Oral Surgery, New Dishwasher, and Family Photos

Oral Surgery

At the beginning of the month James had surgery to remove his remaining baby teeth. Like a lot of things that involve James, this wasn’t something we took lightly. There is a certain amount of risk with any surgery, no matter how big or small. Because James doesn’t have a suck/swallow reflex, we thought that the risk of one of his baby teeth falling out and getting stuck in his throat outweighed the potential risks of surgery.

Fortunately, the surgery went without a hitch. The original plan was to remove eleven teeth. When the doctor spoke to us before surgery, he said he may not remove all eleven, but wouldn’t know for sure until he got in there.

 

James lies in a hospital bed wearing a gown patterned with blue and purple stars and a blue surgical cap. He is positioned on his back with one arm resting toward the side rail. White sheets, medical equipment, and the clean, clinical setting make it clear this is a hospital environment, capturing a quiet moment before surgery.
Prepped for surgery

 

James lies in a hospital bed wearing a star‑patterned gown and a blue surgical cap. Stacy leans in close, gently kissing his cheek, creating a quiet moment of comfort and support. The clinical setting — white sheets, medical equipment, and soft lighting — frames the scene as a tender moment before surgery.
Mommy kisses

 

Stacy usually gets a little teary before they wheel him away for surgery but this time she managed to hold the tears back. That was until we could hear him start talking in his own little language as they were wheeling him down the hall. Then the tears started flowing. “He’ll be okay dear. He’s in good hands.”

The surgery was scheduled for 1:15 pm, but they were running behind schedule and they didn’t take him back until about 2:30. Stacy and I were starving so we went upstairs to grab some lunch in the cafeteria. Stacy had worn a black tank top that she sewed a big purple ribbon on for epilepsy awareness. As we were waiting for the elevator, we learned that a purple ribbon is also used to raise awareness for domestic violence, and October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

 

Stacy stands indoors near a bulletin board display focused on domestic violence awareness. The board has a black background and is covered with informational sheets, purple ribbons, and a circular diagram labeled “Cycle,” along with other resources and support materials. Stacy wears a black tank top featuring a large purple ribbon and carries a backpack over one shoulder. The scene highlights a moment of advocacy and visibility for domestic violence awareness within a community space.
The purple ribbon is for epilepsy awareness AND domestic violence awareness

 

Surgery was only supposed to last about an hour, but it ended up being closer to two, and then it was off to recovery. Poor little dude.

 

James lies in a hospital bed with medical gauze in his mouth and an oxygen mask positioned close to his face. Tubing and nearby equipment indicate they’re receiving medical care. The white sheets and clinical surroundings make the setting clearly a hospital, capturing a quiet moment during recovery.
This is how he looked when we first walked into recovery

 

James lies on a hospital bed face down with his head turned to the side, resting on a folded white cloth. He is wearing a hospital gown patterned with blue and purple arrows. Medical tubing and equipment sit close by, making the clinical setting clear. The scene captures a quiet moment of recovery in a hospital environment.
We gave him a little bit of belly time in recover before we headed home

 

James lies on a hospital bed on his back with hishead turned to the side, resting on a folded white towel. His upper chest and shoulder show visible redness and blotching. The mouth is open, showing teeth and gums. Medical tubing and equipment sit close by, and hospital furnishings like drawers and devices fill the background. The scene captures a quiet moment during recovery.
Getting changed into his clothes to head home

 

The tooth fairy normally leaves $1 for one of James’ teeth. Is there an upcharge for teeth that were surgically removed, you know, to account for the additional pain and suffering?

 

A small translucent plastic container sits on a wooden surface. Inside, several extracted teeth with faint pink areas are arranged loosely along the bottom edge. The focus is on the container and its contents, presented in a simple, clinical way.
The teeth that were removed

 

Here are a couple of pictures from the morning after surgery.

