Post-op Day 4

Another super day for Super Nate...if it wasn't for those stinkin' fevers last night.  No one is sure where they are coming from.  Everything has been cultured and everything is negative.  Most likely, it is a little virus.  He came to NY with a slightly runny nose and when they swabbed his nose, it came up positive for rhinovirus (the common cold).  If it wasn't for the fevers he had last night, he would have been released from the hospital today. 

Unfortunately, when you have a kid with cancer and a Broviac (central line in his chest), no fever is a small fever.  They are talking about changing out his Broviac as a precaution.  They can't take the chance that there might be an infection hiding in his line that they are not catching with the cultures.  Unfortunately, this means more surgery.  Right now, we are just praying, waiting and seeing.  If he doesn't spike a fever tonight, we will be released tomorrow, Nate will have a follow up appointment on Thursday morning and we can be on a plane on Friday.  Then we will talk to Nate's doctors in Phoenix about possibly replacing his Broviac (this will more than likely have to be done at some point during his therapy...they don't last forever).  If he spikes a high fever tonight, he may have to get his Broviac replaced here.  We are hoping that doesn't happen.

The last few days, he seems to have been getting a fever at about 9pm, which we usually got to break with Tylenol, then he would spike another at 5am.  So far tonight, he got past the 9pm fever.  His temperature did rise, but didn't quite get to "fever range".  Now, he has cooled off quite a bit.  I'm anxiously awaiting 5am because I'd like to get out of here and headed home ASAP.  I miss my babies and I need a fountain drink something wicked (New York City does not believe in fountain drinks).

Other than that, Nate had an awesome day.  His kidney test was simple (I don't know when we will get the results).  Daddy caught a flight back home to Wes and Ellie and we got a special surprise visit from Uncle Chris, who is in town for business.  Chris was very surprised at how well Nate is doing.  He is no longer hooked to an IV pole, because he doesn't need anymore IV medications and he was almost running around the halls.  He played ball with me, the physical therapist and Uncle Chris and was kicking and bending and throwing like a champ.  I don't think Chris expected to be playing ball with a boy who had major surgery 4 days ago.  My super sweet friend, Jen, arrived tonight, after a long, delayed plane flight, to take care of Nate and I until it's time to come home.  I feel so much better having her here.

One last story for today...because I have to get this written down to keep for all time.  While we were waiting in nuclear medicine for Nate to be injected for his kidney test, we were going through all the pictures and particularly the videos on my phone.  I was sitting in a wheel chair with Nate in my lap and we'd been there for a long time.  In the middle of one of the videos of Wes and Nate that we were watching, Nate started to whimper and cry.  I quickly turned off the video and started asking where Nate was hurting, worried that I was holding him in a way that was putting pressure on his incision.  He whimpered, "I miss my brother".  Oh my gosh, it was all I could do to not break out in tears right then and there.  It was the sweetest and saddest thing.  Nate hasn't, through all of this, all the hospital stays, really expressed much sadness for missing home or people.  He really just goes with the flow.  Wes and Nate fight like cats and dogs most of the time.  Just recently is Wes starting to see the value in having a little brother.  Most of the time Nate ducks and swings as he approaches Wesley, as a defense mechanism.  It was just so sweet to see him cry over missing his brother.  Now, I REALLY can't wait to get home.