Change of Lifestyle

     Since Jacob's fractured thigh, things have been much more different around the home-front.


1. More irritability.  This is hard to know if it's pain from the fracture or just that Jacob's annoyed with a foreign object on his leg.  With MUCH thankfulness, he's off the morphine though!  His screaming cry has left him again :) 

2. More help.  Finally on the weekend I mastered how to change a dirty diaper by myself.  At the beginning, it took 3 of us.  It's still tricky - just trying to keep his leg supported at all times.  One small wrong move and we have much bigger problems.  With more time needed for every aspect of his care, extra help is beneficial.

3. More appointments.  We could be seeing the ortho clinic quite a few times before this whole process is over.  Thankfully our case manager and social worker went up to bat for us and Jacob is getting classified as an oncology patient (kept more isolation, rather than waiting in a waiting room.)  One of my biggest fears was that we would wait a long time in a waiting room with people coughing and sneezing, sending germs our way.  That's the last thing we need for Jacob.  Our first appointment is on Wednesday morning, so our thoughts and hopes are that Jacob will be sporting a much lighter, fibre-glass cast.  I haven't decided what colour yet, unless they have camo, then the decision is quite easy. Wouldn't Paul like that one :)

4. Jacob will have less cuddle time with his siblings.  Caleb and Sheryl have yet to hold him.  They lace him with many kisses throughout the day, but they are too apprehensive to hold him for fear of hurting him more.

5. Compromised chest care.  Chest care has provided exceptional lung health for this little boy in the last 3/4 of a year.  Considering he can't be put into his favorite position, things get a little tricky.  It's all about adaptability (something that I can really battle with.)

6. No baths for a while :(  He loved his baths, but he's going to have to settle for sponge baths.  Hopefully he doesn't lose the sense of water and when his cast comes off, water will be a positive experience for him again.

7. Increased Physiotherapy and Occupational therapy appointments.  This is not a bad thing.  They come right to the house.  To have Mary Ellen and Kathy here is always a treat.  Their caring suggestions and thoughtful advice is greatly appreciated.

8. Less playtime.  Considering how difficult it can be to move and situate him perfectly, we actually move him as little as possible.  Much more of his time is spent in the crib :(  If he's happy, we don't move him!  We learned that quickly enough.

9. More suctioning.  We can no longer turn Jacob onto his side quickly, so we must oral suction him instead.  Our philosophy is: better out than in.  He doesn't seem to have the coordination to get rid of the phlegm when he's laying on his back, so we assist him in this regards.

10. Keeping us more dependent on the Lord.  Never have we felt it more than we need God to give wisdom to the nurses (and ourselves) how to manage this new challenge.

We sweetly feel that God has taken us out of a very dark place last week and has brought us to brighter days.  To hand it over to the Lord can be so against my nature, but it's an exceptional blessing when it's accomplished.  May His will be done.  May we be given the submission to deal with this trial every day!  He knows exactly what we need, when we need it.  

Pictures of the cast are coming...when the computer is willing to cooperate!