But today the doctors sent us home! Living at the hospital since Monday night has been exhausting-emotionally, mentally, and physically. I have told 25 people why I brought Felicity in, I have asked a million questions, I have jumped each time the pulseox went off or Felicity coughed. Most of that isn't going to change now that we are home except we don't have the pulseox here. There is a part of me that is nervous for this first night home (I probably will not sleep very well - I've come to terms with that) and another part of me that knows it was time to come home. Felicity has improved and we don't want her to catch something from the hospital. So being home is were we belong.
Reasons I am glad we are home:
- I needed a real shower!
- to watch Aiden rub Felicity's head and sing Beautiful, beautiful (his version of Beautiful One)
- getting to sleep in a real bed for me and Felicity
- Trying to find the new normal
- No one is going to come in my room every 2 hours to take Felicity's temperature or blood pressure
- The pulseox isn't going to go off
- No more hospital food (the only good part was the desserts!)
- COFFEE!!
What does she have?
Felicity has a form of bronchitis. She had some nasal drainage that made it's way to her chest (she doesn't know how to blow her nose yet) and just sat there causing her to have to work much harder to breath and causing a nasty cough. When babies are this little and it's hard to breath they just stop. We noticed the signs of labored breathing and if you read my last post you see that lead us to the hospital. We did find out that she could have RSV since some times babies this small will give a false negative.
Is she better?
Yes, but she has a long way to go. She will still have a cough, runny nose, congestion for about 10 -14 days. She is now open to get this again. We may be back in the hospital in 2 month (we are going to do everything we can to avoid that.) Because my red headed princess is fair skinned she has a higher chance of having asthma (which isn't diagnosed until 4 and my mom has), allergies (we all have those), and eczema (which runs in my family.) Felicity is limited with who she can come in contact with, we have to make sure that anyone who is remotely feeling like they might have a cold stays away from her. We have to wash our hands constantly and change clothes when we come homr from work or school(Aiden.) For the next week or so she won't be going to any parties or church, trips to town will require her to be covered up or in a sling against mommy.
She has to have breathing treatment every 4 hours for the next 24 hours and then as need until her chest is clear. She still coughs but is able to get the mucus up (it's as gross as it sounds). Bottles or formula aren't in her future since she needs to nurse because that is the best and she could be allergic to formula.
But we are HOME and we are happy to be here. Our little princess is still as cute as ever and smiling and cooing at us. Aiden is as feisty as ever and ready to rule the house again!
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| Off the Oxygen! |
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| Telling Mimi about her rough day. |
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| Finally a cute outfit after days of hospital attire. |
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| Our wagon to the car. One nurse asked us if we had been there for 3 weeks! |
Thank you for all of your prayers, emails, and Facebook comments. We are so blessed to call you our friends and family.
