The Plague

So so good to be home.  So so good to sleep in our own bed and drink our own coffee.   So good to be without ICU IVs, monitors beeping, X-ray machines rolling through, sweet nurses taking vitals, and residents making rounds in the wee morning hours after rough sleep on a hard bedside bench.  Too bad we are as sick as dogs here.  At least we get to be sick at home. 

So, backing up a bit (and moving away from the little pity party--sorry), I know my last post said we might be discharged early this week. Dr. Campbell saw us last thing Friday afternoon, explained we'd do CT and X-ray on Monday and after he'd looked her over, she might go home Monday or Tuesday.

Lilly, however, had other plans. The PICU team that came through on Saturday morning took one look at her running around playing with Bella, totally free of IVs, O2, and any other type of tube or attachment, and said "this child does not belong in the hospital, let alone the PICU. It's orthopedics' call, but you may get to go home today."

We were not going to turn down the chance to break free, and were thrilled when, by 9pm or so, our amazing PICU team and the ortho residents had managed to get us in for CTs & X-rays, changed dressings, and written discharge orders. By 11pm we were at Grammy's house. Lilly played happily all day Sunday with her cousins, riding tricycles, swinging on the swings, and playing around the house. When we wanted her to "rest," we let her watch some TV with Bella. Bella fell asleep; Lilly did not. She's tough.  And apparently not tired.

Monday morning early, we headed back to CHOP for a quick stop in Dr. Campbell's clinic to get clearance to head to Virginia (and schedule her next expansion--August 14th).  By the time Anna was getting off the bus from school, we were walking in the door at home.  Aaaah.  Home.

But, yes, as I mentioned, we are sick.  It started with me--a little tickle in my chest and small cough on Friday afternoon and into Saturday.  We were discharged late Saturday night, and by the evening time I felt miserable.  Feverish, chills, painful cough, body aches, headache.  Good to be away from the hospital and with family members that wanted to take my little ones from me and play so I could go nap.  Bless their hearts.  I felt so miserable that every time I would lay down for a nap I couldn't help but cry a little bit as I fitfully dozed.  Yuck.  Fevers up and down Sunday and through Monday.  Tom succumbed MOnday afternoon at work and headed home to bed as well. 

My folks, who were going to leave once we arrived home MOnday but decided to stay to help when they saw how bad I felt, agreed to leave at my urging once they knew Tom had it too.  Not worth the risk after my mom's lengthy pneumonia hospitalization in Florida last year following Lilly's surgery. 

Today, Lilly (who has had a little cough for a few days) started with the fevers and the more violent coughing as well.  She is still tough, but it's clear she's not feeling great. 

We're just hoping Bella and Jared and Anna (and the wide swath of people--virtually dozens of family members--we have encountered between CHOP and home) do not acquire this bug either. 

Why is it I always find myself saying "once ___ is over things will get more normal again...?"  And yet, I'm saying it again.  Once we are all well and Lilly is back to school, we can get back into the swing of things again.  For at least 7 weeks until summer vacation starts--yikes! 

Oh, and BTW, you need to stop by here and read my Mom's take on being in charge of my children last week...she is hysterical.  She made me laugh so hard I couldn't stop coughing.