Sunday, October 25, 2009

The Haze Has Lifted

And we are home.

Home. I love the smell. I love the way Kendall responds when we enter the door. She knows. She knows she's safe here. No beeping sounds, no florescent lights, no hourly blood draws by strangers. She doesn't cry when we touch her hands or rub our hands through her hair. She eats solid foods in her chair with her spoon in our kitchen. She enjoyed a bath to wash away the hospital. And she's in her bed with her soft sheets sleeping more soundly than ever before. Home is a wonderful place.

It may take me a while to recover from these last two weeks. At the risk of sounding like a drama queen, that was hell. There's something about the hospital that causes me not to be myself. It may be the non-stop intake of caffeine, no sleep mixed in with not knowing what time it is, or what day it is. Eating crappy food and not drinking enough water. It could be the constant looking over shoulders to make sure there are no mistakes, or the excessive fear I have of germs in that place. Or all of the above. Whatever it is, it makes me not want to answer the phone, return phone calls or text messages. It makes me cranky and short tempered. But I'm home now, and like Kendall I can relax a little too. A bath and glass of wine are calling my name. The sound of my dogs and Kamden and his buddy in the backyard in some weird way has a very calming effect for me. Getting back to "normal" is a good thing.

We were discharged since the Endocrinologist on call and I had a discussion about the way things were going there. I assured him I could do a better job with this at home. So we were released to home with a very specific protocol. I will be touching base with our diabetic educators twice a day to report sugars and correction factors. Kendall's IV antibiotics have been switched to g button and have already been picked up. Justin and I were packed up and hot footed it out of there in record time. Seriously...I had to slow myself down on the freeway....I was that excited to bring her home!

Upon arriving home, my mother in law made us dinner, and my dad had cleaned my house again!!! We are so spoiled.

Oh, and thanks for your prayers this week. Despite the huge jump in ketone levels and blood sugars, we DID make it through a hospital stay without a seizure this week. Praise the Lord.

9 comments:

Bronx Cataldo's said...

So glad you are all home. I was so happy to hear that Kendall DID NOT have a seizure with everything that was going on. I know the feeling of getting home even Finnian knows when we say we are home and the first thing he does when you put him on the couch is to rub/scratch the back of it and says nic (nice).
Welcome Home

Jennifer Ortiz said...

WELCOME HOME!!!!!!!!! We had a huge prayer chain extending through churches and beyong, and our prayers were answered. So glad you guys are home!!! Many hugs to you and Kendall, and have 2 glasses of wine! lol

Unknown said...

so glad to hear that you are finally home...many prayers still coming your way! *hugs*

Jessica said...

Great news!!! And....for the record, YOU GUYS DESERVE TO BE SPOILED!! Wish I lived closer so I could be doing some spoiling as well!! Love you guys!!!

Anonymous said...

Jocalyn-
So glad ya'll are HOME!! We came home Thurs afternoon. Brock is doing really well, although the behavioral side effects from the Keppra are starting to rear their ugly head. Praying they will be minimal and get better with time and the B6 supplement. I am so glad I got to meet you and thankful for the time we got to chat, even though I wish it had been under different circumstances. Once everything settles back down, we will have to get together. Maybe you, Holly, the girls, me, Brock and Kamden of course...Brock would love him, I just know! I loved your dad! He was the sweetest! If he runs out of things to do over at your house, please send him my way. I somehow have to get my house in order for Halloween and Brock's 5th birthday this weekend. Anyway, I wanted to say thanks for being so real in your posts. I have not only learned so much medically speaking, but also the type of nurse I don't want to be...we are all human, but...sounds like the ball was dropped more than once and careless mistakes made numerous times. Sorry, you had to deal with all that on top of all else that was going on...in the end, you are mom and you know her best! Hope everything stays calm on the home front and ya'll are home sweet home for a long, long time!!

Take Care,

Stacey Danford

Anonymous said...

So glad to hear you are back at home - will continue to pray that everything goes well - and you are so right - there is NO place like home....So happy to hear no seizures - job well done Mom!
Donna

Reagan Leigh said...

That's great! I'm so glad they let you come home...finally. And even better news about no seizures! I will definitely keep Kendall in my prayers!

Anonymous said...

Welcome back to the comforts of home! You are so not a drama queen, hosptial stays just aren't fun - between lack of sleep, unhealthy diet, stress of seeing your kiddo sick, so hard on the body and emotions! Glad that Kendall has her own cozy sheets and just the happiness of home sounds. Prayers continue that she gets stronger.

Dannette (mom from Kansas with a child with severe special needs)

Tara Bennett said...

I'm SO glad you're home and have such amazing family support to help you get settled. Thinking of you guys!