Let us begin where I left off shall we?
I was just told that my baby would have to be life-flighted to the Children's hospital and that the helicopter was already in the air. I hadn't showered in two days and I had a clear memory of our trip to that hospital two years before and that the facilities where... let's say limited. (not so easy to shower, it involves permission and keys)
So I hopped into the pediatric ward's shower/tub combo. They use it to bathe the kids on the floor; I had to push aside toy boats and rubber duckies. Not so unlike being at home.
Anywho, in the chaos I realized I had forgotten essential pieces of my clothing but when I got back to the room my husband had packed everything up and the sky paramedics had arrived. The nurses told me I wasn't allowed to go with Paisley. <-----ha. I go where my kids go.
So they loaded her onto a stretcher and got kissed goodbye by daddy and off we went. I don't remember too much about the flight except: The radio headsets are interesting, and everyone can hear what you are saying...everyone. (paramedics, flight crew, pilot, dispatch.) So, It was a little unnerving when they asked me for my weight. (yuck right?) Take off was a little rocky and I wasn't sure what to expect because I have never flown before. We got in the air and they told me Paisley was really stable and looked good, and I sat back to enjoy the flight. It was BEAUTIFUL! Helicopter ride at night: amazing. UNTIL, I realized I was having my very first flight with no underwear on.
What would have normally taken us over two hours to drive took about 20 minutes. I was immediately feeling at ease when we landed and went inside. Everyone was very nice and helpful and of course my mom and sister, and my....stepdad...met us there. (weird, will take some getting used too) We had excellent nurses. I just am so amazed by nurses. There is a place for doctors in the world, they diagnose but nurses heal. They administer all the treatment. I just would love to take a minute to acknowledge all the wonderful nurses we had, even though they will never read it...sometimes you just have to put those good thoughts out into the universe. Thank you: Jackie, Becky, Jennie, Dawn (who cried when she had to hold down Paisley for her IV), Carrie (who helped me get my first goodnight sleep in two weeks), Pam, Kari, and Niki. Also, the amazing respiratory guys Jamie, who had a daughter the same age as Paisley and sat and talked with me during the day when no one was there, and Josh the night shift, who regaled me with stories of his rambunctious 3 years old son Parker, and sat with me in the middle of the night. He made fun of me and just 'got' me.
At Blank Children's Hospital, they encouraged me to do whatever I needed to do for Paisley to feel comfortable, which meant I held her in an arm chair for 3 days straight. They took her blood on my lap, She slept on my lap, cried on my lap, they gave her shots on my lap, changed her diapers on my lap, and did her breathing treatments on my lap. Once in the middle of the night I woke up to the sound of a nebulizer, and looked up in the pitch black room to see Josh coming at me with an oxygen mask. I was drooling, there was some debate as to whether I was snoring. (I still maintain that I was not) Anyway for the next two nights he didn't let me live that down.
We had a couple really tense days but Paisley girl recovered relatively quickly the third day. I almost couldn't believe they were discharging us. Our doctor was amazing and knew an awful lot about our faith as he once dated an LDS girl, and we became fast friends.
There are so many people to thank for their love and support and prayers this past week. My parents, and siblings, my husband, my girls, my friends, and even a few strangers; including one of the bishops of the Ames ward who came to give Paisley a blessing. And you the reader of my blog...for letting me pretend my life is interesting enough to write about.
All in all I am thankful for the blessing of having so many caring and wonderful people in my life, and for my faith in a higher power which keeps me grounded....oh, and for underwear.
