behind...

Unfortunately, my "hey, maybe I'll catch up" week was spent in the hospital with that baby of mine. An all-day clinic visit on Monday for some IV fluids after a crazy weekend of diarrhea didn't quite stave off the mess, so when he woke up with fever and vomiting, we headed to the hospital at 3 am Tuesday. We just made it home Friday night with a bit of begging.

In we went for IV antibiotics, blood transfusions of both the platelet and RBC sort, make-up fluids, and a myriad of nighttime interruptions. Wednesday night was a little hairy--a temperature of 105'F, for instance--but by Thursday we just had a lingering not-too-high and not-always temperature and a waiting pattern for 24-hours-without-fever and a more robust white-cell count (ANC=0). The blood cultures never grew anything nasty, so we think we're just dealing with a virus now. Reuben stayed smiley and flirty and breastfeeding well throughout, which kept me from getting too scared. He was especially helped by a nice red cell transfusion which had him jumping on the bed within a half hour of beginning. He spent much of the next couple of days wishing he wasn't on a 3' tether in a 6' room. I spent a bit of time myself wishing I wasn't on a 5' sleeping chair...but we had a good view. And favorite nurses. Could be worse, friends.

Ay, we are behind on life! But Nathan happily scheduled a cycling club (advises the local university team) meeting at our house for Friday night and I came home to a clean house and cute college kids, including one making rainbow snowflakes with the happy-to-be-up-late girls. Then on Saturday, I even coerced the girls into helping fold the mammoth pile of laundry in my basement on Saturday. Gradually catching up...though the always-effective approach of staying up late the last couple of nights will not last.

I have been just so happy to be home. And Christmas-ing. I love it.