As our day wound up yesterday, we realized just how bad of a day Laela had been having. She had eaten nothing. Literally, not a bite of anything. But as everyone and their mother tells you, its more important that she drinks. She had done a tiny bit of that, but she had thrown up each time. I’m confident she took in absolutely nothing yesterday. No medicine, food, or drink. When it was time to put her to bed, I went to lift her up, and she started heaving. Brady made it over with the bucket, and she barfed over my shoulder, over and over. It was awful. TMI alert! It was dark dark brown and she had to work HARD for it, since she really had nothing in her little system to throw up.
I don’t usually panic and think “hospital,” but in this case, I did. Her barf smelled horrific, and it just kept happening. She was so weak. Instead of rushing to the hospital, though, I texted one of my amazing nurse friends and asked for advice. You’d think I was a first timer, because she had some really good advice that I hadn’t thought of yet! Of course, everything we needed, we didn’t have, and the drugstore closes fairly early on Sundays, as it should, so I sent Brady off to a nearby town to get the medication and supplies we needed. I put the boys to bed, and Laela and I sat up and snuggled while watching some Netflix together. She kept asking to go to bed, which I LOVED, but I told her why we needed her to stay awake, and she complied.
She cooperated well when with her medication, and went to bed. We put a monitor in her room and explained to her that she could call to us anytime and we’d come be with her. However, she didn’t call on us. She was totally silent almost all night. I heard her cough a little bit at one point when Solly was up, but I watched on the monitor and she didn’t even move, so I didn’t go in. Just hoped she hadn’t thrown up. But I didn’t want to risk waking her up and rustling everything around, turning on lights just to see that she had coughed. So I left her be.
And it was the right move! When I went to her room, she was sitting up in bed. I asked her how she was, to which she replied “healthy!” There was no vomit anywhere, and she was complaining that she had run out of water in her bottle. I asked her if she wanted breakfast, and she said she did!
From there, I only have positives to share 🙂 She ate a very small bowl of milk and Cheerios, as well as an apple sauce cup for breakfast. Unfortunately she didn’t go for the pedialyte at all, but now that she can stomach some food, water works! I kind of love that she doesn’t like juice 😉 After she ate, instead of plunking down on the couch and snuggling in for a sick day, she went to the toys and sat on the floor to play. It was pretty slow, toned down play, but she was singing along to toys and offering things to the boys.
The boys!! They’re in really good shape today 🙂 Dekker has a runny nose but seems to be in great spirits. Rowan is happy go lucky. And Solly is ADORABLE, while teething pretty solidly. So no one is 100%, but they boys are doing very well!
Laela asked for crackers for lunch, and a fruit bar. She was very sad when I told her she would need a nap today, but she cried for a very short period of time, and then accepted it. She knows what she needs, I think. So she kept down two meals (small ones, but still), bathrooms functions are up and running once again, and she’s having a sleep! Its a good day!
I feel optimistic. This week is still big and yucky and difficult for our family. Part of it aren’t getting any easier, and it won’t really change. But Laela being so much better today helps my apprehension go down.
WE CAN DO HARD THINGS, THROUGH HIM WHO GIVES US STRENGTH!!