Rough few days

Kadens had a rough time for the last few days.He's had a cough mainly at night time for the past three weeks.But a couple of days ago he started coughing during the day and it was like coughing fit - he couldn't stop.So i took him to the doctor on Tuesday and he checked him over and gave him an antibiotic for a weeks course.But on the Wednesday he seemed worse and he'd been up all night coughing and choking and being sick while on his pump,so in the end i switched his pump off to see if he would settle - but it didn't give him any relief and he was also bringing back up his medicine.I called the same doctor again who had agreed to see him again the next day if he hadn't improved.When Kaden was breathing you could hear like a rattle,and i was concerned it might be in his chest.So we went back to the doctor to get him checked over.After a thorough check the doctor said he felt now that the cold was now in Kadens chest and he was going to phone the A&E hospital for them to have a look at him.We went to the hospital where there too he got a thorough check over and we were put through to the admission ward to wait for a senior doctor.The doctor came and checked Kaden over and sais yes he had a wet cough and it had gone into his chest.They did an X-Ray to check and see how his lungs were doing and whether he needed any additional treatment apart from his antibiotics.He explained that if the x-ray came back and they wer happy with it we could do 1 of 2 things go home (because the hospital is only 5 minutes away)on antibiotics or if the X-ray showed concern then they would keep him in and start an iv.Thankfuly the doctor came round once the X-ray was down and showed it to me and said he did have signs of something on his right lung(good lung)but the antibiotics would clear that up,so if we were happy we could go home and keep giving him the antibiotics for a week.Speaking to the doctor also i mentioned his spine is being pushed over to the right,which we had noticed before but seems to be getting worse.He said they do see this often with CDH babies and he'd mention it to the orthopedic surgeon to see if we can look into it.Then he gave us the go ahead to go home if we wanted to :-
So of course we jumped at the chance to go home,and thankfuly Kaden had a better nights sleep last night only waking twice,compared with every 10-15 minutes the previous night.
This is Kaden chillin the other day having a snooze.

Bathtime Boy

Kaden over the past few weeks has relised washing,Bathing is not so bad after all.It used to be a real struggle to get him anywhere near water,so bathing or showering was a real task.But about 3 weeks ago the girls went in the bath with him and he soon settled.So tonight for the first time i sat him in his bath seat and was quite suprised - as he didn't scream the house down!When it was time to take him out he kept shaking his head,so i lifted him out and he cryed,so i put him back in for a few more minutes.As he was sitting in the bath i could see him looking at his hands as they were all pruned looking from being in the water for so long.There's a 1st for everything!!Yesterday i went for a 3D scan and Kaden suprised us yet again by walking unaided round the room while we were waiting to be seen.At home Kadens not so keen as we have wooden floor and can move faster by bum shuffling.At the scan we treid to get a 3d video and picture done - but baby brown was having none of it.His feet were up to his head and also a hand, so we could only see half of his face.She told me to go home and come back later that evening after tea-time to see if he would co-operate,but yet again his feet were down but his hand was in his face.So she told me we'd try again today which we did and yet again Mr Akward had his feet upto his chin and his hand on his face.
Here's a pic of Kaden today with my sunglasses on and reading a catalogue.
Eventually after trying for a while she gave up and said we can try again in a fortnight and hopefuly he'll have moved position.So we made an appointment for the 7th February so here's hoping we can get a look at this Boys face?!
She gave us a normal scan picture of his face to take home which i'll upload - see if you can see it?

Here Comes Trouble!

Kaden is all over the place these days.He has just learnt to climb the stairs,and this is his new trick.I spent my days running up and down the stairs to catch him just incase he fell backward.So a few days ago we bought a stair gate - best buy ever!!Kaden stood at the gate last night taking a wobbler wanting upstair to his sisters room - but his sisters were ignoring him as he touches everything and is always trying to touch their computers.
I took a photo of him trying to climb the stair gate last night in determination to get to the other side.

