Joel's latest hospital adventure

We went to the annual family reunion at the park and within 30 minutes Joel had tripped and fallen against the edge of a step on the playground. Because of the blood thinner he is on it was an especially scary sight to see Joel's face and hands when Gabe brought him to the pavilion. Although some thought he had a bloody nose, I immediately saw that Joel's tongue was split and Mike and I drove him directly to the hospital.

This photo is Joel's tongue after he was cleaned up and the bleeding stopped. Be glad you're not seeing the other photos. ;o)

Here is Joel in the ambulance because the local hospital didn't want to try stitching him without his heart doctors near, especially since he was already having lung problems and sounded awful. Children's didn't want to risk it either and postponed the surgery to get his lungs "optimized". They took him off the steroids and Coumadin and put him on Lovenox and a different nebulizer inhalent. He was put on a liquid diet. We were told that the surgery would have to be done or Joel's tongue would stay split.

Here is Joel the next day. His tongue is healing without surgery, praise the Lord!

Joel continued on breathing treatments. He allowed the mask which was very good.

Here are some visitors that came to see Joel Sunday evening. I think this photo is funny because it looks like one of those photos where a group of people tries hard NOT to look at the camera.

Gabe and Joel enjoy all of this face-making. Everyone asked to see Joel's tongue.

So many "toys" to ride and push! So many choices! Joel rode and pushed them all.

On the go in his favorite black car.

The toy room. Out of all the toys, what did he choose to play with?

A Madagascar coloring book.

His roommate had Madagascar 2 on DVD and Joel watched it so many times I lost track.

Here he is naming each of the characters on every page.

Joel loved pushing this little wheelchair. I had a hard time keeping up with him!

Pepsi Deb is one of the respiratory therapists. She's known Joel for many years and sends him Veggie Tales movies and related toys. She came in time to give Joel his last breathing treatment before he was released.

Joel began to figure out how to make the wheelchair move while sitting in it. Here he is trying to escape in the chair.

Waiting for Papa to come and take us home...

And here he is! With the kids! Time to go home.

And who would've known that this week I would add another nursing skill that I never wanted to my list? I am giving Joel his Lovenox shots at home. Twice a day, at least until his Coumadin levels are therapeutic again. Not as hard as I'd thought it would be but I hope they tell us he's therapeutic tomorrow... we went to lab today.