Luke + 4

sweet grace getting his bed ready...

The weekend before we went into the hospital, we had our friend's son (Erin and Andy) stay with us for the weekend since she was sick with a 4 month old at home and her husband was in Arizona. It was really fun for the kids and not hard having another kid around.

Ellen is barely coughing much at all. She has really turned a corner with her smiling and sleeping at night.

Elle Bell went for her checkup yesterday and the dr said her breathing and coughing sounds so much better! She did have an ear infections but that is minor compared to everything else. My mom leaves this morning to go back to Florida. We were so thankful for her help.

Home Sweet Home

We are home and happy as of 11 this morning. Ellen is zonked and has been sleeping since we got home. Here are some photos from our hospital stay... 4 days, 5 nights ... unbelievable! We have had so many offers of help so if you are one of them and I haven't gotten back to you - thank you so much. We were overwhelmed and it is hard for Nate and I to take help but we are learning...

Close up of Ellen and her oxygen tubing...

By day 3, Nate brought me the laptop so I could read things online and email! You can see the sliding glass door that seperated our room from the rest of the hall. I was and am very tired.
Here is the little patient - awake and without her oxygen. That was the crucial thing that got us out of the hospital. She had to be free from her oxygen tubing and have good levels before we could go home. We were going to go home Sat night but as Nate was loading the van, the levels dipped and we had to stay. The monitor on her foot is what monitors her oxygen. She also had three monitors on her belly that monitors pulse, breaths and something else.

Grace's sweet Kindergarten class made a book for Ellen that was so precious to Nate and I. I tore out my favorite page and hung it up on her crib for Ellen to look at. It was by a little friend of Grace's named Caroline (who forgot her "N" in her name!!!) Sooo adorable.

This is the book up by her head. I showed it to every therapist, doctor, and nurse.

My mom has been so wonderful with laundry and schoolwork and the kids. I don't know what we would of done without her here!

The ped came this morning and gave us a glimmer of hope that we may come home this afternoon. They are not rushing anything but we are going to try to wean Elle off her oxygen today and see how she does!

Things are well, they started chest PT with Ellen today and are hoping that helps her with coughing and clearing her lungs. Grace's class made a precious get well book for Elle and I have it by her head and hanging on her crib. It is precious. Pray for a great evening!!! My mom arrived last night really late from Florida. We are so thankful.

Ellen had a restless night. She barfed again and while I was knocked out cold sleeping on the chair next to her, the nurse slitthered in and put her back on oxygen through her nose. It was dropping low. At one point, she was screaming and unconsoleable and I couldn't do anything to calm her. The nurse came in and discovered her IV had to be turned off. Her little vein must of collasped and her fingers and arm were so swollen from the fluid. The good in it is that they took the catheter out and she is staying hydrated by milk alone... little milk fed baby.

The diesel from the hospital helicopter stinks in our room when it lands!!

I am so thankful and humbled by everyone's help. Yesterday when I came back to the hospital, we didn't know what we were going to do for dinner. Nate had to leave to pick up the kiddos and was starving. The hospital food is unbearably bad and we are sick of going through drivethrus. I prayed on the way home that something would work out. When I got back to the room, I got a phone call that a family from our church was on our doorstep with dinner... And then, three of my precious girlfriend scame to the lobby with grilled chicken and homemade cookies and fruit to visit with me for the second evening and we just chatted. What a refreshing break - overwhelming. more updates later....

Getting admitted, we were in the ER, now going to our room.

All settled in our room.

My neighbor Beth works at the hospital... what a nice break to have a visitor come. The hospital doesn't allow visitors - especially in this area. Ellen is in a special room b/c of the virus.

Resting again.

This makes me laugh everytime I see it... gotta have some humor. It is called a "No-No!" That is what they call it! So she doesn't rip out her IV. Like she needs be told "no no" at 5 weeks?!?!?!

Nate is such a good daddy - not afraid of the wires at all. He sits with her while I run home.There she is!... with her "NO NO!"

I am back home to take another shower. Ellen is comfortable. She has still been coughing a lot and vomited this afternoon b/c of the coughing. She is still weak. Her poor little nose is bloody now instead of just mucousy because of all the suction. She is a sick little baby. Please pray that she gets stronger and the coughing subsides. Here are some photos so you can see what it is like. She is in isolation and in an infection control room with special air. Everyone (except us) must wear gowns and masks when entering and exiting. Got to run!

