Sunday, March 08, 2009

'Roid Rage?

"If that doctor gives me another shot I'll SMASH HIM!"

"Daddy, Lambie thinks you're mean."

"You're a bad Mama. You have bad shoes* and bad feelings."

********
Lesson Learned
On Wednesday, just hours before Becca was admitted to the hospital, I paid the very last bill for Andrew's pregnancy/birth health saga. That was stupid.

Never pay off a medical bill in full when someone else in the house is sick. Just trust me. Otherwise you'll find yourself in the hospital that night. And the next two nights after that.

*******
Daddy Boot Camp

John walked in the first morning Becca was in the hospital. She was lying down on her back, with the oxygen mask on her face. Rather like this.



John said, "Oh no. She is getting up and she needs to move. She is just going to lay there and get sicker and sicker. I hate hospitals. They make you worse. We have to get her out of here...." and on and on....and on. He really hates hospitals. Really. And I don't think he is even worrying about MRSA.

So, he started Daddy Boot Camp. Every so often, he would get her out of bed, unhook the monitors and the oxygen mask, roll the IV around behind her and make her walk laps around the room. She was all shaky and looked ashen and about to fall down at first. I was nearly panicked. But he persisted. Then, when she was back in bed, he would feed her. The nurses told me not to worry about food. As long as she had the IV, she shouldn't need it. Well, John wanted her to eat.

One evening, it didn't work out so well for him. He encouraged her to eat a good bit of dinner. Then, she tossed her cookies (actually, her pizza) all over him when he was getting her out of bed for her boot camp exercises. Since I was on the way to pick up my mom at the airport, I missed it (THANK GOD). It's not a real boot camp until someone vomits. When we got to the hospital, this is what we saw. (AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACH. Why was my purse on the floor, people??? I am deathly afraid of hospital floors! Must sanitize it again.)

I think boot camp worked, though. It definitely helped her get some muscle strength back. She was running around the room by yesterday.

Actual quote: "Does anyone have an extra pillow, darlings?"

*****

You Are What You Eat
Outside the hospital cafeteria was a big display entitled, "What Are We Feeding Our Kids?" It had food pyramids, and diagrams and lists of healthy foods, explaining their health benefits and the detrimental effect of bad foods.


Here are the meals they brought for Becca from "Nutrition" in the hospital:

1. Fried Chicken tenders and french fries. Mandarin oranges.

2. Pizza. Apple sauce.

3. Grilled cheese and french fries. Banana pudding.

4. Sloppy joe, macaroni and cheese. Vanilla cake.


Not one single SHRED of fresh fruit or vegetables. In fact, not ANY fruits or vegetables in three days (unless you count mandarin oranges, which I do not.) Not one. In three days.

Now we're entering Mommy Boot Camp, which consists of healthier eating and attempting to get the naps back on schedule.

*****
Wouldn't Be The Yap Without Some Bitching

Why do you have to re-explain the entire illness from start to finish with each shift change? Do they not have charts? Do they not read them?


Why did multiple nurses come in the room and not even know why she was there? One thought it was for a stomach bug (maybe she was there during boot camp.)

Why do they ignore you for hours during the day and then come in every 10 minutes all night long?

Why do they tell me that I don't need to watch her oxygen monitor, because they are watching it "out there at the desk," but every time I went out there to the desk no one was in sight?

(I watched the monitor. All the time.)

******

Fun Game: How Many Grown Ups Does it Take.....

...to care for one kid in hospital, one baby at home?

Answer: Four

--Two needed at the hospital. One to stay with kid at all times, one to run to the cafeteria, go find a nurse (never easy), get more apple juice, etc.

--One to care for baby.

--Another to run errands, take breast milk to the baby, bring new clothes for the boot camp seargant, answer the door and the phone.

You can scrape by with three, but I wouldn't recommend it.

*******

Side Effects

The nebulizers make her agitated, the steroids make her angry.

It is rather like having a bitchy tasmanian devil in the house right now.

But I'll take it.

*Now I just need to get some new shoes, apparently.

14 comments:

The Quinn Report said...

Man, what a horrible 3 days!!!!

Oh, and Nordstroms has wonderful spring/summer shoe collections out right now!!! You'll have to take the "shoe expert/designer" with you when she's feeling better so you can have her approval, of course!!

Glad you're all home....NOW GET SOME REST!!

Joel and Angela said...

Katie!
I am so glad to hear that you are home! I agree with you two. Hospitals are awful. I know that she is a strong girl (and funny! love the comments). Hope you get some needed rest.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad she's back at home. I can't imagine what that must have been like because amidst all of the humor, it really must have been scary. Stay healthy out there and if you need to escape to the land of warmth and old people, come on down to Tucson anytime! You are always welcome.

Angie said...

I'm glad to read that you are home. The photo of Becca is pitiful. It makes me want to pick her up and hold her. Picture of John is priceless!

Andrea_Ben said...

Oh Katie, I cannot believe all you guys have been through. I can, as always, count on you to recount your experience in a humor-filled manner. Good luck with the shoe buying experience!

Anonymous said...

So glad to hear that she's on the road to recovery! After all that, did the doctor(s) ever give you some inkling as to why each cold hits her so hard? She seems to always get the full on assault from viruses and stuff. Poor thing! Did they at least come up with some options for you so the colds don't get so bad for her? Something helpful? Anything at all?

Kristi said...

Glad you're home and things are getting better!

Swistle said...

She is so pitiful and so funny! And you DEFINITELY need new shoes for this.

Anonymous said...

You sound like your Grandma Sue. Fresh Fruits & Veggies
Glad things are better!!
remember a little dust/dirt is good for you!

Jen said...

That picture of Becca in the hospital bed all hooked up is so sad. I'm glad she's home!

Tracy said...

I can't believe John let you take a picture of him. Great blackmail for later!

misguidedmommy said...

k first. when I went to the hospital to have my first son, the kept serving me peanut butter and jelly. My pediatrician later freaked out because nursing moms shouldn't eat peanuts in case of allergies. My son has a peanut allergy we found out later...no wonder he was a gassy little shit those first days in the hospital. Then, they kept serving me brocoli, which makes babies super gassy also.

However my favorite part is where I'm a vegetarian and every single night they showed up with a meat entree or, just plain didn't bring me food because it was just too damn confusing for them.

Anonymous said...

oh and, once i had a nurse argue with me about taking those stupid leg cuffs off, telling me they weren't really hurting me and leaving marks on my skin.

and i loved when i was pregnant and in the hospital for breathing how they gave me something to help me sleep and then came in every half hour to poke me and draw blood. thanks for helping me sleep guys!

Unknown said...

SO glad she/you all are home and she's on the road to recovery. Was praying for you guys. On the breathing treatment side effects, we had an experience with that as well. Would love to discuss with you! Makes them CRAZY!!!!! Love to you all...including your Mom who is wonderful to stay with you. You should not be alone until you absolutely have to be.