Demboski Family Christmas Party, sort of.

This picture of Ashley at the Demboski Family Christmas Party was the only one I took this year.

We were just getting the party started when Andrew fell. All of the kids were running around throughout the house and the adults were cheering them on. We were all having fun. The party had just begun and then BAM! Andrew fell! Poor thing couldn't stop crying and we decided to take him to Torrance Memorial. Paul and I waited with him in the lobby for 3 hours, when I decided to head back to the house to check on the girls. Once I got there, the phone rang and it was Paul telling me that Andrew fractured his elbow and would need surgery tonight. I cried, then drove to the hospital just in time to watch them start an IV and take some blood. Within minutes the on call Orthopedic surgeon came in. He explained to us that he was going to have to place pins in his elbow and then he will be in a cast for 4 weeks. Andrew received pain medicine and built Legos that Santa brought him at the Christmas party. They played in his hospital bed until an OR nurse came and wheeled him to the OR room. We signed consents, met with the Anesthesiologist. Fred got to go with him, but we had to say goodbye. I told all of the OR staff to take good care of my baby. They were all amazing! Andrew called the OR the Control room, so that is what the surgery team kept calling it too.

Paul and I made our way tot he surgery waiting area and ate left over party food that our family packed up for us. We were starving! Then I fell asleep. I had been up for 40 hours, because I had worked the night before. It was after midnight when Paul woke me up and we go to go see him. He was still asleep. He had a purple cast on and so did Fred. I could not be happier with the staff there, they truly know how to make it easy on the parents and even more important they brought comfort and great care to my son. I held his had and looked at him for what seemed like forever. His little fingers were swollen. He finally woke up and I gave him a million kisses before saying goodbye. Paul stayed with him over night in the Pediatric unit. I went back to Paul's parents house to be with the girls. I knew Ashley would want to nurse soon.

 The next morning I went to the hospital to see this. Andrew was all tucked into his bed and he had 6 presents at the foot of his bed that Santa brought him last night. In reality the firefighters dropped off gifts to the pediatric unit from donations they received from a toy drive. It was so heart warming to receive these gifts. Andrew only broke his arm and just required one surgery. I cannot imagine the other families that have children who are chronically ill. We felt so blessed.

 Andrew was experiencing pain, but the orange medicine helped take it away. His RN was fantastic and helped with a quick discharge so Andrew could celebrate Christmas with the Demboski side of the family.

Allison and Ashley had fun with Aunt Katie. She took excellent care of my girls. Everyone should be so lucky to have an Aunt Katie.