more park time

Another trip to the park…another great experience. This time, Hudson approached and hugged a girl without her even seeing it coming. What can i say? The boy's a hugger. And i'm ok with that. 

 Poor thing, didn't see it coming. But didn't seem to mind, either. :)

Hudson has also figured out how to go down the bigger slide by himself! 

a beautiful evening for a walk and some grub on the patio!

Today was almost 80 here in Denver, and we took full advantage! A fun day with Julie, Braddock and Josiah Musilli in Colorado Springs, then a walk in the park and some burgers on the patio! Oh yea, and of course THOMAS was there, in multiple aspects. Thank you to the Helbigs for the shirt! And to the hospital for the book! And to the Grandma's for Toby the Choo Choo! :) We had a great day - choo choo's and all!

 This picture reminds me of a magazine.

 The book had to go outside with us…

 A moment to get the shoe back on…and catch a pick of the boys in their sunglasses

 Mid-jump/run! Hudson was HAPPY to be outside and running around!

Chatting with Oma

From our skype chat today…

18 month stats

Because of our hospital visit, we missed our 18 month check up with the doc, so we went just before he turned 19 months old. We know he lost weight during everything the last couple months, so we expected his weight to be lower. He will hopefully get back on his trend and average percentage by his 2 year check up. Otherwise, he's STILL the tallest kid in class, and his head circumference is just about in the middle.

18 Month Stats:
Weight: 26 lb 14 oz (60%)
Height: 35 inches (97%)
Head circumference: 18 3/4 (45%)

They also had us answer a bunch of questions about Hudson's development, and he passed with above average answers! The doc said he is above average, and one smart cookie! Not that we didn't already know that…but it's nice when your doc says it too! He is saying a lot of new words, and is communicating so well - tractor is my current favorite, because he says it in such a cute way - so enthusiastic! He's gotten very good and pulling and pointing you where he wants you to go as well...

Hudson continues to do well with his recovery, and is loving food, play time, choo choo's and cars more than ever. He is sleeping well also, and has started warming back up to taking baths by himself again - which is nice for me! Today we went out to the park TWICE (it was in the high 70's!!), and he had a ball playing in the sand, watching the other kids, going down the slide, and checking out some of the plants and curbs along the way. He also made sure to stay hydrated with his cool new CARS sippy cup!

hair cut!

19 months old and he finally got his first official hair cut…well, sort of. We took the clippers to his moving target - i mean, his head, and I tried my best to cut as many hairs as possible! We took off close to two inches, so he was in need of a trim! I'd love to grow his hair out, but it just wasn't looking right, so maybe this trim will do the trick for a nice grow out. Either way, he's still adorable.

new tricks

Since coming home from the hospital, Hudson has picked up a few new tricks to keep us wildly entertained.
#1. He has figured out how to raise his eyebrows, and it's hilarious. See photo.
#2. He loves eating food so much that he does a happy dance when he really likes what he's eating. Again, hilarious.
#3. He has discovered a love for sunglasses - completely adorable, and hilarious at the same time. See photo for proof. This, combined with his current affection for Choo Choo's…yes, I know.
#4. He enjoys playing hide and seek - with hands, feet, blankets, countertops, etc. Even if he can see you the entire time, the "peek-a-boo" phrase is sure to get a laugh out of him.
#5. New words - he is quickly expanding his vocabulary, often with sentences we are unable to interpret. But he does say some new things like: star, oooh, off, out, all done mama or dada, pacifier (which sounds NOTHING like the word, but somehow we understood him), cracker, truck, i'm sure there are more but of course i can't think of them right now.

We are VERY thankful and blessed to have our little boy back. And though he is extremely clingy to me right now…I am ok with it. So long as i get a break sometimes, too.

The smile that melts our hearts…

Life after the hospital

 Though he lost a bit more weight in the hospital, he's not too thin, and we think with the way he's eating now he'll gain back at least some of that weight fairly quickly! It's so nice to see that adorable smile all the time again!

 The weather has been a bit warmer, so we are trying to take advantage and get outside!! - with a choo choo, of course. 

While we were in the hospital, we watched a LOT of Thomas the Train on youtube. We also played with trains, read about Thomas and friends, and said choo choo a hundred or so times a day. So when Grandma Rosdil pulled out her Ipad, she was doomed to watch "choo choo" with Hudson for an indefinite amount of time. We are still trying to ween him from the severe choo choo kick he had gotten into...