 

A close‑up view of James' open mouth focusing on the upper palate. Dried and fresh blood, some swelling, and missing teeth in his upper jaw are visible.
The day after oral surgery

 

A close‑up view of James' open mouth shows the lower lip being gently pulled down with a finger. The inner lip is swollen and has visible bleeding. The teeth, gums, and tongue are visible, with the gums showing redness and irritation. The framing focuses on the injury inside the mouth in a clear, clinical way.
Plenty of room for his adult teeth to come in

 

We could tell that he had some pain and discomfort after the surgery, even with the pain meds, but overall, he did pretty good. Stacy said that James handled it better than I would have. Yeah, probably.

We had a follow-up with the oral surgeon two weeks after the surgery and he said everything looked good. It just may take a little bit longer than normal to heal because James is a mouth breather.

 

New Dishwasher

James and I tackled another father and son project a few weeks ago. I went to run the dishwasher and it wouldn’t start. Checked the circuit breaker to make sure it wasn’t tripped, and it wasn’t. It had to be about twenty years old, and the buttons had been a little finicky lately so I assumed that the control panel was a culprit.

After looking to see what our local home improvement stores had available, looking over reviews, and checking Consumer Reports, I went out to Menards and picked up a Whirlpool. We didn’t need anything fancy, just a basic dishwasher to wash our dishes. After I got it home, I enlisted James’ help to get it installed.

 

In a kitchen with wooden cabinets, a refrigerator, and an open dishwasher, Jeff kneels on the floor working on the appliance with tools spread nearby. Close to him, James lies on a cushioned setup on the floor, wearing a red‑and‑black plaid shirt and blue jeans, with a yellow blanket on his lap. The counters hold bottles, dishes, and a dish rack. The scene captures a mix of everyday repair work and caregiving happening side by side in a home setting.
Removing the old dishwasher

 

James lies in his cushioned reclining chair on a light wooden floor beside a kitchen cabinet. He is wearing a red‑and‑black checkered shirt. Several tools — including wrenches, a screwdriver, and a level — are scattered on the floor nearby.
“Let me know what tool you need Daddy”

 

James lies in his cushioned reclining chair on a light colored wood floor. He is wearing a red‑and‑black checkered shirt. On the wooden floor beside him, several tools — including a wrench, screwdriver, pliers, a level, and a utility knife — are arranged neatly. The scene blends a quiet resting moment with the presence of tools, suggesting a pause in the middle of home tasks.
“Here’s the screwdriver Daddy”

 

A kitchen area features a white Whirlpool dishwasher set between two wooden cabinets. The countertop above it holds a yellow measuring tape, a red cloth, a dish rack with dishes, and other everyday kitchen items. The light‑colored wood floor adds to the clean, lived‑in feel of the space. The scene shows a typical kitchen setup with the dishwasher integrated into the cabinetry.
It works!

 

A side‑by‑side comparison shows two dishwashers installed under the same kitchen counter. On the left is an older beige dishwasher labeled “OUT WITH THE OLD…”. On the right is a newer white Whirlpool model with digital controls labeled “IN WITH THE NEW!”. The countertop above both appliances holds similar items, including a dish rack, a tape measure, and red cloths, making it clear this is the same kitchen before and after the upgrade.
Out with the old…in with the new!

 

After we got it installed and all hooked up, we gave it a test run. Guess what? It had a leak! Are you kidding me?! It turned out that there was a small crack in the drain tube. So, what do I do now? Do I disconnect the dishwasher, pull it out, box it up, take it back to Menards, get another one, and start the installation all over again? Do I contact Whirlpool for a replacement drain tube and not have a dishwasher for however long it takes to get the tube delivered? I didn’t like either one of those options. I was able to get the tube off, took it to Menards, found one that was the same size, put it on, and no leaks! We have used it a few times over the past couple of weeks and it’s been working great. Thanks James for the assist.

