Getting Stronger....!

Tay's immune system (and appetite) are continuing to build.  His eye focus and hand coordination are also on the rise.  He's falling back into a more normal sleep routine which mommy & daddy really appreciate!  He's only had 1 seizure in the past 16 days...yesterday :(

All in all, we feel Taylor is making incredible strides.  He's back fully engaged in his three 1 hour therapies a week.  My parents spent the last week with us in Atlanta, fully soaking up time with Taylor.  They are so good with him.  They have such sure, confident hands and really know how to comfort him (aka....SPOIL HIM!!!).  Lane and I took full advantage of the built-in babysitters!

A HUGE Thank You goes out to everyone that continues to follow this blog for Taylor.  He loves you all and can't wait to tell you himself one day soon.
:)

Again...I'll Let the Pictures & Videos Speak For Themselves

Taylor is really coming out of his shell.  I can't wait for you all to share in our joy of the new Tay:

You Will LOVE these videos:

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO 1

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO 2

Good News -- Better News -- and The Best News

The Good News - Taylor had his final check up at the KC hospital today...they said he looks great...the pneumonia and RSV are subsiding.

Better News - After being away from Atlanta for 37 days, Taylor and Mom are hopping on a flight tomorrow afternoon to come home.

The Best News - For the last 6 days, Taylor hasn't had any seizures!  He's a completely new kid.  It's almost like he's waking up to the world for the first time in over 6 months.  His eyes are focusing and tracking with such clarity.  He's smiling again and he's regaining his head control...much quicker than we had expected...especially after having laid in a hospital bed for so long!

For the most part, we're going to keep Tay at home the next few weeks...away from any more bugs while his immune system rebuilds.  As soon as he's ready, the new Taylor would like to see each of you in person and give you a big hug for all the prayers and well wishes you've sent his way.

Gone Baby Gone!!! Taylor is Leaving the Hospital Today!!!!!

We're being discharged as I write this, after 22 long days!  The way Taylor reacted when we put him in his favorite stroller to leave was incredible....I'll let the pictures speak for themselves...

Dad to return to Atlanta tomorrow or Monday....Mom & Tay to fly back later this week.
Love goes out to all that have supported us throughout this difficult ordeal.  We can't thank you enough.
Taylor can't wait to see you all in person, now that he's on the mend.

Strong Chance We're Outta Here Friday!

Rumor has it we may get discharged from the hospital on Friday if everything stays constant.  Taylor looks pretty solid right now:

Tay says he's ready to go home :)

Day 19 .....and Counting.... :)

Not much to report here. 
Pneumonia on the mend, seizures increasing a bit.  Neurologists are busy working on the solution now...they believe these new, more traditional seizures will be easier to treat.
9 inches of snow here in KC.  Dad couldn't get back to Atlanta today b/c there is still 6 inches of snow and 2 inches of ice there!  Will try again on Friday when things thaw.
We're all in good spirits here...can you tell from the short video?

Poppa "D", Laney & Tay



Sunday Smiles...

Tay had two more small seizures last night, but all in all...he's really starting to improve and perk up.  He's much more active now, rolling over and using his hands to pull his nasal cannula out constantly!  His little legs are all over the place, feet constantly searching for side-rails to explore.  He even snuck us a few smiles today.  The hospital won't allow us access to YouTube, but I snuck this 10second video out for you:

Dad plans to trek back to Atlanta on Tuesday, following the 7inch snow storm they're getting pummeled with right now.  Mom and Tay will fly home a few days after checking out of the hospital...hopefully Thurs or Fri this week!  :)
Anybody know what month it is???

Tay Keeps Us Guessing...

The Bad News:  In the last 20 hours Taylor has had 3 more of the new seizures.  These seizures are painful to watch, because they last between 20 seconds to 2 minutes and leave him completely drained of energy afterwards.  We videotaped one and sent to our docs in Memphis so we're coming up with a gameplan now to thwart them.  We have faith.

The Good News:  Tay's Pneumonia continues to improve.  He's becoming more active, jibber jabbering and grabbing things.  We almost had him smiling!  He's started eating solid foods again, although we'll leave in the feeding tube for a few days just in case.  Dick and Nina are both feeling better again.  They are getting to spend some quality time with Tay now.  Yesterday we had a spa day for Taylor.  We gave him a bath, trimmed his nails, gave him a haircut and a solid baby massage...all the while covering him with kisses.

More Good News.....More Bad News...

It seems impossible these days to give good news without also reporting some sort of negative news.  Taylor's health from the pneumonia and RSV cold continues to improve.  They checked him out of Intensive Care on Tuesday into a normal floor.  Since then, he has started to breath better with less help from the Oxygen pump.  His body looks good.  The docs say his lungs sound pretty good and that they are "moving air well."  Taylor's eye focus has also impressed us.  He is tracking well and seems to be taking in his surroundings like never before.  It's pretty exciting.  We're hoping to have him out of the hospital by Tuesday or Wed. 

The bad part is...we believe Taylor may have had two "activities" that looked like seizures.  Last night at 11pm and this morning at 8am, Taylor's eyes rolled up into the back of his head and he began to bob his head up and down along with his arms and feet rhythmically for about 30 seconds.  This is very different from the 1 second seizures we've traditionally witnessed over the last 9 months.  There is no way to tell if it was a true seizure or just a "Tic" without an episode occurring while hooked up to an EEG.  We may do that in a few days if his health keeps improving.  We're praying that they happened due to sleep deprivation, the sedative he was taking or possibly just one of the many changes we've made in his 3 anti-seizure drugs over the last week.  We'll keep everyone updated as we discover more.

Lane and I would like to take a minute and say   T H A N K  Y O U    to all of the incredible friends here in Kansas City that have brought us meals and visited with us in the hospital.  The food has been phenomenal, but the short visits have really brought a joy to us that we can't express in words.  We pray that Dick and Nina Taylor recover from the horrible colds that have kept them quarantined the last week....it surely is torture for Nina to be a few short miles away and unable to be around Lane or Taylor :(
Taylor Loves You.

Tay Improves!....May Be Out of ICU Today

Taylor has been steadily improving since entering the ICU last Wed.  Yesterday morning at 10am, we removed the full-face oxygen mask and inserted a nasal cannula to help him with his oxygen needs.  Our goal was to have him maintain his stats for at least a few hours.  Well, Taylor made it 14 hours!  We finally put his mask back on so he could get some well deserved sleep.

The docs are talking about moving us back up to the 6th floor today if Taylor continues on this path.  Here is a recent pic of Taylor and also a short 30sec video from yesterday:

Thank you everyone!

HELP! Break Me Out of This Place!

have to hurry before mommy wakes up and catches mee on her computer.  Sumbuddy plz come spring me from this place.  The food is lousy.  no sportscenter. no bounce-a-roo.  I'm not sick innee more. 

Come tonight, before shee wakes up.  I'll be at the Southeast corner of my crib, ICU room #6.  and bring me sum clothes.
Tay-man out.