There’s an air of excitement and suspense around here when Eli’s vest machine needs new parts.
I’m not sure why it took us so long to order a new vest. We have had to duct tape him in the thing so it stayed on – for weeks.
We finally did, sending a chest measurement in to Hill-Rom, wondering if he was big enough for the type of vest that looks like a life vest rather than a wraparound deal. Nope, he got another wraparound yesterday as well as new tubes. He has been massacring these tubes, running around while hooked in, leaving the plastic thinner and thinner at the spots the tubes hook the the Vest Machine. The machine pumps warm air through the tubes in pulses, inflating the inside of his vest and rattling his lungs.
We got new tubes in the mail, too. These are white and made of more resilient plastic.
Mark called me at work with a report.
The whole system is more powerful now. He whined about it at first, but adapted. Today Eli huffed out a few coughs, and we wondered if it was because the thing is shaking harder or if he is getting sick again. He’s had a stuffy, though not running, nose for a good two weeks. I may have him checked for allergies. Anyway, here is Eli with his new stuff today playing with blocks and his sister.
He has spent 455 hours of his young life like what’s pictured below.
