On The Mend

Wow! I can't tell you how happy I am to have the past week behind me.  It was one of the toughest weeks I have had since being a mom.  Penelope was sick all week.  Our house smelled of vomit and was in total disarray.  Penelope only wanted to be in my arms, which left all of my other mom duties on the way side.  I didn't mind it for the first couple of days, but then it really started to ware on me.  I was exhausted and it was killing me to see P so sick.  She stopped eating entirely for four days and started losing her chubby baby legs, wet diapers were minimal and she was turning pale and grey.  It was awful to say the least.  

Thursday night we took her to the urgent care, where the doctor said she had the beginning of an ear infection, put her on some antibiotics and sent us on our way.  Getting P to take medicine is whole other story.  She was thankfully able to keep her medicine down, but I didn't see any improvements with her fevers and being lethargic.  Saturday I couldn't take it any longer.  I called the pediatrician and he advised us to take her to the ER because of dehydration and to have her tested for a UTI.   Tyson and his dad gave P a sweet blessing and almost immediately she started to look better.  She ate some snow cone and even some crackers.  We still wanted to have her checked out, to have the reassurance that all was well. 

Tyson and I loaded her into the car and made the drive to Children's Hospital once again.  I was dreading what was about to come.  They took us into a room and started some blood work.  Maybe it is the pregnancy hormones but I was a total mess.  They had to hold P down and pricked her over and over again to try and get some blood.  I have never seen her scream so loudly.  It broke my heart.  They had three different people try, but no success.  It was the fifth time, that was the final straw.  I begged them to stop and see if she would just take a bottle.  The doctor agreed to try that.  I was relieved, but knew she still had to get catheterized.  That was a nightmare as well.  After a couple grueling hours we finally got the tests results back.  Her levels showed only a viral infection, a small trace of bacteria in her urine and still a little ear infection.  After all of that, it was finally time to take our baby home.  She was a total wreck, we all were.

It made me wonder how we ever got through her open heart surgery.  I feel like I was much stronger then.  Thankfully she was so young and couldn't scream for me.  I am grateful for the Lord's timing on that one.  

I realize this is a minimal illness, but it was a first for us.  It's difficult being a first time mom and not knowing when you are over reacting or when you have held off for too long.  Thank heavens I have my mom who has worked for a pediatrician for over twelve years.  She is always there to answer my calls and listens to me and talks me through all my worries, no matter what time of the day it may be.  Thankfully I also have a husband who is constantly taking care of me and Penelope.  He helped put our house back together and held Penelope, so I could finally wash my hair.  It was all terrible, but we got through it.  It's crazy how when we are in the midst of a trial, we can't seem to see the end of the tunnel, but it always works out and we have little blessings along the way to get us through.  My in-laws are a huge blessing and our constantly offering help.  They bring us food and put a smile on Penelope's face.  

We are all back to normal now and couldn't be more thrilled!  It's amazing the little things I take for granted.  Even though Penelope is back to her little spit fire self, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Cheers to good health!!!!