Emmett is back home after ten days in hospital - one in Abbotsford and nine at BC Children's Hospital. He received great care and we are so thankful for the expertise of the medical staff. Even so, we are so glad to have Emmett back home. It was a rush trying to coordinate all of the equipment that was required to allow Emmett to leave the hospital. As you know, he has a Gastric Tube inserted to allow feeding directly to his stomach. He is no longer going to be receiving anything by mouth. This requires a feeding pump and a search through two hospitals in two communities was required to find one. That was the golden ticket and, once parents were trained on it, Emmett was discharged. He got to come home on his Grandma's birthday!

At home everything was ready. An early morning delivery of the feeding pump meant that his equipment was all here and ready to go. Since it's best for his head to be elevated while sleeping - or laying down awake too - we set up a wooden frame under the mattress that allows his head to be raised at a range of levels. We are looking into getting a monitor that alerts us to any breathing stoppages, and home care is getting Emmett a suction machine and a cool sitting chair that supports him completely. Thank you for the donations, because we will be using that to purchase a breathing monitor. There are a couple of cool ones in pre-production stages, but we cannot wait the month or more for them to be ready.

Emmett knew he was at home. You could tell by his facial expressions. You could also tell that he was feeling better than he has been. And there simply is nothing like home sweet home - even if you're only six months old. A bit of supper for Emmett and all of us, and then some relaxation time. For Emmett, that included a bath and finally getting his hair shampoo'd. He loved it! You can see the 'Mickey' - that's the part of the gastric tube that protrudes from the stomach. He also has some stitches near his belly button, where the surgeon entered the abdomen and stitched the stomach to the abdomen wall. One nurse described the entry point to Emmett's stomach as being similar, but much larger (or much smaller in some instances) to a hole for a piercing. So, those of you with lots of piercings - I'm pretty sure Emmett has you beat!

The important thing, Emmett is feeling better and he is at home! There will be another mountain to climb in the not too distant future, but that is then and this is now! Our bright eyed little boy is home! Enjoy his expressions!