Home sweet home

Once Elizabeth was a confirmed case of H1N1 this is what they did to the door to her room. She was not real happy about it because we know what other parents and patients are feeling and thinking when they see that. They freak out and want to make sure their nurse is not the same nurse entering that room. All nurses have two or three patients a day to take care of and of course that means someone is going to have "that" nurse. We had a second door to the left of this door that went into an anti-chamber that all doctors and nurses had to enter. Anyone entering the room had to put on a gown, gloves, and a mask in the anti-chamber and pitch it in our trash before going back through the anti-chamber. We were both quarantined to the room. If I left I had to wear a mask and could not loiter in the halls.

For the next two weeks, anyone having any type of health issue, asthma, heart condition, or any type of immune suppression can not come to visit Liz. THIS IS FOR YOUR PROTECTION! The last thing Liz wants is to make anyone sick. If you have had the flu shot and are not sick in any way, shape, or form, you can call ME at 349-5966 to see if it is OK that you come. I would prefer that she not have visitors until she is cleared of this but sometimes that is not helpful for her mental state either.

We have been discharged from the hospital and are now at home. Liz is soaking in the jacuzzi and just relaxing before going to bed.

We had rounds with the team of doctors, pharmacists, and various other medical personal this morning around 10:00. The game plan was to have a CBC, complete blood count, taken at around 3:00 pm. If her ANC remained at 250 or above she would be able to come home. They changed their minds and said "We have three consecutive ANC's above 200, we are going with that and she can go home after we make sure she does not need a platelet transfusion." She did not so therefore we were turned loose, literally, and sent on our merry way by 5:45.

We have a CBC at Liberty tomorrow at 8:00 am, an appointment with Dr. Brenneman, at the Barrett Center for her radiation at 9:30 am, and then onto clinic at Children's after that. The said the appointment with Dr. Brenneman could take two to three hours.. They will be making a mesh mask of Elizabeth face to place over her face and snap her to the table during radiation. She must remain perfectly still at all times. We do not want the radiation going anywhere but where it is intended to go. Liz has great stress over this. They will also be doing CAT scans and MRI's for the correct placement of the radiation. It is extremely confusing and once I understand it better I will share it with you.

Thank you for your vigilant prayers for Elizabeth and our family during this trying time. Please continue to pray, we are not out of the woods and she can still have major complications. By now I am sure you all realize what they are ... renal failure, heart failure, high blood pressure, lung damage, etc etc etc. Please just pray for complete and total healing on Elizabeth's behalf with out complications.

God's love in unfailing. Lean on him in all situations in life. It is a privilege to share our joys with him.

Blessings,
Christine