Channing is a week old today

Let’s just say it has been one hell of a week!  It has come and has gone as quick as a blink of an eye.  We went from evaluation and treatment in women’s triage to giving birth to our son in the OR.  Following that a quick recovery period in PACU as our little Superman was  evaluated and treated for his condition at birth, ARPKD.  As Vanessa was admitted for post op recovery, our little man was transported to the NICU.  With much effort on my behalf, I tried to create a balancing act, a teeter-totter if you will, of care for Vanessa and Channing.  At first it was a struggle, but I managed to figure out my roles in both places--separate floors by the way. Vanessa’s recovery in the hospital lasted 4 days which helped to be “close” to Channing.  Due to the holiday (Thanksgiving) she was discharged without a breast pump and was given hand pumps for her first night home.  The following tangent is reader discretion advised....Excited as a kid at Christmas, she unwrapped her gift from the hospital, put them together by following directions, and began pumping alone in our room.  Judging their design I got to thinking she was going to need some assistance with these new... appliances.  I knocked on the door to check in with their performance, it was not good.  I kindly asked to enter, "I need your help with this," she said.  Looking at them again, essentially a squirt bottle sized "appliance" with a suction cup at the end, I knelt down and began pulling the trigger as she held them in place... for 20...full.....minutes.  We have since voiced and acted out this story several times as we know that laughter is good medicine.  As we new parents learn our daily routine we know that we will have a lot more stories like these to tell.

Back to "The RHOADS to success." Vanessa and I call every morning to get an update on his over night conditions, get ready for the day and head to his bedside to be with him with our family by our side.  After some hours of talking (reading) to him, touching him, and taking a part in his care, we leave for the day.  Leaving is the hardest thing to do, but we know we have to take care of ourselves so we can take care of him.

His care team still has the challenge of when to start dialysis, much deliberation between pediatric surgery and Nephrology teams will take place in the near future. He remains on Total Parenteral Nutrition TPN--and a close eye on potassium is managed.  However, he is tolerating small doses of breast milk via nasogastric feeding. The wait for healing and the use of dialysis is carefully measured, the longer the wait to use it the better.  Time will tell when he will need to be dialyzed.

Among many lessons, the first week of Channing’s life as taught his mom and dad to dwell on the beauty of life as each day is a gift.
Happy One Week Chan Man!