We survived the hospital!

We are alive. We survived a combined 9 days in the hospital. I spent 5 days... Ive said to my family---they just dont stick an adult in the hospital for 5 days if you arent deathly ill. And those 5 days I would have rather been dead a few times...esp. the night my fever was 104.7. I have never coughed so hard, had my lungs hurt so badly, have such an intense sore throat, or have my body ache like I did during this virus. This was such a nasty virus that it made my liver stop functioning correctly and it enlarged my spleen. Talk about sick! I have true pity now for anyone with cancer as I can only imagine how one could be any sicker than I was. It all started when I FINALLY convinced my family doctor to send me for an outpatient chest x-ray. When I almost past-out and was shaking from high fever- they put me on a bed. Although that same quacky doctor told the nurses just to send me over to the office, Canio insisted I go to the ER. And I was first told it was just a cold, until they discovered my liver was inflamed (also known as hepatitus...but not the "bad" kinds).

With me in the hospital, we had to figure out what to do with our kids. My friend and live saver, Annie watched Abby 24/7 and I can honestly say the Lord comforted me so that I would not worry about Abby's care. Once Canio's parents returned from Europe on Saturday evening, Canios mom generously stayed all week to watch Emily. Emily on day 3 of my hospital stay ended up in the ER from throwing up. Personally I wouldnt have taken her to the ER, I would probably have just not given her anything to eat/drink for awhile because that poor kid really throws up once she starts. But she was checked out and sent home.

On day 5 of my stay (Tuesday), Annie brought Abby to spend a few hrs with me. The day before Abby had seen the dr about her red eyes (diagnosed w/ eye infection) When I saw how sick she looked I told the nurse I was leaving. The dr had thought I would be released on Tue (day 5) but had changed his mind saying he wanted me in at least one more day. However, I did get out on day 5 with a list of 5-6 medicines. We took Abby back to the Dr. that day, who said she should be fine and gave her an antibiotic. That afternoon she became so congested she could hardly breathe - so as I was packing her up to go to the ER, she started choking. I called 911. When they got to the house they whipped her into the ambulance and started oxygen and then transported her. The same amb. driver that we had when Emily had her seizures 2 yr ago was one of the responders....he remembered us. How sad is that? Anyways, despite me trying to explain to the ER doc that all her test would come back negative because she had the same mystery virus I had but that she should still be admitted....he refused to keep her stating that her tests came back negative. We went back to the Dr office and saw her reg. dr Wed morning. He admited her. He thought she would be in a day or so...get some fluids and get the congestion broken up. She ended up staying 4 days. She had a humidity tent and breathing treatments that helped. Her dr...Dr. Kile... figured out what we had... asked the hospital dr to test her....and indeed...mystery solved. Adenovirus. Nothing earth shattering but if you get allthe symptoms it can really kick your butt - esp. if you are an adult.

I am still weak. I dont realize it until I slow down at the end of the day and find my body aches so bad, it hurts to hold my head up. I still have a cough that hurts and I am still expelling phlem from my lungs. Abby is MUCH better. She is so cute.

Emily missed us, as we missed her. The first few days back she was an angel. She is not quite so great now but she is a LOT better than pre-hospitalization. She has even decided to start to try to use the potty.

The garden is in and watered...but that is about it. Canio is busy as ever as the fiscal year nears an end at his work. I am sure he is still tired too from work, playing with Emily and stopping in every day for an hour or so at the hospital.