The other day, while in our 8th floor room, a volunteer came by and asked if she could anything. I thanked her and said “No, we are very lucky, we have a wonderful support group.”
She nodded and said, “I can always tell by the look on parents’ faces if they are getting the support they need.”
I’m thinking my face looked supported! It should! Once again, we are grateful for all of the outpourings of good thoughts, prayers, cookies, lunches…..etc.
Last night Samantha spiked a fever…..fast! She went from a sleeping Miss to hot potato (104 degrees) in about a 1/2 hour. Motrin and Tylenol had already been given so we started on cold cloths. A couple days ago I requested a cooling blanket…the great little device that fills with water and cools Samantha’s core.
We had some issues with the cooling blanket….
First, they brought a heating blanket…no good.
Then we got a cooling MACHINE with a blanket that fits into a HEATING machine….no good. Grandpa Jim had to figure this out on his own. The funny thing about cooling machines is that they are usually only used in the ICU so 8th floor nurses weren’t sure how to configure our device. Grandpa Jim took control and said we needed something else. Meanwhile, Grandma Judi was still soaking Little Miss in cold towels.
Third time is a charm! A new blanket and machine came up. Jim and I plugged it in! Nothing happened.
Jim played with a couple valves, a couple spurts of water ran through the tubes and that was it…..the blanket was filled with sweet, cooling water. Samantha was placed on the blanket and her temp was down within fifteen minutes.
The docs came into the room expecting to see a hot, sick little girl. I presented my peaceful, cooled child….nothing compare to the ‘controlled’, heated, pandamonium minutes before. The cooling of my feverish child was achieved by our efficient, intelligent village….cold towels and the engineering of a blanket.
Oh, we are still in the hospital….but I guess sometimes you gotta take the bull by the horns…or the blanket.
Comfy Samantha went back to sleep.
We toasted with a glass of Cab.
A special thank you to lovely Ellen and Jeannine who brought soup and bread today. Thank you for being a part of our village.
My face is happy and supported.
Keep those thoughts going for Monday!
XO-
Us
Samsmom 