Home Sweet Home & Hospital Thoughts

We are home again! In retrospect, four days is not a lot of time (especially since when Clare has her cath and surgery in November, we will be at least 12 days in the hospital), but if you've ever experienced four days in the hospital, it's an eternity.

First, there's "Hospital Time." Example - "I'll bring that medication in 30 minutes." It comes 2 hours later. Our favorite this visit was when Shawn asked the admitting nurse the morning of Clare's pre-op if Clare would have her IV put in that night. The nurse said (surprised), "Oh no, she will have that put in this afternoon." Ummm... try midnight. But once you're used to hospital time, it tends not to bug you as much. We try to be understanding that Clare's not the only patient there (although to us, Clare is the most IMPORTANT patient!), emergencies arise, and the nurses and doctors are super busy. But hospital time adds to the feeling that everything takes F-O-R-E-V-E-R in the hospital. It took me one hour last night to get a food voucher delivered so I could eat in the cafeteria for free (a perk for breastfeeding moms!). Now, yes, I could have gone down to the cafeteria and had dinner in less time for about $8, but when you're a one-income family with medical bills piling up, you take the free stuff!

Second, there's "Hospital Law" (similar to Murphy's Law). You've been waiting 3 hours for blood to be drawn. Five minutes after the baby falls asleep (after 30 minutes of rocking), the lab tech shows up, needle in hand. This is a big dilemma - either tell the tech that the baby has just fallen asleep and run the risk of the tech not returning for another three hours. Or tell the tech to go ahead and draw the blood - baby wakes up screaming and now it takes even longer to get her to go back to sleep. Our theory is that if you want something to get done, make sure Clare goes to sleep!

Third, living in "Hospital Land." Hospitals are not fun and everyone knows that. Here is the part where I really start complaining - my eyes are dry from the air, my body aches from sleeping in a chair, you never feel clean after using a triangular-shaped shower (I would love to know where that concept came from) with very little water pressure. We alternated between boredom and anxiety, both of which are exhausting. Honestly, though, I am so impressed with Boston Children's Hospital - they really make an effort to bring joy to the kids and families there. One day, there was ice cream sundae making in the lobby. Another day, Kohl's came in with tons of toys for the kids. There is a great playroom that Jamie loved - complete with a Child Life Specialist who let him fingerpaint and glue, two things Mommy has not introduced him to yet! There are little cars to ride up and down the hallways and strollers and swings for the babies. Yet, at the end of the day (or four days), all we wanted to do was go home.

And we are home. Clare is home and sleeping in her bed right now. She still sounds a little wheezy at times (from the breathing tube). She had trouble keeping food down this morning and afternoon, but is doing better now (only one incident this evening). And she is on a new medication (a blood-thinner to keep blood clots from forming in the walls of her stents) that was a nightmare to get her to take. But these are things we will have to work out over the next couple weeks. Recovery is never easy. We are home and that's all that matters right now. Thank you all for your prayers in bringing our little girl home again safely.