Back to base camp

I had wanted to get this picture up the other day. This was Livi's first day out of bed, Saturday. Thanks Gee!

So, where to begin. As several loved ones pointed out, I haven't blogged in a while. Sorry to all my peeps! I love you all too. The last few days I have been sequestered at the hospital. Bill started back to work on Monday so mommy has hospital duty. My dad, Angie and her friend have spent the last couple of days entertaining Aaron, which is going to turn into a bit of a dissapointment being that when Livi comes home it's back to boring days with mom and sis. I fear I'm not going to be able to compete with the vast array of entertainment he's received these last couple of weeks. My aunt Voni has spent the last couple of days at the hospital with me and Livi. Bill stops by on his lunch break and then eats dinner with me after he gets off work. Last night Olivia was moved over to HEMOC (Hemotology/Oncology). That's where Olivia's baseline is. Whenever she gets sick that's where she goes, so all the nurses welcomed her "Home". It was nice to be there, so I thought. It meant that Livi was better/healthier. I rode in the bed with Olivia to her new room. When we got there she opened her eyes, looked around and started crying. It broke my heart. She knows from the last time that she'll be there a while. Last night and today were hard on those of us who were there, emotionally. She was hungry and pleading weakly for food. She even asked for chicken strips and said, "They don't have bad fat on them, they're healthy." She asked any nurse or doctor who came in and asked if they could get her anything if they would bring her a chocolate milkshake. We have a lot of people willing to bring her milkshakes as soon as she can start eating again. The GI surgeon said that could be within the next couple of days. Her NG tube, the tube going down her nose into her stomach has been draining a lot today and he said that could be a sign of her stomach starting to work again. Another thing that has been difficult is her blood sugar levels. They are high then normal then high again. When they are high they have to put her on insulin. In order to know if they're high they have to draw blood but they can't be sure the blood out of her lines is free from any meds that may change the outcome; so on top of everything else she now seems to have become a diabetic. Not really, and the doctors say once the pancreas settles down this won't be an issue. But until then she gets finger pricks. Today she had 3! Two of which were within an hour of eachother. She is such a trooper. She says "OW!" and then falls back asleep.

Today we opened a package from a friend that had "Matilda" the book in it. I wanted to do something for her so I started reading it to her. She didn't even try opening her eyes but she sure was listening. If nothing else to the cadence of my voice. Whenever I stopped she would shake her head no and I would keep reading. After 40 pages she finally decided it was time for us to rest. I laid with her on the bed for a really long time and every time I tried to get out she started crying. I gave up on showering. It wasn't worth it.

I love my princess and know that she is very sad and depressed. It breaks my heart to know that she knows there are other kids that are playing and having fun and going on vacations. But I know this too shall pass and her life will be sweet. All in good time.