Lisa Bicknell, Columnist
Here are some things that evoke that “good ol’ summertime feeling” in me: the sight of Queen Anne’s lace in bloom along the roadside, the sound of heat bugs buzzing at night, and the smell of green beans cooking on the stove.
More signs that summer is in full bloom in Estill County: Fireworks stands are a common sight around town, and it’s hard to get a call through to the Burger Barn on a Saturday night.
The county fair’s going on, and there’s rain in the forecast for nearly every night of it.
More and more, we get to share these traditions with our young grandson Clay. He’s not “baby Clay” any more, but a big boy of 20 months old.
Last week marked the one-year anniversary of the day Clay got to come home from the hospital after an eight month stay in the NICU.
Looking back at videos taken around that time, it’s obvious how far he’s come. His breathing was visibly more labored then, and he was weak as a kitten.
Clay has grown stronger and longer, and he’s a joy to everyone who knows him.
Honestly, when I first learned I was going to become “Nana” more than two years ago, I was a bit shocked.
I hadn’t spent a lot of time envisioning myself in that role. I mean, I certainly looked forward to becoming a grandmother—someday-but it seemed like that day was far away in the distant future.
I’ll have to say it’s a role I’ve settled into without much problem, though. I love being Nana, because I love that little boy.
Anyway, I’m rambling, and my point is this.
Last week marked another important development in Clay’s progress. At his last visit to the pulmonologist a couple of weeks ago, the doctor said he thought Clay was ready to come off any extra oxygen during his waking hours. Just put it on him at night for a couple more weeks, he said.
He also gave the go-ahead to wean a couple more settings on the ventilator and said if that went well, they could try taking him off the vent for short periods of time.
If you’ve followed his story, you know that there have been several other attempts to come off the ventilator that didn’t go so well.
This time, things are different.
Two and three hours at a time, our boy is breathing on his own, with no vent and no extra oxygen!
I couldn’t help but get teary-eyed the first time I carried him around inside and outside his house without the vent.
It’s so much easier than lugging that cumbersome equipment around, although I thank God that we had it when he needed it.
It didn’t take Clay long to figure out he was untethered either. Hannah said he took off “scootin’ like a little wild man” when he realized he was free. That’s his preferred way of getting around—he scoots on his bottom instead of crawls.
Now she’s getting a taste of what typical toddlerhood looks like as he discovers that he can throw things in the toilet, unroll the toilet paper and empty kitchen cabinets.
There’s one thing about it that is a bit sad; Clay had learned to vocalize quite well with the vent, but when he wears a trach collar, it’s hard for him to make sounds.
The air flows differently around his vocal cords, and he’s going to have to re-learn how to talk.
I have no doubt that he’ll figure it out, because he is one smart little cookie.
Not only is Clay talking, a speech therapist comes and works with him every week or two, and she’s taught him to sign many words. It’s the cutest thing to watch him sign “cat,” “dog,” “book” and one of his favorite words, “go!”
He still loves to be pulled around in his little red wagon. He loves anything with wheels and seemed fascinated the other day as he watched some of the family farmers haul hay here at the house.
There are still some feeding issues. Clay continues to be fed through a G-tube, where he gets formula and a blenderized diet, but his gag reflex is sensitive still, and it doesn’t take much to cause an upchuck.
Still, he seems to feel good, and he’s a happy and content child. These are some of many gains we celebrate as we look forward to the day when he is independent of all tubes.
That’s an Independence Day this family will be celebrating for a long time.