Double Trouble

We are still at the Monroe Carell Jr Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. I honestly thought we would only be here a few days when Ruby was admitted last week, but 8 days later we are still here. Ruby was admitted last Thursday then Saturday she developed a fever and a chest X-ray showed pneumonia. She was very congested and uncomfortable the first few days and required pretty frequent suctioning. Millie was great all last weekend then Monday night she developed a slight cough and Tuesday morning she woke up with a fever. I took her straight to the MD, but her lungs were clear so we came home with instructions to monitor her closely. She went downhill pretty fast all day. She vomited several times and did not want to eat. She was listless and not herself at all. When I checked her oxygen level it was dropping and bouncing up and down so I took her back to the MD. Our MD was off that day but two of the other MD's agreed that she did not look well and sent us to the ER. So while Scott was up on the 8th floor with Ruby, I was down in the ER with Millie. Millie's chest x-ray also showed pneumonia and she was admitted and started on antibiotics. Ruby started getting progressively better and needing less and less suction and then yesterday they took her off oxygen and she was able to maintain her sats. After 24 hours off oxygen she was discharged. Millie is doing better too but she is a few days behind Ruby on this illness and she is still on a little oxygen. We hope to have her home in a few days. The girls were put in separate rooms but across the hall from each other. When I was there by myself I was running from room to room but they finally worked it out so that Ruby could "visit" Millie during the day. She had a portable monitor and a bassinet to use. We tried to wheel her whole bed in the room and although it fit, it was a liability for the hospital and they made us move it back. At night they went back to their separate rooms which meant that we had to have two people spend the night. Thanks to babysitters and family we have made it work. Thanks to Pam, Margaret, Lauren, Laura and Mildred for taking the night shift some. We couldn't have done it without you. At times like this I realize how blessed I am with amazing family and friends. I can't even list all the names of people that have brought us dinner, taken Emmett to school and for play dates, neighbors that have come over to sit with my kids and help out or run over when they saw an ambulance. It gives me so much comfort to know that I can call on people to help when I am in crisis mode.

I have just gotten home from the hospital with Ruby and Scott is staying with Millie. It's late but I have been trying to write this entry for days. The girls have become quite colicky lately. I think this is all I can do because I keep shutting my eyes. More later and pictures. Elizabeth