'Happy New Year'

I got a phone call from the newspaper Yesterday - saying they were looking over some stories they have done in the past,and would it be ok for them to do a follow up on Kaden.So today a photographer came round to take some photos.Kaden was not amused!!He wanted some pics of Kaden standing.Kaden kept making a run for the stairs...this is Kadens new trick - climbing the stairs (All day long!).
Hopefuly he got a few decent photo's.
I also had the midwife today for a check-up.All went well,she checked the babys heartbeat and also my blood pressure which normaly kreeps up later in pregnacy.But today she said my blood pressurewas the lowest she'd seen it...which is great.My next appointment to see the midwife is in 4 weeks for bloods - something i'm not keen on,but has to be done.
'Happy New Year' to all from the Browns xx

Back to Normal

I can hardly believe our litle man turned 17 months on Christmas day and Christmas has been and gone!!We had a quiet Christmas and Boxing day just eating and chillin,it was great...just my usual as my husband would say,doing nothing,HA HA If only!!Kaden and the girls got spoiled again and were happy with their presents.Kaden got a table with a train set on it which he LOVES.
Here's some pictures of Xmas day and Boxing day - Oh and i almost forgot, i got a camera for my Christmas so i've been getting plenty of practise taking pics!

Under the weather

Kaden has been off colour since the weekend.He's been sleeping alot during the day and unsettled at night.For the past 2 nights i've slept in the lounge from around 3a.m with Kaden as he's been crying constantly and poor Mikes been trying to grab some sleep before heading to his work.
Kaden has had a temperature and he's also been sick.We were suppost to change his milk this week after stopping it over the weekend to see if it was the milk that was making him sick.But now i think he's picked up a bug which will just take time to shift.
I called the dietition today to cancel an appointment Kaden had for Thursday as his new milk will need different packs for his continuious night feed - so they wer going to show me how to use them.But as i said to her Kadens still not right and i'd rather wait until he's better to change his milk,as i get a delivery on Tuesday.
Kaden is lying sleeping as i write this and he's not a happy chappie at the moment and it's so hard trying to get anything done without him crying when i put him down.
Hopefuly tomorrow he'll feel better.

'Remembering All Angels'

Tonight at 7 p.m the girls lit candles - Rembering all babies who have been taken away prematurly,and who are now angels.Babies such as Skyla and Elli and Faith,Kaden who all passed away this year due to CDH.There are many more Angels out there who have had other issues,so tonight we have been rembering them all.They will NEVER be forgotten.

'Merry Xmas From Kaden'

Physio

Kaden went to the physio yesterday.She just really observed his movements and played with him.Kaden HATES physio.He's fine until the lady goes near him or moves him.We started off in the big gym type room,and then she moved rooms to one with lots of lights and a disco ball.She put all the lights on and put off the bright light and Kaden was not impressed.Kaden seems to be coming along well,slow but sure - and hes only 16 1/2 months so hopefuly soon he'll be walking.Recently Kaden has been walking round the furniture and showing more interest in walking so hopefuly it wont be long.She made an appointment to see us again the beginning of February.
Our only main concern is still his feeding.Yesterday the dietition met with us and changed his milk for during the day to a higher calorie feed and we have to give him less of a bolus during the day so hopefuly he'll be more hungry.We never have 2 days the same at mealtimes.Sometimes Kaden will eat a few spoons the next he keeps his mouth firmly closed.This is another thing that will come - one day.If all goes well with his new milk they will chance his overnight feeds to the same milk.This will make life a bit easier as the overnight feed comes in a pack and i'll just ned to hang it up.

Pics

Sorry about the pictures,i've just noticed they are upside down - and being a woman i dont know how to correct it!!

Scan

I had my detailed scan yersterday.All looks fine and the baby seems to be growing well.The sonographer had a good look over the baby and measured the head,thigh bone and other areas.She said everything looks fine,but they will check the babys heart in detail at my next scan in 2 weeks.We asked if the stomach was in the right place and she said yes 'why do you ask this'.We told her our last baby was born with a diaphragmatic hernia,so she reasured us the diagphram was there,but this is something they will keep an eye on in future scans.
On to Kaden - he's a little monkey he is into everything!!Today he was in the bedroom trying to put his sisters hairband on (shhhhh dont tell his dad!)
And this weekend Brooke ,Kadens oldest sister is 13 - so shes having some friend over for a sleepover so we'll have a busy house.

