Our family got together today for the first time in 11 days. Erin has been asking and asking when she gets to see Cecily and Caleb. Well, today she got to spend most of the day with them. She was so excited when we came through the door. She just ran to the door and hugged each person and she jumped up and down and squealed so much.
The kids really had a blast playing together.
The kids got sillier and sillier as the day went on.
(John too. That reminds me, ask him about what happened to his pants on his drive home - he he)
Caleb taped himself up with surgical tape.
Erin just being her cute little self.
It really is wonderful to be together. The kids have adjusted well to our hospital schedules and we seem to be in a pretty good groove. It has come with its bumps, but overall I've been very grateful that we've been able to survive the last 5 1/2 months of this chaos.
Erin is really happy and just seems to be flying through this last round. So far, it has been her easiest round. The Doctors seemed to think it would be one of the worst. Really! She hasn't had any fevers and her energy level is almost normal. She is eating and pooping and peeing pretty normal (only a person who lives in a hospital talks about peeing and pooping - you can tell I've been here too long). She hasn't thrown up since our drive here. Last night we took her off the Zofran (anti-nausea medication) and she has eaten really well today. She is still taking Meropenem and Clindamycin for her cellulitis. We truly have been blessed. We've had our dark days and everything just seems to be much easier now.
I am so thankful.
Sometimes it is hard for me to be happy for how Erin is doing when I see so many kids and families who are suffering so much. Too much. Today one of our friends took their newborn baby off of life support. She has been having seizures every 2 minutes since birth and the Doctors just couldn't do anything for them. I have been thinking about this family all day and my heart has been so full of sorrow for this difficult time.
Living in the hospital has really brought out so many new found emotions within me. It has been such an eye opening experience. Some days I don't want to meet anyone new or talk to anyone about why they are here and other days I want to talk to everyone and cry with them. I wonder if I will miss the experiences I am having here when we are through? I know that I will not miss having our family apart.
Erin's white blood count has been slowly (really slowly) creeping up (0.4 and 0.5). That is the first sign that her ANC will start coming up. I just can't wait to bring her home and get our house decorated for Christmas. This is one Christmas that will forever be etched in our minds and hearts.
Thank you for your prayers!
Actually, parents of newborns also talk a lot about peeing and pooping and the more the baby does it (especially when it's somewhere other than the diaper), the more we talk about it and wonder how he can possibly go through so many diapers.
ReplyDeleteI tried to drop off some flowers from St. John's today, but y'all weren't there, so JaNiel took them to someone else who needed some perking up. It really does bring my heart a lot of joy with each post I read. I really didn't think that would happen - once my father died I thought I'd be jealous of everyone who's cancer fight was going well but it's been the exact opposite, for which I am INCREDIBLY grateful. Erin really is cuter than the Parker kids (and J knows this now), imho.
ReplyDeleteThat last picture is precious! I love it! I'm so glad she's doing well this round! Hurrah!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to hear all this! Hooray!! Go Erin Go!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your friends who just took their baby off of life support. What a hard, terrible decision to have to make as parents! I imagine that living in the hospital for so long has definitely made a big impression on you and taught a lot of things. It is true that you meet so many people who are in such hard situations. There is a lot of sadness and hurting in the world that it's easy to miss when you're just at home in your bubble doing your thing (and by you, I mean me :)). I remember when we were leaving the hospital with Elena after she was diagnosed and we met a lady in the elevator who's little newborn baby had just undergone surgery and had a host of problems and wasn't doing well at all. She wasn't sure he was going to make it. It was so sad and sobering. I wanted to throw my arms around her and hug her and cry with her even though I didn't know her. It is interesting the empathy and compassion that you develop for other people who are suffering from dealing with cancer in a loved one. Anyways... I'm rambling. But I enjoyed reading your thoughts on the subject! They made me think.
I hope all continues to go well!
Glad to hear she is doing so well!! Can't wait for this to all be over for you guys!
ReplyDeleteLove Cody and Amy
YAY! Things are moving in the right direction for you guys! I am SO SO SO happy! Little Erin deserves a nice, quiet Christmas at home with her family. I know you guys will enjoy every second of it!
ReplyDeleteJohn- what happened to your pants?? haha.
Chelsea, I was just leaving the hospital room when Jill pointed out that I had a small rip in my jeans next to my back pocket. I didn't think anything of it until I went to sit down in the car. next thing I know that little rip went from my belt loop half way down to my knee. Needless to say gassing up the car on the way out of Salt Lake was a little breezy.
ReplyDelete