EVA IS 3 TODAY!

Eva had a great birthday. She got to stay in her swimsuit almost the entire time while she swam, played in the hose and slide on the slip-n-slide. She loved having her Grandma and Aunt celebrating with her.

Eva is so fun to watch at Ballet class. She usually is vey shy especially around other adults, but as soon as her teacher says it is time to start she lights up and loves it. In fact, during her class she helps out the other girls with their form. Although she is the youngest I am sure she feels like it is her duty to correct ballerinas who have their form wrong.

Pictures of our long weekend in the hospital as promised.

GRACE IS HOME!

She is still feeling crummy, and really tired, but the important thing is that she is home.

Independance Day

What a memorable 4th we had. Grace is still in the hospital although signs are looking like we could be out sooner than later. She has been feeling pretty crummy and her energy is very low. 

Kim and my mom, completely separately, but during the same time, both came up with the idea that it would be a special night if we could get Gracie out of her room and somewhere in this hospital that looks over the city during the fireworks. After a lot of thoughtful hard work and planning we set up a "picnic" in one of the lounge areas overlooking the valley. We had great food and even better company and our kids got to forget about the hospital, about the stress, and about cancer for a couple of hours and just eat, play , and watch fireworks. It was a good break for all of us and we really needed it.  I will post pictures when I return home but just imagine a table with a table cloth decorated with stars and stripes, full of food , a half-circle of chairs, games, and laughter as our kids danced, compared firework sightings and ate.

We hope to be getting out soon and will update when we know more. Thank you for all the thoughts and prayers, we have needed some support. Hopefully , Grace will be out tomorrow so we can celebrate Eva's 3rd birthday as a family. 

Listening...

All night I listened to Grace whimper in her hospital bed.  She's having nightmares.  She usually does in the hospital.  I climbed into bed by her to just feel her near me and let her know she isn't alone.  I listened to her heavy breathing-wheezy and choppy and watched her pulse race on the side of her neck.  I stroked her hair and listened...I heard a baby in the next room screaming.  That baby sounded very little.  Tanner can't stand when he knows there are babies with Cancer.  Can't blame him.

Last night we made it to the Broadway Lion King...AMAZING.   I really wanted to listen to the sound of Gracie's laughter next to me.  Her little body couldn't keep up with her desire to be there.  Grandma Shele stayed with her and Ben at the hospital.  

When we returned to the hospital, I listened to sweet Ben giggling in Grandma's arms and cooing for me to please nurse him!  And, then I listened to the chair rock back and forth as I nursed him to sleep in the quiet hallways at Doernbecher.   Eva had already fallen asleep  and JR waited with her in the car...she had such a magical time at the Lion King.  

But, perhaps the heaviest sound that fell on my ears that night were those of Tanner's cries and pleading for me to please just come home.  I can't describe what it is like to hear Grace say...mom please don't go.  Or Eva say, "mom you are going to come home now."  Or, Tanner tell me how much he HATES Cancer and wants me home with him.  It's the same if JR leaves...they just want him there.  One thing is for sure...being separated for any period of time is hard on our family.  But, we are unsure of how long that will be.  Grace's fever still stagnates. She feels awful.  

Hopefully soon...I'll listen to the sounds of giggling and talking as we're all at our home together again.  I'd even take hearing the sound of Eva and Grace arguing if it meant we were together! 

Amazing Grace!

Last night was a hard one for her, yet you would never even know.  

Her night started great as Grandma Shele and Aunt Sammy flew in at a moments notice to comfort and help. Grace was so excited and grateful for their love as were we all.  When everyone left Grace fell asleep easily, but not for long.

At 12:30 and 2am Grace woke up and her vitals were taken which usually consists of her blood pressure, her temperature, her oxygen level and so on. This is usually done by, for lack of a better description, poking and proding her. She doesn't even seem to care as she is woken up every couple of hours to be checked. She usually complies as she lifts her arms when needed , holds the thermometer in her mouth or turns to allow the blood pressure cuff to be applied. 

This is the normal routine, but at 4am, her oxygen levels seemed a little low. After checking her out 5 or 6 times, restarting the machine, changing out the sensors, and turning on the oxygen tube to allow more oxygen to flow to her lungs, the nurse ordered a chest x-ray just to be sure there was not fluid in her lungs. Grace waited patiently, never complaining, never even acting put out for 2 and a half hours until the x-rays were done and she fell back asleep. 

Everytime we return to the hospital, she somehow is feeling her worst, but exhibits her strength in ways that are unimaginable. I was annoyed just watching all the work done on her little body and yet she took it gracefully.

The good news is everything looks good, she has a viral infection and now we play the waiting game while we wait for her fever to leave and her numbers to climb. One good note is that the Doctors are giving her a pass to leave the hospital to attend the Lion King, a gift from Grandma Shele and Grandpa Glen for Eva's birthday. She was so excited to hear she would not have to miss this and we hope she will be home so as to not miss the 4th.

We will continue to update this as to her status.