Here we go again...

Last week Micah was getting his typical runny nose & cough. So I started cleaning things he touched (well, any of us really) and trying to keep contact with Gracie at a minimum (without being obvious and making him feel bad). But last Wednesday she started getting a bit of a runny nose and then Thursday a cough had developed and by that evening she didn't sound great. So I decided to take her in Friday morning to our pediatrician while the boys were in Kindergarten. Since Micah was so sick with bronchitis and RSV at 2 1/2 mo. (read here: Jan. 2007)we don't mess around with babies and what looks like a little "cold". I thought I was doing great by catching this and taking her to the Dr. before she got bad. Well, as soon as our Dr. put her stethoscope on Gracie's chest I knew it was too late. I tried to hold back the tears. I just did not want to go thru this again. Those 13 days in the hospital with Micah were tough (side note: I am fully aware there are families going thru MUCH worst, but I am speaking for our family and what has and is rocking our world at this moment). I called Danny and come to find out he had already been on his knees in prayer for our family. I drove home and packed some bags while Danny picked up the boys. We had a friend call while en route to the hospital offering to watch the boys for the afternoon. That was a huge help!

So a few hours later Gracie and I were in a room and she was hooked up to machines. It was a rough night. It really is amazing how little sleep you can get while in a hospital where you're supposed to be getting better and are told to rest (ha!). If a nurse wasn't coming in to poke her with something then Gracie was shifting and the wires would go off line and alarms would sound! Frustrating and tiring defines this past weekend. I am, however, extremely thankful that we caught this early enough though (ok, deep down this wasn't what I really consider 'early enough', but she is NO WHERE near as sick as Micah was at this age and for that I praise God).

Saturday she got worse. The breathing treatments were not working on her at all so she was put on a steroid to strengthen her lungs via an IV in her head. Then she was put on oxygen :( Gracie has also really had some stomach problems. Probably due to the meds in her system, but it has created some rather unpleasant hours for me & her.

Anyway, here I am Monday afternoon. The very nice Dr. that checked us in on Friday was here again this morning ( I don't want to talk about the jerk Dr. we had Sat./Sun.) and she was so informative and answered some questions I had asked the weekend Dr., but received no real answers. She said that they are going to take Gracie off of the oxygen for the day and see how she handles it (as of this writing she's doing really good!) and then she listened to her lungs again and said there is "little-to-no obstruction" in her chest! Thank you, Lord! We're on the mends. They are going to wean her from meds and we'll take it from there. Maybe mid-week we'll get to go home :)

Thank you to the many, many, of you that have written and said you're praying. Wow. It's so comforting to know that around the world our family was being brought to the Throne of God in prayer. I know we've needed it, but the boys maybe more so.... Micah has cried every night for me, Danny said. They aren't allowed to visit this floor of the hospital. Nate has his own way of being sad... not as outward, but still struggles with the family being apart.

Well, she's going to wake up soon and so I'll end this. I'm still shocked I am picking up an internet signal from somewhere. It's been nice to have contact with people via email, FB, etc. Just those little things that make my day :)

-krista-