I Get Knocked Down...

Last weekend Derek had to fly to Orlando.  Callen had just come down with a bad case of the flu, later to be named.... The rono virus....  Luckily, he was able to make it through at home.  Before daddy left, he gave him a blessing and I believe the Lord truly carried him through.

Porr baby...  In this picture he had a pretty high fever and in an very out of it stage said, "Five fries...Please"

Before/After

She was so sweet the night before she got sick....  She made
my bed all on her own just to make me happy!

That night, after Callen was feeling better, I decided to let Evey go ahead and sleep in my bed. When Derek is gone sometimes I let her come in.  She thinks it's a treat and quite honestly, it comforts me too.  Around 1:30 in the morning, I was awakened to the sound of a little girl throwing up, and the warmth of it on my back.  Gross, yes, I know.  So, I got her in the shower since it was all over her, got washed off myself, put her in some new jammies, got her all cozy on some towels on the couch, did two loads of laundry, watched most of a chick flick and Hotel Transylvania.  By the time I got Evey and myself back to bed it was around 4:30.  Poor little thing was throwing up every half hour.  She and I slept for a couple of hours (though, she woke up to throw up a couple of times) luckily she is pretty dang awesome and was able to just roll over on the floor and throw up in her bowl so besides giving her a wipe to wipe her off with, I was okay to just lay in my bed as she did her business.  Sorry if that makes me sound heartless, I'm really not, I would talk her through it and tell her what a good girl she was, I really was there for her.  I just mean it didn't have to be some big kind of production every time she threw up for those two and a half hours.

ANYWAYS...  At 7:30 she started throwing up every 8, 10, and 15, and if we were lucky, 20 minutes.  It was horrible, and so hard to watch her.  Poor baby girl.  It broke my heart.  I can't remember exactly what time I took her in to the doctor, but I did and just by looking at her they knew she needed to go onto an IV.  She was so brave, and I was so very proud of my little girl.

Watching "The Little Mermaid"

She was trying to smile for daddy. :)
This was right before I took her home the first night.

 They sent us home that night.  At the doctors they had given her about three Pedialyte popsicles.  In the car she said, "I'm in love with popsicles... I am in popsicle land....."  She made me laugh.

Fifteen minutes after they sent us home, any kind of perkiness in her was gone.  

She was a sick little lump on a log.  

She wasn't throwing up anymore, they gave her Zofran to stop the vomiting, but she. was. sick.  

The next morning...

The diarrhea kept up and by the next day I took her back in.  I had to anyway because they had kept her IV in just in case.  Good thing.  Again, just by looking at her they knew she had to get hooked back up.  I felt bad that day because there was another family in that room and not to be gross, but her diarrhea was pretty bad that day and the smell was not too pleasant.  I had her in diapers for convenience.  She didn't necessarily like the idea, but didn't fight me on it when I reasoned with her that we didn't want to make her pretty underwear all ruined.

So, diapers = saved me BIG time.  

We stayed there for a good part of that day (by the way, a HUGE thank you goes to my AWESOME mother in law who stayed with the other kids so I could take Evey in!)

I was VERY thankful for a couple of reasons that Sunday.

First, I was thankful for IV's.  As sad as it is to have to have one, she needed it, and I was SO thankful for it!

Second, I was thankful for Dr. Ranatunge.  Best. Pediatrician. Ever.

He's been our kids doctor for seven years now, and I trust him so much.  He was luckily working that day and was able to give me some good information like, with this virus, start feeding them.  Even if they throw up right away, if they are drinking something, it will immediately start to absorb in them.

I was holding off on food while she was throwing up.

Once the throwing up was done I started to feed her crackers and stuff, but it was not enough.  I needed to be feeding her more.  He said the more they eat during the diarrhea, the quicker it will stop.

I felt horrible.  He didn't say it to make me feel horrible, he's just a good guy and wanted to help me.

He said the foods to stay away from would be sugar and fats.

Third, I am so thankful for super kind nurses!

Fourth, I am thankful for a husband who loves us so much and found an earlier flight home.  I am also thankful for the super kind woman who let him get on the flight without charging him the $75 fee.  We were so blessed!

And more than anything, I am SO thankful for a Heavenly Father who stayed with me and helped make what could have been stressful, feel light.

All I felt was thankful!

Her and her cute little bear the nurse gave her.

 So, we got home for the second time.  She was weaker than weak after all she went through and not eating enough.  She could hardly move.  My mother in law got her to sip some broth, I got her some Monavie, and she ate a bit of a plain pancake.

As you can tell by this smile she did for daddy, she had started to improve a lot.  She still felt pretty awful, don't let the smile fool you, but it was good to see her true smile again for a minute!

She is doing so much better now.  She's been sick for five days.  Typically, with this horrible virus, that is when you are basically better.  Unfortunately, it is still hard to get her to eat much.  I pray she will get her appetite back soon.  I knew she was starting to feel better two days ago when she wanted to get dressed so she could look pretty.  :)

I love her so much!  And as sad as this was, it has helped us get a little closer.  She told me she loved me more than an thousand cookies.  

Awww.

Truly the Lord strengthened me more than words can say.  I don't mean to sound dramatic, there are so many going through so much more, but it was hard for me right now.  I was running on little sleep, I'm super pregnant, and it was so hard having Derek out of town through all of this, plus it was just hard seeing Evey be so sick, so, this did have the potential to be a tough trial (the flu is gross anyway), but with the Lord there, it was not very hard.  

I am so thankful for His love and for teaching me that I can rely on Him for everything.

Derek is my companion and help meet for sure, but the Lord is my Strength.

Happy belated birthday Evey!  Sorry it was such a hard birthday week!  

You are one amazing and strong girl and we are so proud to call you our little girl!!