Happy One Month, Bruce!

Today is Bruce's one month birthday and I have no doubt that I will be 'that mom' that celebrates each and every month :) I'm blessed to have any months as a momma so it's probably more for me than him right now...until he gets old enough to appreciate special treats on every 20th!

We're still at Children's Mercy. Bruce had his second enzyme treatment on the 14th and all went well. It took a little longer than usual but the nurses in the NICU are not used to giving such treatments and it was a learning experience for them as well. With the new state newborn screenings starting next year, they may be doing it a lot more often so Bruce was their learning curve! Our next treatment is next week and with a little luck, we'll be traveling in to the outpatient clinic at CMH and not in our room at E48.

Speaking of which, life on the E pod in the NICU is getting a little exciting. For several weeks it was just a bunch of boys but now the cutest little girl with the most gorgeous black hair has moved in across the hallway. It used to be pretty quiet but with the new addition, it seems like all the little boys are screaming and saying hello. But not Bruce. Nope, he's letting the amateurs get out of the way before he goes and introduces himself. He's quite the ladies' man!

John has been traveling a lot up and down 1-35 back home to the ranch when the weather allows. It's tough on him, and us down here too, but no doubt the hay needs baled and cows need checking! Soon we'll break free of this joint and we'll be a lot closer for him to check on us when he wants!

No one at CMH has said anything about discharge. What's holding us up are still the ugly diapers. Last week GI was consulted and they ran several tests, one including radioactive dye injected in Bruce so they could look better at his intestines -- so, Bruce truly had radioactive diapers for 24 hours. So far, all of the tests and cultures have come back negative and the doctors are puzzled why he has bloody stools. He's on a special pre-digested formula that smells worse than any outdated can of hominy and I have no worries in my mind that I will never have to fight him to eat his vegetables. Any kid that can take that formula down, as well as his beta-blockers, can eat anything! We hope to be back on breast milk soon because mom has been spending a lot of time at the milking parlor and hopefully not for a lost cause. TMI? Sorry, it's a habit these days...

Sigh. Bruce has his father's hairline. At first, I had hope of it growing in but I really don't think it's going to any time soon...When he wrinkles his face and furrows his brow, he looks like an old man. I really don't feel like I have a one month old but rather an 80 year old. Bruce is truly an old soul and for what he's been through, he'll be as wise as any nursing home resident soon enough! But much cuter...and smaller diapers.

We hope to be home soon, fingers crossed, and I can't wait to share all of the experiences we'll have back on the ranch!

Thank you again to everyone for your thoughts and prayers and well-wishes!!

John, Sarah & Benjamin Button, er, Bruce.