So far, so good....

Allan had a good day today. He got to have pedialyte this afternoon and tonight they have started him back on formula. If he tolerates that well, then we hope to get him home tomorrow. He was a little fussy this afternoon, but, all things considered, he really hasn't complained much. The patch came off this afternoon and his eye looks great -- it is a little bloodshot, but no worse than you might have after a long Saturday night out. And it looks so much better without that darned white cataract in the pupil. The lump seems to be much less, too. We have to keep putting drops in it around the clock and, for the next week, unless we are right on top of him, he has to have a guard on it to make sure that he doesn't whack it. The ophthamologist was pleased that he had a good 'red reflex' (the flash back you get when you take a picture) which means that his retina is good and getting light to it. He may have lost some vision in that eye because the cataract cut the light off for a while, but we are pretty sure he has some in it at least because he has gotten really good at blinking at the precise moment when you are trying to put the drops in.
So, while Dad and Allan hang out at the hospital, Griffith and I are hanging out watching Rachel Ray. It looks to me like she is frying stale bread in olive oil. Not really sure why. Maybe Grif has been paying better attention. Flora's attempt to encourage a movement has been for naught so it may be another long night over here.

Allan was extubated this afternoon and has done very well. He looks good and is all wiggly and sassy. I spent the afternoon and Dad is spending the night with him. No word on when he can come home, but he has to be NPO (without food) until tomorrow to give his gut a chance to recover. We imagine that he'll have to stay for a day or so until every one is satisfied that the peg is in place and that he is going to be able to feed. When last I talked to Jay he was watching The History Channel and holding Allan because every time he put Allan down there was a meltdown. It seems to be going around amongst the Richardson boys. I've had a similar night with Ol Griff. We are now working on Hour 18 since I got up. All I wanted was for Griff to take a little nap, let me have a bath and a little dinner and then we would all go to bed. No such luck.
Flora played a nasty trick on me. She is dedicated to regular bowel movements for the boys and decided that Griff had not pooped recently enough. So she tanked him up on apple juice while we were at the hospital today. Then, once I got home, she hit the road. He hasn't had a movement yet, but the poor little guy has worked on it all night long --- wriggling and crying. Every time I put him down, he shouts down the walls. I figure we are due for some epic event some time about 2 a.m. Would one more day have been terrible?

Allan is out of surgery and in recovery. We got to see him for a few minutes. They are going to move him to the PICU as soon as they get a bed ready. We are not exactly holding our collective breath.
The eye surgery went as well as could have been hoped. The cataract came out and the retina and optic nerve look good and undamaged. The lump had gotten smaller and may just be an inflammatory mass. They were able to do a fine needle biopsy and get some cells from it and they hope that they will be able to tell for certain what it is or was. After the eye was finished, they put in a "peg" and that went smoothly, too.
Right now he is still on the ventilator. No word on whether they are going to try to extubate him today or just let him recover a little and give it a try tomorrow.
He will have to wear a little patch over his eye for a week to protect it and then, in two weeks, he'll be fitted for a contact lens. The doctor said it is much easier to put it in and out than you think it is going to be. It would almost have to be easier because I think it is going to be darned near impossible to wrestle Allan twice a day to put it in and take it out.

Still having computer woes. Have to be at the hospital at 5:30 a.m. First surgery is at 7:30. Scheduled for at least 3 hours. Will try to blog from there, but no promises. Say a little prayer for Big Al.

Allan in his new toboggan

Allan remains skeptical.

griffith's new hat

Griffith in his toboggan that Aunt Kathy made for him.

Griffith and his chain

Griffith loves to sit in his swing and chew on his chain.

The boys holding hands

The boys in their jogging suits holding hands.

Computer woes

Sorry, folks. Been having problems with the computer at home.
At work now, but trying to earn a living.
The boys are fine. We go to see a couple of Allan's doctors tomorros in preparation for his surgery on Thursday. Still no word on what time his procedure will be. They'll call us tomorrow.
I will try to blog some tonight and post new pictures -- if the wi fi is cooperating.