Back home

Since Thursday, life has been full of adjusting back to life before our hospital "vacation." Hudson had gotten used to being with us - typically ON one of us - we knew it would be an adjustment to come home and get back to the way things were. And it has been. :) Being entertained and kept as the absolute center of attention for 12 days, I think I'd have some readjusting to do also.

He has been eating great, and smiling and laughing more than ever, but the separation anxiety is high, and nap time/bed time has been difficult. We know it won't last forever, but it is hard to watch our little Mr. Independent get so upset when i walk into another room if he thinks I'm going to leave him.

Overall though, we are SO thankful to be home, and grateful for the great doctors we had while we were there. We know God had His hand on our little boy, as he always has and always will. Our prayer now is that he will stay healthy, that we won't be too paranoid about every little thing he does that seems slightly abnormal, and that when we go back for the next ultrasound, they won't be able to see the mass at all anymore.

The follow up will be an ultra sound every month, and a CT scan in 4-6 months. I think we can officially say Hudson will be absolutely petrified of any doctor for a very long time.

hospital time

Here's where Hudson and I slept while we were here at Presbyterian St Lukes/Rocky Mountain Children Hospital in Denver. Cozy, but I don't think i could have slept any better if I was further away from him!



day 12

The last few days have been filled with much waiting - waiting for doctors to come give updates, waiting for trips to get X-rays and ultrasounds, and waiting for Hudson to get better. Yesterday his blood levels were good enough that the doc told us Hudson could start eating food - we started with cheerios, and he LOVED them. He was like a kid in the candy store - big grin on his face, kicking his feet with joy. We tried getting him to eat a variety of things the rest of the day, and last night they took him off the catheter that has been giving him the nutrients he's needed the last 10 days. It was amazing to sleep through the night without all the wires, cables and machines keeping us from getting a good night's rest.

The night before that, Hudson had woken up with a fever and the chills, and none of us got very much sleep. We were worried that the surgery had done something else to his insides, possibly setting the entire recovery process back a few steps. However, when he was able to eat and drink, play and walk around more comfortably, we were hopeful he would still be getting better.

We also got our pathology report back yesterday, and the result of what the mass was in his body. It turned out that he did not (we had pretty much figured it out by then) have the strange parasite they had originally been concerned about. The mass was not cancer, not a tumor, and not caused by a parasite. It was an inflamed mass, most likely caused by a blow to the stomach of some kind. The doctors say this could happen from just about anything - falling too hard on something, something bumping him in just the right spot, or trauma caused from something worse. Because there was a risk that something else in his body could have been damaged, we did a CT scan of his brain, and a full body x-ray to check bones. All that came back fine, though we are still going to remain extra cautious of those who watch our baby. We may never know exactly what happened and when, but we will DEFINITELY be more aware of this kind of behavior in the future, should something like this every happen again. We hope it doesn't - to anyone.

The last 12 days have certainly been some of the most trying moments in my life, if not the most. Waiting for Hudson while in surgery, holding him down time after time for exams, x-rays, etc., watching him have to recover from anesthesia, be in pain, and not be able to be the little boy he is, was totally horrible. At times it felt like we fell into a black hole, surrounded by nothing but pain and fear.

But today, all that blackness has faded, and we heard the words we have wanted to hear for what seems like forever. "You can go home." As soon as Dr. Holt said it you could almost feel the weights lift from the room. We get to go home!!!!!! Hudson's blood levels are even better today, he's eating well, playing well, and the ultrasound showed that the mass is shrinking! So with the pancreas happy and the mass smaller, we should have no problem feeding our little guy without worry. Or course we'll worry, cause we're pretty much paranoid about everything now, but at least we'll be home. And our little guy is so amazing, we know God had His hand on Hudson this entire time, so we'll do our best to rest in that assurance.

Not the 12 days "away from reality" that we would have wanted, but we've grown closer as a family, made memories, made some friends and learned some lessons, so i guess it wasn't a total loss. Now, excuse me, but i've got to pack our stuff so we can GO HOME!

Day 8

After two days of the parasite treatment, Hudson was scheduled for a biopsy this morning. They put him under for this process, then go into his stomach in four different places with small instruments to see what is going on inside, and remove at least a tissue/liquid sample to find out exactly what the mass is. Since the weekend was uneventful, and Hudson was doing and acting surprisingly well, it was hard to believe he still needed surgery. But at about 9:15 this morning the nurse came to pick us up to go meet the surgeon, and by 1:00 this afternoon we were back in our room with a very groggy little boy. It was horrible to wait for him while the surgery happened, and I was able to walk him back to the room where it was all happening, which almost made it worse. Lots of machines, fancy lights, and people dressed head to toe in hospital gear. I held Hudson while they gave him the medicine to put him to sleep, then had to lay my limp baby on the operating table and walk away. I pray to God I NEVER have to do that again.

