A Little Weekend Break From the Hospital
Yesterday some reports came back that led Elvie’s medical team to recommend that she remain on IV antibiotics until the course of treatment is through. We had hoped to switch to oral medication so we could do it at home, but the bacteria that caused her urinary tract infection is just too strong to take chances. It will take until July 27 to finish this round of antibiotics, which means that Elvie will be in the hospital until then. This was incredibly disappointing news, and I realized then that I needed a little extra help with hospital duty if I am going to finish out the last week strong.
Caring for a baby that eats every one to two hours, even overnight, is exhausting, and I feel like I’ve just been rushing from one place to the next, never having enough rest. I knew I could sustain the schedule we’d laid out through the end of this week, but we won’t be done at the end of this week. So I asked Jarod to take some extra time on Elvie duty, and he stepped up right away. If all goes well, tonight I’ll begin a long weekend in which I am away from the hospital more than I am there. I will still spend chunks of time with Elvie; as the face she’s seen the most lately, I need to be nearby to reassure her part of the time. But the rest of the time, I will get to be outside of the grind of our hospital routine.
I have missed waking up with Zinashi and watching her play in her pajamas, and I have missed feeling somewhat rested, and I have missed simply being at home for longer than an hour or two. So I have some plans that are quite simple, but that for me are a big deal. Read on to find out what I have planned.
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Sleep (A Lot!) In My Own Bed
Elvie eats every one to two hours, so my sleep is interrupted frequently, not to mention that it's done in a chair that turns into a bed. It's not incredibly uncomfortable, but my own bed is heaven by comparison.
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Spend Time With Zinashi
I realize I put sleep before Zinashi, but I would be a cranky mama if I didn't get some rest before we hung out. After a good night's sleep, we'll be able to go out and have a blast. I've missed my big girl while I've been at the hospital with Elvie.
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Go Grocery Shopping
I've stopped in to pick up random things at the store, but I haven't done a full grocery run since we got back from Ethiopia. I'm going to remedy that.
Photo credit: MorgueFile -
Make Dinner and Eat It
With those groceries, I'll be all set to cook meals for my family and actually be around to eat some of them. I made chicken soup in the crock pot last weekend, but I didn't stick around long enough to have the finished product.
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Drink Coffee I Made Myself, While Wearing Pajamas
After I shower at night, I've been putting on comfy clothes that I can sleep in so that I don't have to fuss with changing at the hospital, or with medical staff coming in before I'm ready for the day. To get coffee, I either go up to the cafeteria or walk across the street to Starbucks. Shuffling into my kitchen in the morning to make coffee will be a real treat.
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