Slick and Sleeting Saturday

Apologies for not updating sooner.  I thought I had managed to update the blog from my iPhone from the hospital yesterday, but apparently that update is floating around somewhere in cyberspace. 

Although yesterday was a long and full day at CHOP, we didn't get nearly as much accomplished as was originally planned.  A series of poor coordination between departments, emergencies popping up, and long delays in various departments meant that, despite being at CHOP for about 7 hours, we really only managed to have  Lilly pre-screened for anaesthesia and undergo her MRI.  Not that those are minor things, mind you, but it was only half of what we were planning on taking care of on Friday.  So the consult with Dr. Campbell--whom we ran into in a hallway and got to at least say hello--and Lilly's final pre-op X-rays have been rescheduled for Monday.  There was some question in the morning as to whether they would proceed with her MRI due to her lingering cough, but the anaesthesia nurse practictioner gave her a green light after listening to her lungs and pronouncing them clear. 

The MRI department was running way behind, so much of our day was spent in the waiting room, entertaining Lilly who was not permitted to eat after 10pm or drink anything after 9am.  She wasn't taken back for her MRI until close to 1pm, so we were all hungry and thirsty by then.  She did well, however, despite her obvious anxiety about the anesthesia ("I no wanna' go night night") and the MRI.  The scan too about 90 minutes, and then we spent about 45 minutes in recovery as she slowly woke up and shook off the grogginess.

A brisk walk through the nippy winter air from CHOP back to the Ronald McDonald (RMcDH) house felt good to Tom and me after sitting in the hospital all day.

We get Lilly rehydrated and fed some ramen noodles at the RMcDH while we waited for Grammy and Pop Pop to arrive and bring us back up to their house in New Jersey for the weekend.  They braved Philly rush hour trafficin Uncle Jer Jer and AUntie Em's van to get us, and we were thankful for its DVD player for the return drive north last night.

So, here we are, safely in New Jersey, hanging out with Grammy, Pop Pop, Auntie Em, Uncle Jer Jer, and cousins Peter and Naomi for the weekend.  The ground is covered with about 18" of ice-slicked snow and it has been sleeting all morning.  If the roads are clear enough, we may venture to a children's symphony this afternoon, and have dinner at Aunt Judi and Uncle Doug's house tonight.  For Lilly, who is having a great time playing with her cousins and all their toys, it is a little weird to be here without Anna and Jared (actually, it's weird for Tom and me, too!).

Thanks for reading and for your prayers!