Back home to take a quick shower. Ellen is resting well and as happy as can be - few smiles here and there. They are monitoring her oxygen and coughing and heavy congestion. Doctor said we could be there through the weekend. She is doing okay, just needs to be in the hospital for extra help b/c she is so new and can't do it on her own. Keep praying...-Andrea

Ellen to the hospital

Last night, Ellen was sent to the hospital. At our appointment last night, the pediatrician wasn't too alarmed but felt it better to be proactive with this. Elle is doing fine, but isn't happy. More later...

update for elle belle

Ellen has been relaxing all day comfortably but with some heavy breathing and horrible coughing. The ped saw us this am and wants to see us at 6pm. We pray the night is comfortable for her tonight. Here is a photo.. thank you everyone for the encouragement. donna brought lunch, beth checked on us w/stethoscope, etc.

sick baby

Ellen is sick. It started on Friday with a cough and congestion. Went in to the dr on Sat and was told to keep a strict eye on it. Didn't go to church on Sunday. Sunday night was very bad, she was coughing and congested and appeared to be breathing so fast. Monday went to the ENT for another issue - she failed the hearing test at the hospital. While there, I told the ENT about what has been going on and she told me I need to call my pediatrician back for a follow up. So back to the pediatrician on Monday afternoon and little Elle got a nebulizer treatment to help her lungs relax. The ped was concerned about her oxygen levels (she is still so young 5 weeks and in the "danger" zone.) Ped told me to call whatsoever if I was scared or saw her struggling or she won't eat. Sent me home with nebulizer. Had neighbor RN come over at 8 PM to help me figure things out. Went to bed. Did 2 treatments during the night.

HORRIBLE NIGHT

She would start to cough and then get into a trance and just keep coughing while being so limp. Called the dr at 2 AM - concerned about her fast breathing. Dr said to come in first thing in the morning and probably RSV. So poor Elle is sitting on my bed right now coughing - sounds soo bad. This is a not-fun post I know but wanted my family to know what is going on!

hair after the bath...

Look at this hair...

Ellen smiled yesterday!!!!

Locked in...

Yesterday morning I was putting laundry away in the kids' room. While in there, Sam and Rita were playing around me and Ellen was in her room. Sam shut the door and I kept doing laundry. Then Rita told me that Sam locked us in the room (Sam was with us in the room)! (The doorknob is turned around on their door...) Sure enough, he did. I tried all the hair clips in the lock and nothing but the key would open the door. I didn't know what to do as the phone was on the other side. I pulled the bunk beds away and took the window and screen off and stuck my head outside to see if any neighbors were around. The street was dead. I didn't know if our front door was even unlocked from taking Grace out to the carpool early that morning. So I did what any mom would do, I lowered Rita out of the window about 8 feet holding her arms praying that the front door was unlocked. It was. Rita came in the house and opened the door and said, "I rescued you!" Sammy was crying because he was so nervous about Rita being dropped outside. Later that day, Rita told Nate, "Mommy threw me out the window."

6:45 AM

Morning carpool starts in 30 minutes, I am feeding Ellen... Sam is sick and am trying to get him into the dr today. got a a sitter and am going to go to restaurant week for lunch today w/neighbors and Elle - hope it works out! got to run - someone punched someone in the stomach?????

Delayed Christmas Photos!

School delay this morning... hanging out on the couch.

Christmas day...
We can't neglect our first love...

Look at the cat!!!

It took a lot to get this photo...

Betsy called it Grandma's crusade.

Ear Piercing Photos!

Here is the before shot getting ready to get her ears pierced. She was very excited to get it done.

Here Grace is getting preppedand holding Claire the Bear.

This is immediately after it was done... she kept saying, "I am ready."

Very tramatic for me. : ) I guess that I am a good mom then???

Looking at her pretty earrings.

The after shot with everyone! Rita was very upset about the whole thing. She didn't want Grace to be in pain at all and was sitting on a bench facing the other way asking, "What is happening now Aunt Lindsay?" It was really sweet.

Posing afterwards - all pain forgotten!

Click **here** to see my sister in law Betsy's blog and her fabulous post about our New Years Weekend.

Click **here** to see my sister in law Lindsay's blog and her posts about our New Years Weekend too. They both have some great photos.

Ears!

Grace got her ears pierced (with her two sisters, two aunts, grandma and mom watching) on New Years Day! She was so brave and excited. Aunt Betsy will be posting photos soon and I will make a link to it so you can see. I was crying during the whole thing!