Friday, February 17, 2012

A bittersweet anniversary.

A year ago, yesterday, my life took a turn for the worse. Our family began on what I would consider the scariest time in my life. It was a Wednesday and Lucy was sick. 

Not only was my baby girl sick, but she hadn't eaten in 2 days. She was only 7 months old and had no interest in solid foods so I was at a loss of what to do. I called the nurse and they had me take her in to see the doc on call. I had Spencer and Tatum with me and I had promised them (both of which were sick, Spencer had pneumonia and Tatum had the awful cold that started it all) an ice cream cone if they were good at the doctor's. 

So we sat there while they checked Lu over, checked her oxygen levels, and gave her a breathing treatment. The kids were getting ance and I was getting zero answers. Finally, the doctor came back in.  

You need to take her to the hospital and have her admitted so we can get a handle on this.

One of the worst phrases a mother can hear. 

With all 3 in tow, we headed to the hospital and began on a 10 day journey of ups and downs, prayers, nurses saying that they couldn't do anything more for her and she was getting worse... Moments that nightmares are made of. 



After 5 days in the Salem hospital with empty promises from doctors that were never fulfilled, we were sent to Doernbechers Children's Hospital. 


 

After 7 days without eating, they gave Lu a feeding tube. And instead of treating her with more steroids and medications that were doing more harm than good, they treated her with oxygen. After a mere 5 day stay, she was back to eating and ready to go home.
 


Looking back, there were so many middle of the night scares when we thought she might just give up and stop breathing. The nurses told me most babies would have given up by then. But knowing who she is now, the hardheaded, strongwilled, feisty little girl that she is... God made her that way for a reason. He knew the struggle she would have to go through and created her to endure it. And I am so grateful to Him- for making her so strong and for helping her and us through that terrible time in our lives.


For the whole story, head to my archives and read all about her journey...