Kaden and His Best Friend

Kaden is on the move at the speed of lightning nowadays(on his bottom).He follows the dog around like a sheep and she LOVES him as she gets plenty of titbits.He has started stroking her and touching her sometimes more gently than others.The other day i was at the cooker and he was right next to the dog looking out of the back door slapping the side of her(thinking he was being gentle).He also throws her food allover the floor - he's a nightmare,i need eyes in the back of my head!!
Last night we had a night out - a leaving party for a freind of mine who's emmigrating to Austrailia next week.We all went and Kaden stayed awake and was quite happy looking around watching everything that was going on.On the way home the snow was coming down and the kids were desperate to get up in the morning to see if the snow was lying thick.
We woke up the snow lying today much to the girls delight and Kaden's been loving looking out the window watching his sisters playing in it.
I got the 2nd results back yesterday of my ammnio and the baby is fine and has no genetic disorders.
Thats a big weight off my mind.

Check up

Kaden had the hospital on Monday for a neo-natal check up and a button change.The doctor from the neo-natal had Kadens height and weight done.His weight was 8.56kg.She was pleased with the way he's progressing as far as development goes.She said he was tall but slight in weight.She asked if he was pointing at things and saying words yet.As far as words goes he tries everything.He can say car,dog ,dad,mum,gaga (grandpa),he certainly tries to repeat words.She said overall she's not too concerned over anything at the moment but she wants to see him in 3 months.She said the only thing she would have put us forward for was physio,but since he already goes to physio she's quite happy.
Then on Wednesday Kaden had a check-up with the surgeon.He just asked some questions about how Kaden was getting on and if we were happy with his progress.Which we said his feeding is an issue,but as the surgeon says we just have to be patient and one day it'll come.Although saying that recently Kaden has been more intersted in eating orally - very runny food but at least he opens his mouth now.
The surgeon says he'll see Kaden in 9 months just to keep a tab on him,but from a surgical point of view he's happy with the outcome.

Lazy

I'm getting lazy with Kadens blog these days...i don't mean to but i always think i'll do it later,and a week passes so quickly.And i have no excuse this week as we have been hanging around the house alot!
Kaden is back to normal cheeky self,looking and feeling alot better.Kaden has the hospital next week to see the surgeon and also for his 12 month + neo-natal check.
This week also i had an amnio done...i had one done with Kaden because i had to,but this time i asked for one just to check everything is ok.I had forgotten what it's like to have an amnio and i was terrified,but really i shouldn't have worried.The staff at the hospital are so great at taking your mind off it when your getting the procedure done and it only takes around 5 minutes or so.
The nurse said to take it easy for the next wee while,and she would phone me hopefuly within 3 days with the 1st set of results.
Yesterday that long awaited call came,and she said the first results had came through and were fine...meaning the baby has not got Down Syndrome,Edwards or Patau.Which has been a great relief.
The nurse said the final results of the test should come back in around 2 - 2 1/2 weeks,as they have to grow these cells.So fingers crossed they'll come back ok too,although she did say if the 1st set of results are fine very rarely do they find a problem with the 2nd set...so heres hoping!
I would scan in my sono picture but i'm not too sure how to,maybe i'll get my husband to show me later.

Concerned

Kaden woke up at 4.30a.m coughing on Monday morning and bringing some of his feed up again.So once the doctors opened i took him there for them to check him over.In the car on the way to the doctors he was sick everywhere.The doctor checked him over,his ears his temp and throat.Apart from Kadens throat being a bit red he said he was full of the cold but just to keep an eye on him and if he slept more than normal or was bringing up his feeds to take him straight back.
The rest of the day he coughed and was unsettled but kept his feeds down...thank goodness as he cant afford to loose any more weight.Kaden was weighed on admission to hospital and he's 17lbs 2oz and back in June he weighed 17lbs 10 oz,i'm a little concerned so i've got the physio tommorrow with Kaden so i'll see if i can talk to the dietition.

