Who needs sleep?

Apparently Dexter doesn't. Or at least his brain doesn't remember that he does. He was awake almost all day Friday, and possibly all night.

I wouldn't know because he's a very quiet little guy these days. I haven't heard him really cry since before we took him to the hospital (over two weeks ago). He occasionally whimpers or groans or sighs, but other than that, we don't hear too much from Dexter. Friday night when we went to bed, Dexter was all cozy in his bed, but with his eyes wide open. And when I got up the next morning a little after six, he was just as cozy and his eyes were just as open. Poor Dexter was starting to look totally exhausted; when he pulled that awake-all-day stunt at the hospital on Saturday and Monday, they just gave him some medicine to help him sleep at night, but his neurologist didn't recommend continuing that at thome. He said that if his seizures were under control, he should be able to sleep. It looks like his seizures have broken through this dose of Topamax and Kepra, so it'll probably be increased tomorrow. Gratefully, the current dose is still keeping the longer tonic clonic seizures at bay; he's just having more frequent short spasms. Well, he finally fell asleep Saturday afternoon for a couple of hours, but he was awake again too soon for his tired little body. Sunday he was awake for who knows how much of the morning. He finally fell asleep during his first ever Sacrament meeting and slept through the rest of Church--I'm glad he could finally get some peace there. And then after another long awake spell, his eyes were getting puffy and purplish and he looked totally worn out by his own brain. That's when he fell asleep in Grandma's arms and looked this angelic and sweet and peaceful and cozy.
Doesn't Dexter look better at home? It is so good to have him home with the whole family. Life still isn't easy for him, but I like to think it's a little easier for him at home than it was at the hospital. I've felt bad for the little guy, so I haven't made him go through the stress of trying to take a bottle. We've just been doing his oral exercises and giving him a milk-dipped pacifier. His suck was really weak right after extubation, and it's getting a little stronger, but it's still so much weaker than it was when he was a month old. And his PT recommended tummy time over the boppy to help him develop the strength to hold up his head. Even though he's been awake, he's not awake enough for such exercises--that takes energy! Watching him try to lift his head is simultaneously sweet and pitiful. Poor guy!