Clay Crisis

Hi Moms, it certainly has been quite a long while. My computer processor died several weeks ago and then a week ago tonight we had crisis with Clay. Early on Monday morning, Clay entered into a risky abdominal explore that lasted almost four hours. He had a very rare bowel obstruction. They removed about 10 or so inches of digestive tract between the large and small colons and removed his appendix. He was in Surgical / Trauma Intensive Care until late Friday night. He is now in a Surgical Step down Unit and making strides. Only by the grace and mercy of God have we all survived. He has a total mid line incision from breast bone to pubic bone requiring 38 staples. The plus this time of having CP is that the uncontrolled movements meant he got over the soreness the rest of us would have gotten so frozen and stiff over because of the insult to the abdominal muscles. The incision looks amazing......I certainly did not heal near that fast, nor nice after my surgery last summer. His lungs were a big compromise from the long anesthesia and being flat/non ambulatory after surgery. He is still on supplemental oxygen, though less each day and not requiring nearly the deep suctioning that was required all last week. Needless to say, this was a horrific experience to endure for him. His little nasal passages and throat are very inflamed from the constancy of having to pass tubes down for the deep suctioning. His gut finally kicked back in today with two blasts of poops, but that is definitely something that was being waited upon and needed for progress. The stay has required wrist restraints at all times because of the CP and extreme random movements. He kept sliding down in the bed with legs always spilling over and out, wearing a pressure sore on his tail bone because of all the friction. If things continue to progress as we have been so answered by prayer, he will possibly move to a regular room in the next day or two. Quite possibly without further unwanted surprises, we may even be blessed to get him home around mid week, dare I dream. He is so desperate to get back home, to his queen water-bed especially with plenty of wiggle room and no slamming of body parts as in a normal sized hospital bed. There is a referral to have OT and PT consult, maybe tomorrow or Tuesday which might just be the exact thing we need to get those justifications for a new wheelchair. We've been very interested in the ones that come to a stand from a sitting position with the push of a button. He could even drive in a stand position. This will benefit because of the weight bearing, but also, importantly now, help with digestive processes that had grown lax and slow. I hope all of you are okay. I've not had opportunity to check in and read for weeks, but please know I have thought of all of you quite often, wondering if all was well........at least mostly well. Take care and hug your babies. Clay's 24th birthday was Tuesday and never would we have imagined he would be recovering from / surviving such a horrific emergency. Proves once again that Clay indeed still has a very important mission on this earth's journey that continues in progress.
(Please keep my parents in prayers.....my dad is in congestive heart failure and could pass away very soon or up to maybe 6 months. We've elected at 88 to allow God the decision to call him home and when......)