We finally got to the fourth round! It came with a lot of mixed emotions. You get scared that this is it. The hope is that everything is fixed and you'll never have to come back. That's a lot. So while you are so excited to be done the nerves start to set in as well. Brett caught a small cold the day after he got admitted so by the third day after being admitted he was on isolation even though his numbers were still high. And he unfortunately couldn't fight it off before his numbers dropped. There is also a smell air filter in that part of the hospital so Brett would get a runny nose anyways but he had his cold all through Chemo and it didn't clear up until he was home for about a week. He would have a nose swab done and it was just a cold and there is nothing they can give for a cold so all the nurses and doctors just had to put on masks every time they came.
Throughout the whole hospital stay we only pulled the emergency help line twice on accident and Brett pushed the code Blue button twice, on accident. Gave everyone a heart attack but they were like, we like when it's an accident. On a side note: Being in a children's hospital is one of the hardest things. During this round we were in between a little boy and a baby. There were times you just prayed for the people around us. I hated when you could tell something bad was going on somewhere on the floor. You just counted your blessings and prayed everything would be ok for everyone.
You never know what the plan is for everyone else. That's the glorious part about our Savior I came to realize. The boy next to us for example. He would cry and scream and we didn't know what his situation was. There was nothing we could do for him. But we could pray for him that the Savior could help him in the ways that he needed. Those hard times for that family could be lightened through the Savior and we could help pray for that. The Savior is so merciful to everyone because he loves each and every one of us.
Sometimes it was still difficult to get Brett to get through Vitals. The key is distractions!
Jeter the big brother that shared with his brother in spite of the strange situations I'm sure he didn't understand and it was sometimes unfair. Brett was very possessive of his hospital room. Almost like "if you're going to keep me in here everything is mine" Jeter would want to bring a toy for Brett when we came to the hospital. Jeter is the best big brother.
I had to think of some creative things to keep some fun in the room. Who would've thought blue painters tape could be so fun?!
This round had a lot of events. Between having a baby and finishing up Brett's treatment we had a lot going on. I love Jeter's happy little face in this picture he thought he was being so funny photo bombing my 38 week belly picture.
Brett never seemed to loose his adventurous spirit! Even being hooked up it was hard to keep him from climbing everywhere!
I can't remember how it played out but I think the nurses helped me sneak Brett into the playroom before his numbers dropped because they could see he needed some play room. Only one patient can be in the playroom but the Child Life group would bring fun toys for Brett to play with and just make things a little better at times.
Our little Brett.
At this point Brett had finished his Chemotherapy. We were getting induced that weekend and Grandma Tina would come up for the next week to stay with Brett. I couldn't believe it would be my last night staying in the hospital. Although I wouldn't miss sleeping on a cot with 39 week pregnant belly I would miss being there with my baby. Not that I was deserting him but when your child is sick you want to be there doing whatever you can. And I had to leave him but also welcome a new baby who would be completely dependant on me. It was a lot, but with the help of family and nurses we were going to do it.
Brett had a hard time for a couple days, but he did warm up to the different situation. It still breaks my heart just thinking of it. And not being able to explain to him why is mom wasn't there. I knew he would be ok with his grandma and his dad but it was one of the hardest things for me.
Going in at 5 am. I tried to separate my anguish from leaving Brett because I was going to welcome my little girl! I was having a baby!
Being so close to illness and so close to a Heaven Fresh baby brought me closer to my Savior. He is always watching over us and is the creator of us and is control of everything we know. The knowledge of eternal families is the most beautiful blessing.
Everything went fairly smooth with Leah's delivery. It was a labor and delivery story of it's own but all in all we got a healthy beautiful little girl.
Because Brett had a cold and the whole hospital situation the doctors advised us not to bring the baby. It would be about two weeks before we could bring Leah to meet her brother. I always pictured the typical mom in hospital bed, dad brings two kids to meet new baby, cute family pictures. It wasn't to be our story this time, but we could do this if we could get through what we had already done.
The day after I had Leah Brett got a fever. Nothing as severe as the third round but they did put him on antibiotics. Our major concern was Brett's numbers would recover and we would be stuck in the hospital finishing up the medication.
Another obstacle was when Tina came down with the stomach flu and Kameron caught it was well. This meant we had to leave Brett with strangers for two nights while Kameron recovered and Tina headed back to Utah. I couldn't go because of the baby and being around sick people. This was a very hard time as well. I feel the Lord blessed Brett to be ok even though we couldn't be with him.
But the Lord is merciful and Kameron and Brett only had to stay one extra night. His ANC was 180 on Sunday and the very next day they jumped to 320. This is a miracle. The tender mercies for our family our amazing. I had never stayed for more than four or five nights strait in the hospital. Kameron stayed for over a week strait. It's a mind game being in that room for so long.
Getting that darn EKG and ultrasound done.
Kameron spent a lot of time at the hospital in the end. I bet Brett enjoyed having his daddy there so much he can be pretty creative...
The Last time Brett got disconnected from his pole. This was huge. Free at last!
Celebrating with Popsicles!!
At this point Brett's ANC is 180 and will be discharged soon. We brought Leah up to the room and we could tell Brett knew something knew what outside. It was too hard to not let them meet. It was never how I thought having my three kids meet for the first time but it was special non the less.
Monday August 24, 2015 Brett was discharged!! We did a before and after picture after 119 days in the hospital total.
Holding Leah
We played at the park of one of the boys favorite things!
Our first Sunday together since being discharged.
Next came the waiting game to get the broviack out. His bone marrow biopsy came back good and he didn't have to get the lumbar puncture because he was officially done with treatment. We are so blessed and so grateful we were given good results each time with the biopsies. His body responded well and we are just so grateful.
These boys are so goofy this was the best picture I could get with both of them in it.
We celebrated Brett's 2st birthday!!! So glad we were out of the hospital for that. We went to a fun indoor park place with Cade and Natalie's families. It was kind of a jumbled day but so fun to be celebrating a birthday!!
Brett and Leah
We also took the opportunity to get our family pictures done. I loved our photographer and the cactus and just documenting this time of our family. So much changed in six months. There were good and bad memories. Hard memories and memories that have made us stronger individually and as a family.
We went to a fun Constitution Celebration in Gilbert. So fun to be together as a family!
Oh the Broviack. We had to do two more dressing changes. They never got easy. We had an appointment with Brett's doctor and she couldn't believe it hadn't been taken out yet. So we put the heat on the surgery scheduling department and that did the trick!
On Wednesday September 16, 2015 Brett had his Brovaick taken out and we went home that Friday. Oh happy day! There was a lot of work involved with three little kids and packing up a 750 sq. ft. apartment with five people worth of stuff in there. But we were so excited to get home it was hard but happy work.
We pulled onto our street and our wonderful neighbors had put balloons and posters on the garbage cans to line the street and our family had made this sign. My mom decorated our porch and gotten our home all ready for us. It was such a surreal moment. I never went home even though I came to Thatcher a few times. It was just too hard. There really are not words to describe bringing home your new baby and your son who the last time was in that home you didn't know what his future would be.
Coming home together was a miracle and we will never forget the blessings and the love and support of family and friends. And our loving Heavenly Father that carried us through.
Our first Sunday home. These people mean everything to me. I know our family is eternal and no matter what happens we will be there for each other and can be together forever.