A little over an hour after I dropped him off, the surgeon came out to tell us how it went. Our surgeon, Dr. Rothenberg, is one of the best in laproscopic surgery in the country, if not the best (i think he was a leader in creating it, but you can google him if you want to know for sure). What he said was both relieving and frustrating. What he saw in the mass was not conclusive, but if he were to bet on it, he would say it was a trauma wound, caused by a blow to the stomach. Because it was so close to the pancreas, it caused the pancreatitis. SO we have been running through days and weeks in our minds to determine a time when Hudson may have hurt his stomach. Either way the good news is, it's not something worse. These kinds of wounds heal, and though we may never know where the injury initiated, it should not be something that comes back - same with the pancreatitis. We have to wait for the pathologist to review the tissue and liquid they took from his belly to be sure, but because Dr. Rothenberg is such an expert in his field, we feel good trusting his feedback. We will know tomorrow for sure, and if that is in fact what it is, our Hudson will begin drinking liquids again - beginning his slow process of eating and drinking through the mouth again.

In retrospect it seems like a crazy roller coaster we've been on to find out it's something that CAN be diagnosed fairly easily. But because this wound showed itself in such bizarre ways - increased white blood cells pointing to a parasite coupled with pancreatitis and a strange looking mass - i guess it took an entire staff at a children's hospital (Pediatrician, GI specialist, Oncologist, Pathologist, Surgeon, Anesthesiologist, Infectious disease specialist, nurses) AND the main office for the CDC to figure out that Hudson bumped his belly somewhere.

Though we aren't out of the woods yet, we all feel a bit better that it isn't something super serious, and he will most likely NOT have to have surgery again. Because it is probably a trauma wound, however, they will have to do more screenings on him to ensure he doesn't have injuries elsewhere on the body. And he'll need ultrasounds to make sure the wound is healing itself. So we'll end up being in the hospital for two weeks. WOW. didn't see that coming. I'll update with final results tomorrow.

day 6

Today is our sixth day in the hospital, and for the next two days we will be waiting to have the biopsy done on the mass in Hudson's stomach. The Infectious Disease professional here at the hosptial wanted to contact the main CDC office in Atlanta to inquire about the white blood cells they found in the extra fluid drained from Hudson's stomach (they drained 850ml - almost a liter). They determined that it could possibly be the Echinococcus parasite, and that if we cut into the mass we were risking aphalaptic shock and possibly death. They actually requested a sample of Hudson's blood also to research it! Though it's very rare and a small chance that he may have it, he is showing enough of the symptons that we want to play it safe.

So this morning we began treatment on the parasite issue, and i guess after two or three doses it will be safe to cut into the mass and get a biopsy. That is scheduled for Monday morning, with one of the best laproscopic surgeons in the county - literally. In the mean time, Hudson's pancreas is getting better, and he acutally ate a little apple sauce with a little apple juice this morning! (that's how they have to give the medicine for the parasite). He did well with it, and after a couple more doses we will be VERY ready to find out what this mass is!

It seems strange that 6 days ago we hesitantly went to the ER after talking to the doc about his behavior (vomitting, not eating or drinking, stomach pain), and here we are with a rare condition that has doctors throughout this children's hospital baffled. Today has been very rough for me, due to the fact that Hudson is seeming more like himself, playing more, etc. but we are probably only half way through this whole thing, and we still don't know what is going on in his stomach. The doctors have been great, and we are doing our best to keep Hudson occupied in these four walls. I'm scared for the surgery in a couple days, but ready to get whatever it is out of there so we can go home.

There are many lessons and things to take away from this experience, and I think andy and I are already identifying ways we want to change once this is all over. In the mean time, we continue to pray for God's quick healing, skill and expertise with the doctors, patience and strength. We don't know why this is happening to our family, but we are sure that we will learn something from it, grow closer becaues of it, and give back to others who may go through something similar in the future.

hudson and the terrible

For the last month or so, we have noticed Hudson's appetite and interest in food decreasing. Being that he is 18 months old, we figured it was just the beginning fo the toddler phase in his life. About 4 weeks ago he began vomitting a little more (about once a week), and started grabbing his stomach and crying in pain. When we called the doctor the first time she suggested that it was just gas, and that we should try giving him Mylicon (you can buy this at Walgreens). We tried that, but once his stomach was hurting him he would not take anything in or near his mouth. So that wasn't working. The second time we called the doctor, she asked a few quiestions (blood in his stool, blood in vomit, etc), and according to my answers just told me we will check him at our 18 month check up (which is scheduled for this Friday).

