Life has kept us exceptionally busy lately. At the beginning of November we took Luca on a short Disney cruise while my parents watched Jackson. This is our second trip without Jackson and it’s always bittersweet. I am so happy to take Luca but I always wish Jackson could come. Nonetheless, Jackson would have been overwhelmed on the ship, which is loud and full of activity.

Jackson was scheduled to have his salivary gland surgery redone on November 19 on his upper salivary glands because they are still producing saliva. Jackson started vomiting and spiked a fever at 9:00 pm the night before and we had to cancel. Jackson had been pretty healthy until then and had managed to attend most of his school days, doctor’s appointments and therapy sessions for the prior few months. He never fully recovered and was diagnosed with an ear infection the next week, which we were able to get rid of via antibiotics.

Luca then caught a cold with a nasty, wheezing cough and Jackson caught those germs at the end of last week. We spent this past weekend giving breathing treatments every four hours (albuterol and saline nebs, CPT, cough assist and stacked breaths) but it wasn’t enough. We maxed out our oxygen meter early Monday morning but Jackson still needed more than what we had at home. So, we called 911 and proceeded on what has become our normal hospital routine: ambulance to Children’s, trauma bay, and PICU. I’m writing this from the PICU. Jackson is doing okay but I’m not sure when we are getting out of the PICU and discharged. We had a rough night last night. Jackson is fighting off the RSV virus and a touch of pneumonia.

However, the past few weeks haven’t been all bad because we got a puppy! Rex is the newest member of our family and he is loved by all. My dad has been begging us to get a puppy for three years and we finally conceded.

Rex loves to play with Luca and cuddle with Jackson. The main reason we agreed to get a dog, other than knowing Luca would love a pup, was that we believed Jackson would also love the dog and the dog would be another individual to interact with him.

Luca also lost his first two teeth and the Tooth Fairy came!

Please keep Jackson in your prayers and pray for a swift recovery and a healthy rest of cold and flu season.