Hospital adventures....

So we are back from the hospital, after a week's stay. Amelia went in for her cath on Thursday, October 11. She had something of a hard time coming off the ventilator, and needed oxygen for a couple days. Then on Monday, our cardiologist discovered that his orders had been entered wrong and they had not taken her off both her meds like they were supposed to, so we got to stay a few extra days, yippee. Amelia took it in stride, though. Once she got to feeling better, she was rarin' to go and go we did. Around and around the unit, in a wagon, on a rolling chair, walking, running, any way we could. We went to the playroom and spent a lot of time looking at the murals of Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore painted on the windows at the end of the hall. As usual, Amelia charmed all the staff, and amazed me with her positive attitude. I honestly don't think she minded being in the hospital that much once she was able to leave the room when she wanted. I know for a fact she enjoyed having me all to herself - no other kids, no laundry, dishes, cooking, or cleaning to be done....we are going to have to adjust to that again! She also watched Dora practically nonstop so we are on a TV strike now.

Here's some pictures from her hospital stay:

This was in the PICU waiting for them to prep her. I was SO tired, can you tell? I went to bed at midnight the night before and got up at 3.


Friday, the day after surgery. They had to give her so much sedation to get her to sleep that it took a while to work its way out of her system. She was getting restless so they let us take her on a wagon ride.


Our favorite nurse, who has seen us through all the surgeries:


In the playroom, once she was off oxygen and a little more mobile. By this time she was rarin' to go.


She got to go outside Monday, to help with her croupiness.


I left her at the nurse's station while I went to get dinner, and when I came back she had a mohawk:

We took her froggie and baby for on a wagon ride in the hall:


She kept pulling off the leads on her chest, so the nurse made her a backpack to hold her telemetry box so it wasn't dragging behind her.


Sharing her binky with Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore.



We borrowed the nurse's rolling chair and rode around the halls:


We were ready to go home and she was no longer hooked up to the monitors, but she refused to take off her backpack. She actually wore it to bed the last couple nights, as well as all day.


Sacked out on the way home. It didn't take her long to fall asleep - I think she was relieved to be in a familiar place and know we were going home.


So as you can see, we made the best of a crappy situation and Amelia managed to have plenty of fun while we were there. The nurses, doctors, and all the other staff absolutely loved her and she had plenty of fans coming in to visit her any time she was awake. I really can't say enough good things about the staff there - even the custodial staff is friendly and asks if there is anything you need and will help you as much as they can. Hope you enjoy looking at the pictures!