Past Few Days

Well, since we spent most of our thanksgiving holding Em or in the hospital, I suppose an update is in order...

Monday we took the feeding tube out of Emily's nose, hoping she was past her issues with not eating and it looked like we were right. She ate like a champion on Tuesday. So on Wednesday, we headed out to Grandma and Grandpa's place for tday. By the end of Wednesday, her oral aversion was back and she had only eaten about half her normal formula and no solids. We chalked it up as bad day and went to bed.

At 4am Thursday, she woke up crying and coughing, so I grabbed her, and when I turned her upright, she started to choke, so I turned her sideways...at which point she promptly threw up some nice green throw up. She did this three times in a very short time and her head felt like it was on fire...we decided it was time to take her in to the hospital. So off we went.

Her rectal temp was 103.9 and she was satting well but not great. They tested her for a UTI (urinary tract infection) and took x-rays for pneumonia and an intestinal blockage (explains green throw up). They all came back negative. Her fever broke at 7am, so they sent us home around 10am with instructions to watch for dehydration and to bring her back if she got worse.

So, my child who doesn't really like to be held and NEVER has a moment where she is still (even while she eats, her legs kick back and forth), spent the day sleeping on warm bodies and making sad, soft cries and eating one to two ounces at a time.

We had a wonderful meal with Grandma and Grandpa...this pic is only here cause her feet were cracking us up. She ate the whole meal with her legs like this.

We also went for a walk so we would feel better after over-eating and K could have some fun playing at the park.

K LOVES her Grandparents...but this might take the cake...we were in the other room trying to decide if we should take Em back to the hospital and being all serious and I walk out to see this. I started to smile and laugh as she completely ignored me so she could sit on her pillows and read her book with Poppy.

By 10pm, Emily had only eaten 10 ounces of formula and still had a fever, so we were very concerned about dehydration. After calling the nurses line and getting advice from several sources, we decided to take Em back to the hospital. They drew her blood and checked for infections. While we waited, they put her on an IV to get her fluids back up. Everything came back negative (again). We were released at 2am with a new nasal gavage tube that we are to insert if she doesn't eat today.

Right now she is crawling around and doesn't seem to notice she has only eaten one ounce the whole day.

It is ironic...a week ago, she had one symptom - not eating - and they wanted to admit her to the hospital 'to watch her'. I fought and said no. This week, she has a fever, cold symptoms, won't eat and is throwing up. I took her to the hospital last night, hoping they would take her and watch her and just please help her!! But this time around, they don't even ask, they just send us home with instructions that WE are to watch her.

Anyway, after being up for 24 hours straight, M and I came home with Em and crashed while she slept. K is with Grandma and Grandpa and they have agreed to keep her for one more day and M will take today off so we can sleep some more.

So, on this Thanksgiving Day I am thankful...

Thankful that we were at Grandma and Grandpa's place so K has people who love her dearly to watch her while we deal with Em again. Thankful that we live so close to great medical care.

Thankful that we have a little girl at home who, despite all her issues, hasn't been hospitalized since the day she left.

Thankful that we are now the experts on her and her care.

Thankful that she has her first big something of the season and she is still with us.

Thankful for M's job that allows him to take time off when we need it.

Thankful that we have a GREAT pediatrician and we can rest knowing she will see Em soon.

Thankful for a little girl who smiles and smiles no matter what is going on. We spent half an hour trying to get Em's blood and she still flashed a smile at the nurse when she was all done.

Thankful for K. I can't say that one enough...she is a quiet little spitfire in her own right but her smiles and 'talking' and energy for life keep us rolling and remind us that this too shall pass. Some day.

Thankful that two days ago, I was sitting on a swing, freezing cold, with my oldest daughter on my lap and watching the sun set while she told me the color of every 'dee-dah' (airplane) that flew over our heads.  Thankful that I live so much deeper than I ever have in my life.  That joy is so much more joyous and that frozen ears make me happy because they are spent with my girls.  

Thankful that there are people who care and hold us up in prayer. Thankful for family.

Thankful for God's mercy and grace. That there is always 'more and more' for us to ask for and tap into. Thankful that He will never leave us or forsake us. Thankful that He has a plan for all this and I can rest knowing it is His responsibility to make all this work out for good. And thankful that He died to forgive me of my sins and give me everything so I don't have to try to find it on my own.

I hope your tday was great and you feel blessed for all God has given you. God bless!!