Archive for July, 2008
Sorry it has taken me a while to post. This jet-lag thing has been very hard on Austin and I. For some reason it was easier to adjust to the time in China and harder for us at home. Go figure. Our flights were very long and we had more minor trouble this time. One of the planes had Austin and I booked a few seats apart. He can’t even sit up and they want to put him separate from me! They had us fill out a 5 page report on Austin so I did not understand why they did not understand. A child should never be separated from his parent on the plane even if they are totally healthy. They took care of it but could not put us in bulk seating like I requested so we were very cramped. Oh.. well we are home safe and sound. I was so happy to see my girls and Darrin. I missed my family and friends. Sometimes going away for a while makes you realize how important the people in your life are.
I want to thank everyone for their support, love and prayers. It means so much that so many care. Thanks for all your comments they help give me a boost to carry on. It means a lot to hear from you. I will update this blog about every month for a while to tell you what is happening for Austin. Well, I will definitely try!
So far I do think it was a worth while trip. People have told me that Austin’s eyes look better. They are more open – alert like. I think he is holding his head slightly better and his right hand (his bad tight hand) appears to be a little looser. One thing is for sure is Austin has much more of a personality. He wants to sit up and often balks when I lay him down. He is also refusing all his baby food. He wants big people food now. Darrin thinks he is chewing better. He is also developed an attitude about his medicine. We are in trouble now. He refuses to take it and will leave it in his mouth and try to spit it out and or gag! Austin is currently on three seizure medicines. But he still has small seizures. The hard thing about him wanting big people food is I do not know how I will be able to get his supplements in him. He is on quite a few but they keep him very healthy. We upped his Reliv products in November and he did not even get a cold all winter. And his head started growing for the first time in over 2 years. I just don’t want to loose the gains that we have made. I am going to have to get more creative. Any healthy food ideas would be much appreciated!
Thanks so much for following our journey – please check back periodically for updates! Please pray for more improvements for Austin. Most people see the biggest results 2 to 6 months post treatment. Please specifically pray for his brain to understand what his eyes see. If he could really see it would help open the world for him.
Love The Wades
(Jenny, Darrin, Abby, Amber, Austin and Raven too)
www.austinwade.net
Sorry I have not posted pics – I am not sure how to do that. I had help with the one pic I posted. So if you want to see our China pics you will have to come over and visit!
July 18th, 2008
Hi Everyone,
Austin just had his miracle cells. He had an IV treatment for his last one. They are so easy. It did take 3 tries to get the IV in. The nurses are great – it is just that Austin has veins that are hard to get to. It is so amazing to watch the stem cells go into the IV. He slept most of the time.
Austin has been showing more emotion lately. He cries when he is upset. He lets me know if something is bothering him. Now he often cries when I lay him down. It is good that he is letting me know things more. It makes things a little more trickier but I think it means he is more aware. He seems to be somewhat more alert. I feel like he is seeing slightly better (for those you don’t know – Austin has cortical vision impairment. His eyes are fine but his brain is so damaged that it is not able to understand what he is seeing.)
I feel like this has been a good trip. It has opened my eyes to many things. I have really enjoyed getting to know some of the Chinese people and learning about their culture. They are amazing people. Some things are so advanced here but some places it is like stepping back 30 years or more. China is changing and growing so fast. We have one more full day here and then we leave for home. I am so excited to get home but will miss many of the people here.
It was been a wonderful experience. The next time I write will probably be from home. Please wish us well for our long flight home. Prayers are so welcome!
Thanks for following our journey. I will update soon after we arrive home and will try to update every month.
Thanks again for being Austin’s Angels!!
www.austinwade.net
July 11th, 2008
Austin had his 5th stem cell treatment on Monday. He did great again. No fever and has been very perky. He did sleep some this time and did not mind the oxygen cannula as much. He is such a trooper. It is hard to lay down for 6 hours but it went fast and he is so good.
He seemed great so we went on a walk after dinner. There is a beautiful park right next to the hospital. It has many light up fixtures displaying statues for the Olympics. It is so pretty. They have dancing in the park and many people just walk and look around. It is very beautiful. We were having a great time when I stopped to watch some of the dancers and saw blood all over Austin. I freaked. Luckily a few of us from the hospital were together and this guy David from Alabama was there and he helped me. Austin did something to his IV. It just really scared me. David got a cab and we went straight to the hospital. The cab driver was so kind he did not allow us to pay him. We ran to the elevators and people there helped. We got him to the nurse and he had just pulled his IV out of his arm. They cleaned him up and he was fine. One lady who was in the elevator stayed with us until we knew Austin was fine. It just scared me. I freak out easily. You would think that with all the trauma Austin has been through that I would be better at handling it but I am not. He has had so much pain in his little life and I just can’t stand for him to have more. Anyway Austin did not cry until we layed him on the table. So it did not hurt him just freaked me out. He has been crying some when I lay him down. He is a big boy now and wants to be upright! All ended well and Austin is good. I was shaky for a while but am good now.
