I Love that Music!

Nice visit from Jess Tuesday night.

Music Therapist singing for Ammon, which really raised his spirits.

This is a scene that really touched me. We made the decision (with Ammon's agreement) to insert a pic line into a deep vein and get rid of the IV he had. He is on three very powerful antibiotics and one, in particular, tends to blow the veins so rather than having Ammon become a pin cushion again, we decided it might be best to do one IV (pic line) that would last through the three weeks we will be there. At first they were going to insert the line when he was sedated while they tried to extract the foreign fluid but when they decided not to do that, everyone was a little worried about sedating Ammon at all. They decided to insert this line without sedation. The line runs from his bicep up behind his collar bone and drops down near the heart. They did numb the site but that's all the help he was going to get.

When they decided against sedation, they rallied some help to keep Ammon distracted. The music therapist came in again to sing to him and a member of the Child Life came (man holding his hand in the photo). They all surrounded his bed and began to talk to him and entertain him. The music therapist sang songs about heroes and bravery and courage, inserting Ammon's name in all the songs. I couldn't stay in the room - my emotions were so close to the surface that I didn't want Ammon to think I was crying because I was sad or scared. I was touched to my soul at the goodness of these people that care so much about sick children and care so much about Ammon. What I didn't realize was that they made a deal with Ammon - if he was brave his mom would have to give him something. Ammon said, "Mom, I want a M-O-V-I-E." So I bought him one yesterday.

Ammon didn't flinch one bit during the procedure. He said afterward, "Oh, I love my pic line!"

The surgery that was supposed to happen at 7 a.m. this morning was postponed. This afternoon they inserted a tube to drain that mystery fluid but now that it is draining, it appears that it may be urine which means there is a leak in the bladder. If that is finally confrimed, then the surgery will have to happen. I hope they are able to wait until next Tuesday so Ammon can have a birthday celebration on Monday. You really can't celebrate much in the PICU. Maybe we'll know a little more tomorrow.

I thought Jim might post something because he has been there with Ammon for the past two days. He knows a lot more than I do. Ammon's spirits seem to be better today. He is really only interested when I'm coming up so I will bring up his new movie, "The Wizard of Oz". That's a pretty good sign!