Wow, I've been really lax about posting...

Sorry everyone! I didn't realize it had been a week since I posted. Time just flies by. Aidan is doing well. His bronchoscopy is scheduled for Thursday morning. Basically the doctor will pass a small camera down through Aidan's nose and down into his trachea and then past the trach tube. He is looking for any type of obstruction or scar tissue from the trach, anything that might make it difficult for Aidan to breathe without the trach. If everything is okay and he feels like Aidan is ready, the doctor will put in a smaller size trach and cap it off. He'll then stay in ICU overnight for observation and if he tolerates being capped during that time, they can remove the trach the next morning.

We are hoping and praying that we don't have any set-backs with this. Aidan has had some sinus issues over the last couple weeks that has made it difficult to cap the trach. He's tolerating the PMV well since it allows him to breathe in through the trach. His nose has been really stuffy and he's had a bit of sinus drainage. We've just been trying to get it cleared up.

The infection that he had around his g-tube and trach is gone. The trach area is still red, but that is from the constant irritation. Once the trach comes out, it will make things a lot better.

Aidan has been gaining quite a bit of weight. His little cheeks have puffed up and the new clothes that I just bought him a few weeks ago are already snug. I can't believe how big he's gotten. He's definitely gotten longer which is good, but we're going to have to adjust his calorie intake.

Aside from all that has been going on with little man, the rest of us are doing well. Russell is still working at Ingersoll Rand. It's just a contract job at this point, but we're hoping that something more permanent comes out of it. He seems to really like it there.

Evan is growing like a little weed too. He's been cutting his 1 year old molars and he's finally started walking although he's really wobbly because he still prefers to crawl everywhere. Evan has started giving Aidan kisses. It's so cute. He'll go up to Aidan when he's sitting in his chair on the floor and he'll pat him on the head or shoulder and then he'll lean over to give Aidan kisses. I haven't been able to catch him doing it when I have the camera nearby or I'd have a picture to show you all. It really just melts my heart.

As for me, I'm doing okay. According to the CT scan that I had, I don't have a hernia, even though my doctor felt one. I still have pain in my tummy, but it comes and goes, so we'll have to wait and see. I've been crocheting. I'm determined to finish several projects I have planned for Christmas gifts. I just finished an afghan last night and I just started another one tonight. I have 5 or 6 more to make before Christmas.

I hope that all of our readers are doing well. Thank you for your prayers and support. I will post Thursday after Aidan's bronch to update you all.

~Erin