Pneumonia blues...

Well baby girl, no wonder you're dragging! You're fighting pneumonia and putting up a good fight at that! Oh i wish you'd let us know just how sick you really are with a little more notice. You work so hard at feeling good and enjoying life that it's tough to see how sick you're getting sometimes. When we decided to call the Dr yesterday we had no idea it would be after 8pm before they could get to you. So Grandma and Grandpa volunteered to take you so i could get some sleep - they knew i had to be up at 4am. Some day you'll read this and know just how much all of your grandparents love you - you are the apple of their eye just as you are mine and daddy's too!

I was still thinking you were just fighting a little cold virus and mild fever. Boy did i feel like a terrible mommy when daddy woke me up at 9:30 last night saying you had pneumonia! Grandma and Grandpa said you were such a big girl at the Dr. When he gave you stickers you told him, 'Thank you, thank you, thank you!' and Grandma said he told you, 'You're welcome, you're welcome, you're welcome!' : ) You weighed in at 33 lbs. We've been working on gaining but i'm sure you've lost a little not eating much these past couple of days. Another way you deceived me - you ate your favorite for supper before your trip to the Dr. 'SKETTIES' - a good size helping of spaghetti and a yogurt cup a little later. I just knew you were beating whatever had a hold of you. I'm so sorry that i didn't realize you had pneumonia. The next time i awoke (about 10:30pm) it was to the sound of you crying. i quickly made my way to the kitchen to find the medicine brigade. Grandpa had you held down in his lap, grandma was consoling you, and daddy was drawing up another syringe of Amoxicillin. You wanted me to rescue you but i had to help with the regimen. 2.5mls in, 5 more to go, and then Motrin too. You were burning up as your afternoon Tylenol had worn off. After the 5 mls of Motrin, or however much might have actually gone down, you were beat and sopping wet, face and bottom. i was happy to change a full diaper though, knowing that you've continued to drink well through all of this.

Grandma and Grandpa ventured home to rest from the day with you and we put Vick's rub on your chest. Daddy set up your Vick's Vapor plug-in thing and your room was smelling nice. With Duckie in tow, i propped you up on your pillow so you could breathe easy. Then i thought of something that Grandpa had said, 'They were considering giving her a breathing treatment and i told them they better bring about 8 more people in for that!' Grandpa is such a card and he adores you! And i know how much you love him - he held you most all of yesterday as you were too sick to bounce around. They did NOT give you a breathing treatment because your oxygen was 100%! Thanks be to God for superb lung function! Your breathing has always been great despite your heart issues. So i watched you drift off to sleep as midnight approached. I stood and watched you in your big-girl bed snoozing - you looked just like an angel in the glow of the vapor plug-in. You have been doing so well sleeping in your big bed. Mama and daddy are very proud of you! I'm sorry that i didn't realize you had pneumonia. I'm sorry that i had to work today. I'm thankful that daddy stayed home and that MeMa and PaPa are there with you also. They only get to see you once a week, typically, and they wouldn't miss it for anything! Be a good girl and mama will see you this afternoon. i'm praying hard that you will be over this real soon. Aunt Gay got us a 10:30 re-check appointment with Dr. Zeimmer (he's our favorite!) in the am. we'll have fun singing Christmas Songs all the way to town. me and daddy love you VERY much!