 

Family Photos

As if raising a medically complicated child isn’t stressful enough. The dishwasher broke on a Saturday, and by the time I did my research and got the new dishwasher home, it was too late in the day to install it. We had our annual family pictures scheduled for Sunday afternoon, so the plan was to get it installed Sunday morning before our pictures. If it hadn’t been for that leak in the drain tube, we would have been done with plenty of time to spare before pictures. I didn’t want to leave the project unfinished and come back to it later, so I rushed to the store for the replacement tube and then raced back home to put it on.

Then I had to quickly take a shower. Not that you’d be able to smell me through the pictures, but I felt like I just needed to freshen up a bit before the pictures. Unfortunately, it rained in the morning and the grass was still wet so we couldn’t take too many outdoor pictures. We still got plenty of good ones, though. Here are a few of the better ones.

 

A close‑up shows a James' lower legs and feet wearing red Converse All‑Star sneakers with white laces and soles. He is seated in a wheelchair with a red frame and black footrests. The background includes an outdoor concrete surface with a bit of greenery, giving the scene an open, casual feel while highlighting mobility and personal style.

 

Stacy, Jeff and James are gathered outdoors on a covered patio. James sits in a supportive wheelchair, wearing a red‑and‑black plaid shirt, blue jeans, and red sneakers. Stacy and Jeff stand behind the chair — Stacy in a red top with a matching headband, Jeff in a dark red and white checkered shirt and blue jeans. Behind them is a grassy yard with trees and neighboring houses, giving the scene a calm suburban feel. The moment reads as a family pause filled with care and togetherness.

 

Stacy, Jeff, and James are outdoors under a wooden structure. James sits in a supportive wheelchair with padded armrests, wearing a red‑and‑black plaid shirt and red shoes. Stacy and Jeff stand behind the chair — Stacy dressed in red with a matching headband, Jeff in a dark red and white checkered shirt and jeans. Behind them is a grassy yard with trees and nearby houses, giving the moment a calm, suburban feel and highlighting a sense of family togetherness.

 

Stacy, Jeff and James are gathered outdoors under a covered porch or shelter. James sits in a wheelchair at the center, wearing a red‑and‑black plaid shirt. On either side, Stacy and Jeff lean in toward each other and share a kiss above James — Stacy dressed in red with a red polka‑dot headband, Jeff in a dark red and white checkered shirt. Behind them is a grassy yard with trees and a house, giving the moment a soft, suburban feel and highlighting a sense of affection and family connection.

 

A three‑panel sequence shows Jeff and Stacy standing outdoors under a wooden structure with trees and houses in the background. In the first panel, they stand side by side, smiling toward the camera. In the second, Jeff in the checkered shirt steps in closer and wraps his arms around Stacy wearing a red shawl and a red headband. In the third panel, Jeff and Stacy are laughing together while embracing. The progression captures a growing sense of warmth, closeness, and shared affection.

 

Stacy, James, and Jeff sit together on a bed with a wooden headboard, all dressed in pajamas. Stacy on the left and James in the middle wear matching gray‑and‑red shirts that say “DON’T WAKE THE BEAR,” each with a bear graphic. Jeff on the right wears a black shirt and red pajama pants patterned with bears. They’re seated close together, creating a relaxed, cozy family moment.

 

Stacy, James, and Jeff sit close together on a bed in front of a wooden headboard. Stacy on the left wears a gray‑and‑red shirt with the word “DON’T” visible. James sits between Stacy and Jeff, wearing a red‑and‑gray shirt, looking upward with his mouth slightly open. Jeff on the right wears a dark shirt. The three are positioned closely, creating the feeling of a relaxed, intimate family moment.

 

Other Stuff

James’ 4th Grade photo is framed and hanging up on the wall outside of his bedroom.

 

A framed school portrait shows James wearing a blue‑and‑white plaid shirt, smiling in front of an autumn‑colored background. The frame includes printed text in the lower left corner that reads “James 4th Grade 2018–19.” The photo hangs on a wall, presented as a formal school picture.
4th Grade school picture

 

November is Epilepsy Awareness Month and Stacy will be doing another fundraiser for the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Chicago. Keep your eye open for the link on the Fans of James Facebook page.