Daddy says Zeke is more like Wolverine of Marvel Comics’ X-Men. Wolverine is a mutant, whose primary mutation is an accelerated healing process that regenerates damaged or destroyed areas of his body far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary human. This power facilitated the artificial improvements he was subjected to under the government’s Weapon X program, in which Wolverine’s skeleton was reinforced with a nearly-indestructible metal alloy called adamantium and his hands were implanted with retractible claws.

Well, Zeke might not be a mutant with super-human abilities, but here are some examples of his stellar progress and inspirational courage:

•  6:30 a.m. — I woke up to find a little blood on Zeke’s face and sheets. He had had small scabs on each side of his nose from the tape used to adhere all the breathing gear to his face during the surgery; apparently, he had simply scratched at one of these boo boos during his sleep.
• 7 a.m. — The tubing (only used for intermittent antibiotics) hooked to Zeke’s IV came out during his morning boob fix. Nurse Faith decided to leave it out for the time being.
• 8:30 a.m. — According to his early morning x-ray, there is a tiny bit of air between Zeke’s lungs and the inner incision area — a minor hiccup, says the doc. The theory is that the slow-leaking chest tube caused the dressing to loosen, thus, Zeke was taking in air when he breathed. A fresh dressing should fix the hiccup.
• 9:15 a.m. — Zeke got his finger pricked for his daily blood work and didn’t shed a tear. Instead, he flashed the nurse a big grin, and played with the new and fun bandaging on his finger. “It’s smiles like his that will get me through today,” she said, noting that this was her first day taking blood in the pediatric unit, and she was dreading the sadness she would inevitably cause for many kids.
• 10:15 a.m. — I was startled out of a sound nap by Zeke screaming, while two docs hovered over his bed. Freaked out initially, the docs quickly explained they were simply changing Zeke’s dressing. Whew! The doc commented that Zeke didn’t even whimper when he removed the old bandages, and the angst I saw was just some tear-free crying caused by his impatience with the new dressing.
• 10:45 a.m. — While breastfeeding, I felt something wet on my hand. When I looked down, I saw a puddle of blood on the floor. I got Zeke back in his bed as gingerly but quickly as possibly, and frantically buzzed the nurse. I thought something had gone horribly wrong with the incision and/or chest tube. Luckily, Zeke’s IV had simply come loose. So I’d already had two near heart attacks today, and it wasn’t even lunchtime yet. Geez!
• 2:30 p.m. – Nurse Faith helped me give Zeke his second sponge bath. Thankfully, that rank hand stinks no more, and we were able to remove most of the adhesive remnants from his little post-surgery body.
• 4:45 p.m. — Zeke ate his first pureed solids: yummy bananas, and chicken and gravy. Mmmm.

Other Wolverine-related notables:

• Zeke’s temperature and blood pressure have been perfect all day.
• Since Zeke’s IV mishap, he has only been hooked up to a chest tube and a JP drain. I was adamant about Zeke not getting a fourth IV inserted into his already worn and tired body, since the only thing he had been getting via IV as of late antibiotics, which I know come in liquid form. Fortunately, the doc agreed and Zeke is now IV-free.
• I half-jokingly told Faith I wanted to throw the chair (i.e., torture device) provided to me for breastfeeding out the window. So, being the awesome nurse that she is, Faith helped get the chest tubing arranged so that I now breastfeed Zeke on the sofa/adult bed.
• And then, Faith wheeled a “hot” recliner from the PICU. Shhhh, these chairs aren’t supposed to be in the regular pediatric rooms, so don’t tell.
• Everyone at Brenner’s has been extraordinary to my son and me. God willing, you won’t have to go to a children’s hospital to have your kid or a young loved one treated for a serious condition, disease, injury or illness. But know that Wake Forest Univery Baptist Medical Center is a wonderful facility, full of kind and talented people.