Tummy Trouble and Temper Tantrums

Last night was harder than the first night home with a newborn. It was Teague's first night on the floor, and he was awake every hour or two. While it was nice being in the same room with him, it was also frustrating. For a two-hour block, he fussed because he wanted a drink and couldn't have one.

He sat in my lap from about 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. crying, pointing to the sink, pointing to the bathroom, and pointing to Quinn's drink from earlier that we had neglected to hide. It was so hard. I cried with him. There was nothing I could do. And he wasn't just fussing. He was smacking my face and trying to get out of my lap, but I couldn't let him because of all the monitors he was hooked up to. He was pointing to the door. He wanted to get to the hallway and look for a drinking fountain. I think his frustration was exacerbated by residual pain, and when I had them give him more morphine, he settled. Who wouldn't, right?

Finally this morning we started ice chips again. He's also had apple juice. He is hungry and is asking again for pancakes. Plus, they're trying to trade off between morphine and Tylenol, and it might sound crazy coming from someone who doesn't like to be medicated, but I wish they'd just leave him on the morphine. He's been agitated all day. He wanted out of the room, so I walked the hallways with him for about an hour and a half. He didn't want a wagon. He didn't want a wheelchair. It had to be me and my back. It's wearing on me to see him like this.

Good news is, I know I've said before that Dr. Kestle said he is recovering ahead of schedule. When he did rounds yesterday and learned that Teague was walking, he was pleased (he even chuckled), and he said that most kids haven't even sat up in bed yet at this point. I know that Teague's recovery is an answer to all the prayers in his behalf. Thank you to all of you, even those who don't know us, for adding your faith to ours. The Lord is listening and sending blessings to this sweet little boy.

And I second Jessie's opinion of Dr. Kestle and told him so. Jes said, "I hope he makes millions of dollars." Kestle laughed and said that wasn't likely, but thanks. But what I mean is, because he learned how to do what he does, my kid is alive. Aside from schooling, training, and precise skill, I was thinking about how patient you must have to be to be a neurosurgeon. In Teague's surgery, 95% of that tumor was gone in the first hour and a half. Then they spent the next three hours on the last 5%. I'm just imagining a blob of sauce on a paper plate, and me having to carefully pick at it for more than three hours. Without damaging the plate. I don't even usually re-do a crooked nail I've hammered in.