chair was decorated and everyone had signed a card for us. I was way more emotional that I needed to be, but these wonderful people that love my son had become my friends, and we are going to miss them! Austin has been struggling to keep down some of his new meds (cellcept), and was being tired is a side effect of this particular med. That combined with seeing everyone stressed (even though we try not to show...he knows!), fasting before surgery and being a little scared, he was pretty reserved when they took him away to surgery. It is sad to see him like that, you try and distract him the best you can, but he is very observant, and pretty smart so it doesn't always work.
His surgery was a couple hours shorter than what we anticipated when they told us that he was done I couldn't help but to cry a little. Jacob was out before Austin, and in A LOT of pain. So much pain that couldn't stand any noise or to be touched. This was after having to fast for 2 1/2 days. What a hero! The surgeon said that it was a beautiful kidney with a nice long artery to connect with and it went smoothly. He said that as soon as he hooked up the blood sources the new kidney started to make urine just a few moments later.
When Austin was sick with HUS his number for measuring how well the kidney was working (creatinine) was at a 4 when a normal person's was .7 and under. Austin's creatinine went from a 1.8 post dialysis on Monday to a .1 today. The BUN is another number that is important to measuring the effectiveness of the kidney. Austin's highest BUN was in the 80's and now it is a 4. The renal team is well pleased, and so are we!
Austin slept most of the day of the surgery. They pushed a lot of fluids, so much so that his feet looked like stuffed sausages and his toes like little smokies. Also his face and eyelids looked really puffy and he was very pale. Since he was receiving this large organ that needs a large amount of blood his H and H (Hematocrit, Hemoglobin, basically red blood cells which) were quite low so they had to transfuse him the night after surgery. He has this thing that he does, he stares at the TV and zones everyone out (won't answer questions, no facial expressions). Man, if he knew how, I bet he would be really good at poker! He has a blue sleeve like thing we call a no-no, it has a shark pattern on it. It goes over the IV lines that are on his arm as well as protects his arm from the many attachments he has coming from the lines connected to his dialysis catheter. These can be quite sharp, and a big owie. Whenever the nurse takes off the no-no he would demand it be put back on. It almost seems to be like a blankie, or comfort item to him. You know you spend too much time in the hospital when something like that happens!
The day after surgery he said that he was hungry. He wants 3 pancakes, 3 pieces of bacon, 2 waffles with syrup he told us. Every time a Dr would come in he would ask for bacon and since we have a lot of Dr.'s coming in and out, he was always saying it. Since they heard bowel sounds they allowed him to take some sips of apple juice or water. He also took some steps, but he has an IV on the top of his foot, which hurts. He cried the whole time, but soon after walking that is when he started to ask for food. Walking helps wake-up your gut, but it is a fine line. Walking makes you sore, but the pain meds you need after walking slow down your gut, so you have to try and keep a balance. Jacob was also discharged. He is staying at the Tiverton House (hotel) until tonight, then he will go stay at our house.
I woke up this morning at 4 am with an extremely bad headache. The sinus pressure felt like an ice pick was being hammered into my left eye. So I spent an hour washing out my sinuses, and some more time searching the internet for help. I know that I have allergies, and the stress I have been under could trigger post-nasal drip, so we don't think it is viral. I almost went home! Ahhh! I was stressin', but after speaking to the Dr's they said I could stay as long as I kept good hand hygiene and wear a mask.
Today we are trying to get Austin up and moving. They will take the IV out of his foot which will help. I will be truthful that I thought that he would bounce back sooner than this. Not that he would be doing kart wheels and not be in any pain, but I stare at this little boy and wonder if my son is somewhere in there and when I will get to see him. That is really dramatic sounding, but it's hard to see him like this and I am so excited to celebrate with him!!! We have a really neat trophy we had made that we are going to give him, and then we are going to have cupcakes and have a birthday party! Patients has never been one of my strong points, this year has strengthened it some, but it is still a work in progress.
Oh, and I can not forget to mention how incredibly grateful we are to Jacob. It was so hard to see him in so much pain after sacrificing so much for Austin. I totally wish that I could have endured his pain! He went through so much to be able to donate, and worked really hard. It amazes me that he would do all of this for Austin. In the words of Silvia H. Allred from this last conference:

"We follow the Savior’s example when we minister to the needy, the sick, and the suffering. When love becomes the guiding principle in our care for others, our service to them becomes the gospel in action. It is the gospel in its finest moment. It is pure religion."

And this is what Jacob did, he was guided by love, and now Austin will be able to love others, serve a mission, have his own family, go to college, run, play, just be....all because of Jacob following Christ's example. I hope that Austin can someday realize how much he is loved, and how much others were willing to sacrifice for him. But not so he can feel guilty, but he can feel humbled, and overwhelmed with Christ-like love, so in return he can love others in the same way. We are so blessed!