Yesterday I had the caregiver come again so I could have a day out. My friend Tonya (she is from Flordia) and I went to an antique market and had lunch and then walked along the beach. I really wanted to see the beach somewhat close before we leave. It was so good to have a break from the hospital. The people here are so nice but I need to get out some.
Today was Austin’s last full day of therapy. Tomorrow is is last stem cell treatment. This treatment will be via IV so it is easy and only takes about 40 minutes. Then we have our last day on Saturday and we leave on Sunday. I am going to miss the people here but I can’t wait to see my family and friends back home. I miss my two daughters terribly. It is really starting to get to me. There was a couple here with their son who has autism and they had to leave their 6 month old daughter at home. She learned to crawl while they were away. They would be very difficult. I can talk to Abby and Amber and hear about their day. We talk pretty much every day.
Please pray for great improvements for Austin. I feel like something is happening but I am not sure. The doctors say it takes time. Most people start seeing improvements about 2-3 months after treatment. Many report benefits up to one year later. My little guy has so far to go. I just pray that he is able to really see me. I love him so much. He has taught me so much. He is my angel.
God Bless. Hope to hear from you. It really lifts me up when people write. I am sorry if I have not gotten back with some of you. I am so busy here.
July 10th, 2008
Hi,
All is well here. We leave one week from tomorrow. The time here is starting to go fast. Austin’s fourth treatment went well. He will have his last spinal treatment on Monday and his last IV treatment on Friday and then we leave next Sunday. Yesterday we had the day off and went with some of our friends here around the downtown area. We stopped by the local Qingdao Harley Shop. It was still being built but had the signs up. Then we went to a Walmart. I got a pink bag for carrying items from Walmart that says Walmart in Chinese and English. And then we ate at McDonalds. Their cheeseburgers taste better here – maybe they use better beef! Who knows. Then we were going to go the beach but it rained. So we went again to the GMO market. It is a place that you can haggle with the prices. It is really neat.
Sat. July 5 – Austin had another full day of therapy. He gets such good therapy here. He has PT in the morning. Tom is his therapist. He is so good with Austin. He works him hard but also loves on him a lot. Austin’s body always feels so good and loose when he is done. After PT Austin goes in the stander for 30 minutes. Then we get a 2 hour break for lunch and Austin often takes his nap. Then he gets electric stimulation therapy. After that he gets acupuncture. Austin no longer cries for acupuncture. At first it seemed so weird but we are used to it now. I do think it is doing something. I know it has been around for 3,000 years or more. Then in the evenings we sometimes go out for diner or eat here and hang out with friends in the lobby. Some of our friends have already left and new ones are coming in. It seems so busy for us here. I thought I would have a lot of time to catch up on things but I have not. I am too busy with treatments, therapy and taking care of Austin’s daily needs.
Thanks for being Austin’s Angels. www.austinwade.net
July 7th, 2008
Austin had his fourth treatment today. It went well. I have not noticed a fever. He has been very happy and making lots of noises. Right after he got back from the treatment, he started moving his right hand and making noises like he was a little frustrated. They put oxygen (they just do it as a precaution after the anesthesia) on him and he did not like the cannula going up his nose. It made him mad. It is good to see him having more emotion. Some of the older patients have told me that often have more energy right after the treatment. Maybe Austin felt that. He had to lie down for 6 hours. I was able to give him some water after 2 hours and some food after 4 hours. I just feed him some applesauce and he ate just fine laying down. We had lots of friends visiting our room which helped make the time pass quickly. A new family is here also from Missouri. It has been good to meet them. Their boy Brayden has ONH. He has some limited vision and gets around wonderfully. He is amazing. He really likes Austin and comes in to visit and talk to him. Austin seems to brighten up when kids talk to him. I feel like Austin is able to grab things with his left hand better than before. Last night during his bath he seemed to really understand the word splash. I always try to get him to splash in the bathtub at home. The bathroom here has a handicap shower so I bought a baby tub at the local market and I sit him in it with a towel around him. It works fairly well. His legs hang over the tub when I wash his hair. Anyway, he started splashing and I got excited and said splash splash and he did it about 10 more times. Then he put his hand back into his mouth - sucking is such a strong need for him. Then I took his hand out of his mouth and he did another round of splashing. At home the most he has splashed at once is about 3 to 4 times. So I do not know if it is because of him being able to somewhat sit in the tub or if something is happening. I would like to think it is the latter. He got me all wet! It was well worth it. So cute. It made us both happy. Tonight he was very happy and talkative.
Please keep the prayers coming. We love to hear from you!
July 3rd, 2008
