Tuesday, she had visits with both caseworkers (Denver County & Ariel Clinical Services) in the midst of our boys and I having the flu. Hammy started throwing up first on Monday, then Moose on Tuesday and by Wednesday I had joined them. Poor Moose couldn't even hold down water for about half a day. I had started us all on the homeopathic remedy Gelsemium right away, but in the end (no pun intended) we actually improved quickly with Nux Vomica and lots of saltines. Mike of course was queasy but kept his meals down. And, thankfully, Tomorrow didn't get it! I can't imagine the poor baby being ill on top of everything else she is enduring. It was sooo hard for us not to kiss on her for a few days but we did it (and washed our hands obsessively) for her sake.
Thursday she had two follow-up appointments at Children's Hospital. The first was at 11:50 a.m. and the second was at 3:50 p.m. so I planned to spend the day at the hospital. It was a very long day for us both and thank goodness for my mei tai (traditional Chinese baby carrier). X-rays revealed that the fractures in her femurs weren't aligned very well at all and wouldn't heal properly in the position they were in, so little peanut was freed from her shell and strapped into a Pavlik harness which abducts her legs into a froggy position using gentle traction. Basically, it's like a pair of suspders with a chest strap and the suspenders go all the way down to booties on her feet. Her diaper goes under the straps and gown goes over them. She is wearing a pair of S's hand-me-down socks over the booties to keep from getting poop on them during diaper changes and he is tickled that she is wearing his socks!
Here is a link to a site about the harness:
http://www.hip-baby.org/pavlik.html
She is comfortable in the harness when she is resting on her back or on our chests, but it hurts her to change positions. She cries out when she is lifted (no matter how carfeully) or moved from being cradled in our arms to being burped on our shoulders. The doctor wrote us another prescription for Tylenol with Hydrocodone and warned me that she would probably be uncomfortable and might need more pain meds. We are giving her the hydrocodone every six hours as prescribed, but it seems to wear off about an hour before the next dose, so I just hold her and give her reiki and don't move her until I can give her some pain meds again. She soaks up our love like a sea sponge and puts out as much as she receives. It's like having a little bundle of anti-depressant medicine and chocolate all swaddled up in a pretty, soft blanket...and I still can't quite find the words to describe how much I adore her already, but I am sure they will come to me over time as I have more days like today for quiet reflection and cocooning with Tomorrow. We have been getting lots of alone time to bond for the past few days. I wear her or let her sleep on me constantly unless Mike can take her, so we are quite bonded already after one week and one day as "mother and daughter".
Thursday we bonded amidst stress as it was just us for the day albeit at the hospital and through the traumatic experience of being cut out of her full-body cast I was able to give her a sponge bath and put cocoa butter lotion all over her ute little body. Friday, Hammy had a field trip to Miller Farms with the Options kindergarten class so Mike drove Hammy and Moose plus two other boys from Hammy's class to pick veggies from three different fields while I stayed home and did laundry and cleaned house with Tomorrow in the mei tai! She only weighs nine and a half pounds so she is a joy to wear in a baby carrier~~ especially after my two boys who were born weighing more than she does now at six weeks! Today, the boys are with their grandparents from Hawaii and Mike at the Castle Rock Outlet Malls. I have asked Mike to bring home some new gowns or other pink/purple things for Princess Tomorrow so we'll see how he does. We *have* to spend at least $50 a month on clothes for her...how will I ever manage? ;>)
So Friday my in-laws flew in from San Antonio and we had Mike's famous Chicken Katsu for dinner. ("I will not eat all the leftovers...I will not eat all the leftovers...I will not eat all the leftovers") The day I got the call about Tomorrow, I had made a giant "squasherole" (spaghetti squash and zucchini casserole with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese) to share with one of my clients from Home Instead but instead I portioned it up and froze it for days like today when I don't have to make lunch for anyone but me. I will relish tomorrow, as I know Monday will come all too soon and I will be on my own with three kiddoes...ALL of them perceptive, sensitive and spirited in their own special ways!
And this is the time when I take a deep breath and say: One day at a time.
She is comfortable in the harness when she is resting on her back or on our chests, but it hurts her to change positions. She cries out when she is lifted (no matter how carfeully) or moved from being cradled in our arms to being burped on our shoulders. The doctor wrote us another prescription for Tylenol with Hydrocodone and warned me that she would probably be uncomfortable and might need more pain meds. We are giving her the hydrocodone every six hours as prescribed, but it seems to wear off about an hour before the next dose, so I just hold her and give her reiki and don't move her until I can give her some pain meds again. She soaks up our love like a sea sponge and puts out as much as she receives. It's like having a little bundle of anti-depressant medicine and chocolate all swaddled up in a pretty, soft blanket...and I still can't quite find the words to describe how much I adore her already, but I am sure they will come to me over time as I have more days like today for quiet reflection and cocooning with Tomorrow. We have been getting lots of alone time to bond for the past few days. I wear her or let her sleep on me constantly unless Mike can take her, so we are quite bonded already after one week and one day as "mother and daughter".
Thursday we bonded amidst stress as it was just us for the day albeit at the hospital and through the traumatic experience of being cut out of her full-body cast I was able to give her a sponge bath and put cocoa butter lotion all over her ute little body. Friday, Hammy had a field trip to Miller Farms with the Options kindergarten class so Mike drove Hammy and Moose plus two other boys from Hammy's class to pick veggies from three different fields while I stayed home and did laundry and cleaned house with Tomorrow in the mei tai! She only weighs nine and a half pounds so she is a joy to wear in a baby carrier~~ especially after my two boys who were born weighing more than she does now at six weeks! Today, the boys are with their grandparents from Hawaii and Mike at the Castle Rock Outlet Malls. I have asked Mike to bring home some new gowns or other pink/purple things for Princess Tomorrow so we'll see how he does. We *have* to spend at least $50 a month on clothes for her...how will I ever manage? ;>)
So Friday my in-laws flew in from San Antonio and we had Mike's famous Chicken Katsu for dinner. ("I will not eat all the leftovers...I will not eat all the leftovers...I will not eat all the leftovers") The day I got the call about Tomorrow, I had made a giant "squasherole" (spaghetti squash and zucchini casserole with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese) to share with one of my clients from Home Instead but instead I portioned it up and froze it for days like today when I don't have to make lunch for anyone but me. I will relish tomorrow, as I know Monday will come all too soon and I will be on my own with three kiddoes...ALL of them perceptive, sensitive and spirited in their own special ways!
And this is the time when I take a deep breath and say: One day at a time.
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