Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Another Bump in the Road...

So, I thought that I would do a much better job at updating my blog.  But, it seems like before I turned around 2 months had passed.  We have just had a really crazy couple of months.  I started a new job and continued to work my regular schedule at the hospital.  I have now cut back at the hospital, so my schedule should start easing up...at least a little bit.  Spring is also just a really busy time of year for us- end of the school year combined with the girls birthday, getting ready for summer camp, trying to figure out a vacation, etc...  I am sure most families feel the same way we do this time of year.

So, to add on to our already crazy spring- Amelia has been hospitalized twice.  The first time was over Easter weekend because she had a fever of 103 and pus draining from her VP shunt.  After 48 hours of IV antibiotics, we were sent home with a topical ointment and oral antibiotics and to follow up with her neurosurgeon in 1 week.  Throughout the next week she did well- no fever, went back to school, etc...  At our follow up with the neurosurgeon he determined that her shunt could not be saved.  She was admitted 2 days later, on Wednesday, for surgery to take her shunt out and place n external shunt and the plan was to put a new shunt in on Friday- we would be home on Saturday and have 2 weeks of IV antibiotics at home.

Well, in typical Amelia fashion, things did not go as planned.  After her surgery on Wednesday the doctors told us that her spinal fluid from the week before had late growth of bacteria.  So our plan significantly changed.  Her shunt would now have to be externalized for 7 days before they felt it would be safe to put a new shunt in.  So, here we sit!!!  She is scheduled to have surgery tomorrow to place the new shunt and then we should be able to go home on Friday and continue with another week of IV antibiotics at home.

This has been our longest continuous hospitalization since she came home from the NICU.  It has been a really long week (it will be 10 days by the time we go home).  I am so ready to go home...I miss Steven and Hannah, my bed, uninterrupted sleep, having space, my house, my own routine, Zumba, etc...  For a person that is a homebody, 10 days is way too long to be away- regardless of where you are, much less stuck in a hospital room!!!

I am not one that usually likes to rush the days away, but right now I just want Friday to hurry up and get here!!!

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Praying for y'all & her doctors. I bet you'll be glad to see a different set of four walls :-)

The Hale said...

I want you to know that we are praying for your Amelia. Her name reminds me 'Amelia Bedelia' - the little girl that made light of everything and laughed. Please be encourage to know that The Lord is the commander of all armies! He will see thought all these days and soon you will be home with your sweet family. He has an army praying for you all! Ana/David
PS Shelly/Jeff are our friends.