Hello all. I've been MIA from the blog for a while as we've had a lot of illness. The latest adventure began last Wednesday.....
Faith and Eve were both sick, and Faith was running a fever, so I planned to bring them to the doctor at 4:00. By the time I picked up Lili at school at 11:30 it became clear I needed them to be seen earlier. Faith had a bad cough and was lethargic. They got me in at 1:30 and Faith was given a nebulizer breathing treatment. They sent me to their Hampton office to borrow a nebulizer for home use. I spent most of that night up with Faith who either needed a treatment, or was jittery from the medication (albuterol). I got two hours of sleep that night, and the next morning Eve was running a temperature too. By late morning I was at the doctor's office holding both girls in my lap as they shared a breathing treatment. Dr. Brown told me we might avoid a hospitalization if the meds help them to breathe and rest. They coughed all the way home. It was time to pack up for the hospital.
That first day was kind of scary. I could tell the doctors and nurses were worried. They ran flu and RSV tests, which both came back negative. Then Eve became very agitated after receiving a breathing treatment and other meds. Her heart rate went up over 200, and I couldn't get her to stop crying and writhing in my arms.
"Could she go into cardiac arrest?" I asked the nurse.
"It is very rare, but that is why I'm staying right with you two." she replied.
That was when I fell apart.
It was later determined that her distress was likely from a mucous plug in her lungs that was loosened by the treatment and became painful. She also had nausea from the medication and barfed all over me. I was given a stylish pair of scrubs for the rest of our stay.
The nurses fell in love with the girls, especially Faith who never failed to thank every doctor, nurse, and respiratory therapist before they left the room. Her little raspy voice calling out, "Thank you! Bye! See you later!" She would spot Dr. Brown at the nurses station and call out, "Hi Dr. Brown!"
By Friday both girls were feeling better, and Eve was feeling good enough to be a handful. At every opportunity she pressed the nurse call button, escaped down the hall, and got the bathroom door open so she could dance in the tub. Both girls enjoyed wagon rides up and down the hall, and visits to the playroom. A four foot stuffed snowman in the hall became a frequent destination. ("Go see snowman!" said Faith.)
While I would much rather have my children well, I must say I enjoyed having nurses to help me whenever I needed anything. I remembered many of them from when I delivered Liliana and when the triplets spent time as newborns in their nursery before coming home. They took good care of me; getting me beverages, pillows, making sure I had food and rest. All I had to do was press that button. By midnight on Thursday I was fatigued beyond belief. Faith was agitated from the treatment and wouldn't settle on me. I desperately needed rest, and the nurses knew it. They convinced me to go to the room next door and sleep. I felt guilty, but I did. It was great. I knew the girls were well cared for. I did it again on Friday night, and had the best sleep I've had in over two years.
Finally I was able to bring them home on Saturday. It was wonderful to have the family reunited. We had arranged to have our friend (and registered nurse) Lauryn Walker over to help Jim that night, so I felt comfortable singing at the Easter Vigil that night. On Easter morning the triplets were up before Lili, and Eve began to find the eggs hidden in the living room. Faith figured out how to open them, proclaiming, "Oh Look! Cookies!"
Faith and Eve were both sick, and Faith was running a fever, so I planned to bring them to the doctor at 4:00. By the time I picked up Lili at school at 11:30 it became clear I needed them to be seen earlier. Faith had a bad cough and was lethargic. They got me in at 1:30 and Faith was given a nebulizer breathing treatment. They sent me to their Hampton office to borrow a nebulizer for home use. I spent most of that night up with Faith who either needed a treatment, or was jittery from the medication (albuterol). I got two hours of sleep that night, and the next morning Eve was running a temperature too. By late morning I was at the doctor's office holding both girls in my lap as they shared a breathing treatment. Dr. Brown told me we might avoid a hospitalization if the meds help them to breathe and rest. They coughed all the way home. It was time to pack up for the hospital.
That first day was kind of scary. I could tell the doctors and nurses were worried. They ran flu and RSV tests, which both came back negative. Then Eve became very agitated after receiving a breathing treatment and other meds. Her heart rate went up over 200, and I couldn't get her to stop crying and writhing in my arms.
"Could she go into cardiac arrest?" I asked the nurse.
"It is very rare, but that is why I'm staying right with you two." she replied.
That was when I fell apart.
It was later determined that her distress was likely from a mucous plug in her lungs that was loosened by the treatment and became painful. She also had nausea from the medication and barfed all over me. I was given a stylish pair of scrubs for the rest of our stay.
The nurses fell in love with the girls, especially Faith who never failed to thank every doctor, nurse, and respiratory therapist before they left the room. Her little raspy voice calling out, "Thank you! Bye! See you later!" She would spot Dr. Brown at the nurses station and call out, "Hi Dr. Brown!"
By Friday both girls were feeling better, and Eve was feeling good enough to be a handful. At every opportunity she pressed the nurse call button, escaped down the hall, and got the bathroom door open so she could dance in the tub. Both girls enjoyed wagon rides up and down the hall, and visits to the playroom. A four foot stuffed snowman in the hall became a frequent destination. ("Go see snowman!" said Faith.)
While I would much rather have my children well, I must say I enjoyed having nurses to help me whenever I needed anything. I remembered many of them from when I delivered Liliana and when the triplets spent time as newborns in their nursery before coming home. They took good care of me; getting me beverages, pillows, making sure I had food and rest. All I had to do was press that button. By midnight on Thursday I was fatigued beyond belief. Faith was agitated from the treatment and wouldn't settle on me. I desperately needed rest, and the nurses knew it. They convinced me to go to the room next door and sleep. I felt guilty, but I did. It was great. I knew the girls were well cared for. I did it again on Friday night, and had the best sleep I've had in over two years.
Finally I was able to bring them home on Saturday. It was wonderful to have the family reunited. We had arranged to have our friend (and registered nurse) Lauryn Walker over to help Jim that night, so I felt comfortable singing at the Easter Vigil that night. On Easter morning the triplets were up before Lili, and Eve began to find the eggs hidden in the living room. Faith figured out how to open them, proclaiming, "Oh Look! Cookies!"
Easter Baskets and Easter Flowers
Opening baskets
Eve finds the first egg
Faith and Lili having cookies
Joe really likes cookies!
Lili with eggs. Me in the background giving Faith a nebulizer treatment.
Today (Monday) Joe has a full blown cold, Lili is running a fever, and I have a raw throat, but I am home alone with my kids and the triplets are napping. Life is good.
1 comment:
EVE LOOKS SO PROUD TO HAVE FOUND THE FIRST EGG.
AND JOE REALLY DOES LIKE HIS COOKIES!!!!!
YOU LOOK AMAZING AFTER ANOTHER NIGHT OF TWO HOURS SLEEP.
THOSE LITTLE FACES ARE BETTER THAN SLEEP.
GRAMMY
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