Fri-Day of Firsts!

This is yesterday's post that didn't happen. (Sorry)

To start, "Fri-day" was Megan's first day home from the hospital. She slept in her spot on the couch most of the day - enough that I wondered if she would sleep at all last night. However, she did and was awake most of the day today.

Next, remember this post? Well, if you think about it (if you like math at all), you might figure that Fri-day was also the first day Monica could do this:


She wanted to wear these "dangling diamond earrings" (cough. cough.)


What she doesn't know can't hurt her at this point, right? We decided that these earrings could only be worn on special occasions (The first change is definitely a special occasion) and not to bed. So, just before bed, we changed to these, less dangly ones:


They were the reason she went through with the piercing anyway. That's right! These earrings are "Hannah" style. (And, not available as magnets or clip-ons.) All Hannah's accessories feature guitars - although Monica is wearing pink in this picture, the earrings also came in blue and yellow. WOW!

Now, if you'll excuse us, it's time to change to the blue ones.

I am sooo starting to love being the mother of a growing girly girl.

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Friday it is! So Thankful!

I don't think I am going to jinx anything by announcing that the doctors are getting Megan's walking papers ready for tomorrow morning. She will be taking her full strength feeding schedule today and as long as everything goes well, we are "outta here." I am so thankful that:

1. Megan is laughing in her sleep as I type this update.

2. This hospital stay was relatively uneventful.

3. We were only here for a week.

4. We got to stay in our home town.

5. Megan has gotten through the whole week of being on IV fluids with the use of 2 peripheral IV's. And, both of them were placed on the first "poke." Now, that is a truly remarkable answer to prayer.

6. This Thankful Thursdays theme started by Lisa at Welcome to the Nut House. You can visit her blog and also view others who have linked their posts of thankfulness today.


Is there anything you are thankful for? Leave a comment - or - link with everyone else if you have a blog too.

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We're Home Again!

Here are our "smiling in the car" pictures from our trip home yesterday. The car ride was unsettling to Megan's system. But, we finally made it back home to rest in our own beds.


Yes, they discharged Megan on Friday, not Saturday. We got home at about 7:30pm. We are still not finished "moving back in" yet. Between Megan's busy schedule, getting some rest, meeting a new nursing provider, and filling perscriptions we have been trying to put some medical supplies and our luggage away.


It was some crazy billboard that got the smiles that were produced for these pictures. Whatever works is just fine with me - as long as I have my camera ready.


Here are all my kids laying on the couch watching a movie together.


It's such a nice feeling! Now, if they could just do that more often!

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Checklist for Thursday Saturday?

Updated Thursday Morning: The "fever monster" showed his ugly face (ever so briefly) yesterday. They took blood cultures to be sure that the fever was not caused by the reoccurence of the bacterial infection we have been fighting. They won't have results until 48 hours have passed. (We were sooooo close!)

Be watching throughout the day for important information about our activities. Then comment a guess as to what you think we are doing.

Antibiotics Ordered at Home Health. Check
Nursing Care Hours Set. Check.
Echocardiogram Appointed. Check.
Blood Cultures Ordered. Check.
Laundry Washed. Check.
Laundry Dried.
Bags Packed.
Room Cleaned.
Van Packed.
Medical Supplies Charged. Check.
Daughter Dressed.
Prescriptions Filled.
Report Written.
Walking Papers Received.
Last Antibiotics Administered.

I'll let you know when we get there. We'll be taking pictures for this sight to see. Let's keep our fingers crossed and pray that the ugly "fever monster" has been scared away for good.

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No Handbook

Remember when you had your first child?

Remember what you were feeling on the day you brought him/her home for the first time?

I'm not talking about the obvious sheer joy that comes with the knowledege that you were chosen to be the parent of the most beautiful person you have ever laid eyes on. I am talking about the healthy dose of reality that sets in the moment you realize you are responsible for this new life and that there are so many "things" to know and learn about being a parent and caring for your child. Some find it exciting (I did too, by the way), some are very serious, some are even - dare I say - frightened.

Some call their parents and pick their brains for knowledge, some read books, some take their pediatricians advice as absolute gospel, others just "wing it" (I am craving this skill today. If anyone has it let me know what the secret is). Anyway, I have done all of the above actions many times throughout my parenting career and I am still frightened. My parents do not have the answers, textbooks have been thrown out the window, pediatricians are stumped, and my only option is to pray for wings to pick me up and carry me through this uncertain time.

I have been doing a lot of reading about how other parents in situations such as mine are living their lives and handling their emotions. Emotions run rampant and it is physically draining even before mentioning the 24-hour care that I am responsible to provide.

All this is to say that we are coming home very soon. Megan's fever has been under 38 degrees celcius (that's the magic number - although 37 degrees is 98.6) for about 30 hours now. I pray that the fever continues to stay away even after the two weeks of the IV antibiotics are finished. Although, we are unsure how realistic this is. We have tried to change some dosages with her daily medicine regimen to try to help her tolerate her feedings and they are giving me a schedule for when she can have additional pain medication and how much to give. We are working out details with the home nursing care company in preparation for our homecoming as far as the 14 day of IV antibiotics are concerned. On the bright side, I am so excited to be able to see my family again and sleep in my own bed.

Please pray that I will feel more peace about our new regimen once again and that I will be able to complete the many necessary requirements of caring for my sweet daughter. I am feeling so very inadequate. But I love this little girl more than humanly possible.

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