We became more concerned about Hudson's behavior as his stomach pain seemed to more abundantly interrupt his ability to eat, sleep and be a toddler. So Sunday, after a couple days of mixed stomach grabbing and very little food or liquid, we called the doctor for the third time. This time, she recommended we go to the ER, out of fear he may be dehydrated. So we went. There we sat for 6 hours, tramautizing our little boy with an IV, X-ray and ultrasound. The results from each were inconclusive, and the doctor wanted to do a CT scan. By that point it was almost midnight, Hudson was a wreck, and i couldn't see the purpose of doing the test since the right person to analyze the previous tests was not there. So we went home. That night Hudson hardly slept, and was in horrible shape. THe next morning the doctor from the ER called and said that the tests had been analyzed and we needed to return to the ER right away. So we went back, and had the CT Scan. The scan showed that Hudson had a bad case of pancreatitis. The treatment for that is a hospital stay to let the stomach and pancreas rest - which means a catheter in the arm to provide nutrients and fluids since you can't eat. So we left the ER and went straight to Presbyterian St Lukes Children Medical Center. And here we still are today.

Since we've been here, Hudson has had an MRI, fluid drawn from his stomach, a catheter put in, and is getting his vitals and blood drawn throughout the day. He is such a tough little cookie, cause right now he's watching Sponge Bob with grandma and pointing out the cars, hats, etc. He has still been smiling, talking about Thomas the Train, and still has shows a bit of the toddler spice that we both love. Yesterday we found out that the mass in his stomach is not cancer, but that it might be a rare parasitic disease that he got from a dog who ate feces. I will look up the name to put on here, but for now we are waiting to hear from the CDC in Atlanta to confirm or deny if it could possbily be this rare disease. WE are hopeful that it's not this, as it will keep us here longer, and we want more than anything to get the pacreatitis better and go home too. But for now all we can do is wait for an answer. Thankfully Hudson has both his grandmas and his Grandpa Rosdil here to help keep him distracted. Hudson and I haven't left the hospital since Monday night, and i am defnitely longing for normalicy again soon.

In the mean time, we want our son to be well, so we will trust in God that He has control over all of our lives, and will protect and keep us in His grip throughout all we endure. Our prayer is that we will figure out what it is so we can get our precious little boy back!

bath time fun!

 Hm, can you tell what makes this kid happy? 

phone photos

Now that phones are so fancy these days, i find myself taking pictures on my phone as much as if not more than with a regular camera. SO here are a few i thought were good from our trip to Carmel, and one from here in Denver.

Though I haven't been consistently writing monthly updates about the new things going on with Hudson, there is still much to be said about what's going on with this little guy. For example, today we went to the mall (we are in the middle of a snow storm, and have gotten about 16 inches so far, with the horrible white stuff still falling as i type), and for about 45 minutes, Hudson RAN around the mall. There weren't a lot of people there because of the storm, and he likes to run now, so he ran. It was fun - because the mall was pretty empty. Most days, I'll pass on that experience, thank you. We are currently in the phase of not eating out - because our beautiful son cannot sit still, eat his food without standing, jumping or throwing it first, and thinks that restaurants are good places to scream. So we have been enjoying almost every meal at home. It doesn't bother us much, but can be difficult to do other things - like grocery shop, or go anywhere that requires him to sit for more than 15 seconds. :)

REGARDLESS - Hudson has been A LOT of fun lately as well! He continues to expand his vocabulary, and regularly takes my hand to lead me to something he would like to do or see with me. I would say his favorite word right now is "bath" - he typically takes his bath about 30 minutes before bed, but several nights lately it's been an hour or more before bath time when he takes me by the hand and starts pulling me upstairs saying "bat! bat!"

He is definitely a little busy body - rarely sitting still, and typically talking about his ball, bear, choo choo or car. Each of these words is said with a Boston accent, which makes listening to him continually entertaining. Ba (ball), baya (bear), Ca (ca) - repeated multiple times - you can't help but laugh. He's a little entertainer, but likes to test us as well when we ask him not to do something. We are often chasing him around to retrieve whatever it is we asked him not to stick in his mouth, etc.

He is our fun-loving, energetic, laughter filled 1 1/2 year old, and we LOVE him to death. And yes, some nights bedtime is a much needed time for us as well, but the minute he wakes up in the morning I can't wait to see his little smile.