Hospital Stay

We went home to get some clothes for Kadens stay in hospital and then headed straight back.Once at the hospital the nurse took us through to the admissions ward.She took some detail about Kaden and told us a doctor woul be with us shortly.Not long after the doctor came round and i expalind about Kaden over the last few days.He said he was glad the doctor had admitted Kaden as he was dehydrated.So their plan was to put him, on a drip over night through his gasrostomy.And if allwas well Kaden would get home the following day.They started his drip at 25mls per hour to see if he could tollerate that,and after a few hours they upped it to 50mls per hour which he kept down.The admission ward is such a busy ward i could hardly sleep with people coming and going all night,i had a pull down bed next to Kaden which was fine.I got up at 5.30a.m as i couldn't sleep any longer and waited for the doctors rounds.Around 9a.m the doctors came round and checked him over and said we were to start his feeds again and if he kept all his feeds down during the day he would get home.Thankfully Kaden kept all his feeds down so we got home around tea-time.With a 24hour access to go back to the hospital if we were concerned with him.

Home again

We arrived home from our holidays to Australia on Friday tea-time...To pouring rain!!We all had a great holiday and tried to pack in as much as we could in a short space of time.The weather was great.Each day we got up and headed for somewhere different.We went to Hilarys Harbour to the underwater aquarium,and also Aventure world and the girls got their picture taken with a Koala.We also went to Caversham Park ,which was a wildlife park and there was a whole lot of different animals to see there.The kids loved the Kangaroos which were in an enclosure you could walk through and feed them...in fact they liked the park so much the day we checked out of our hotel we went back to the park for a visit before returning home.The day we were leaving Kaden woke up with a high temperature,so i gave him some calpol.Out flight was 10.30p.m so i though he would sleep on the flight as we intende to use his feeding pump overnight.During the flight Kaden was very unsettled and was sick a number of times so we turned off his pump.Once on our next flight Kaden still had a high temperature and was still unsettled.So we continued to starve him until we arrived home.All day Saturday Kaden slept and hardly lifted his head,and if anyone picked him up he would throw himself backwards.So by teatime i called the on call doctors who told me they wanted to see him.We took him to the surgery which is just opposite the hospital.The doctor said his temperature was fine and his ears were okay but she was going to admitt him to hospital because of his history.

From 3 to 4

We found out a few weeks ago - i'm pregnant(total surprise!)Today i had my 12 week scan.I explained i'm anxouis about this pregnancy,just incase anything should/would be wrong.They have booked me in for an amnio at 16 weeks and thereafter i have a scan booked for 20 weeks and 22 weeks.The doctor also booked my c-section today for the 15th April 2009 - sounds ages away but'll soon come round.At the scan today they couldnt tell quite yet if all is well but hopefuly by next time we'll have a better idea.We're just keeping our finger crossed all will be well.

The Countdown

The countdown is on - 2 more days until we're off to Australia for a holiday.We cant wait.Hopefuly Kaden will sleep most of the flight,it's going to be a long 17 hour flight if not!!Today in Scotland it's pretty grey and windy,so hopefuly in Oz we'll get some better weather - it cant be any worse than here.

Kadens physio appointment

Kaden had an appointment with the physio this morning.He seemed to cope really well...although still a few tears.The physio has been working on his flexability,getting to stand and bend.Kaden was in a room with all brightly coloured soft play type equiptment...which he seemed to be happy enough with.He did cry from time to time and looked at me as if to say HELP MUM!!It makes me feel guilty when she's trying to work him hard and he's upset - but it's for Kadens own good and benefit in the long run.All in all the physio seemed happy enough with Kaden and said just to keep working with him and his mobility.Kaden has become a master at his bum shuffling,he can now go at some speed so nothing is safe.The pysio made an appointment for the end of October to see Kaden again.So from here on in we'll just keep working with Kaden at home until he becomes a bit stronger.