Sorry for the short and delayed posts. The past two weeks have flown past, and I have chosen sleep and rest over blogging. Here is a brief summary of events.
Grandma and Grandpa arrived from Connecticut a few days prior to Jack's birth. Thank goodness because we needed the help as you will read.
Kim's c-section was scheduled for 4:30pm on May 11th. Earlier that morning Caitlin was not acting like herself. She and I had been fighting what seemed liked a chest cold. However, she was sleeping the entire morning and eventually began wheezing. So Grandpa, Caitlin and I went to the doctor. Caitlin was immediately put on a nebulizer treatment. She responded well to the two treatments. The doctor then wanted a chest x-ray and a blood test. The fear was that Caitlin had RSV. So we took Caitlin, who was doing a little better to get a chest x-ray. She had to be placed in a large plastic and wooden device that would keep her from moving while her arms were stretched above her head. It reminded me of Hannibal in "Silence of the Lambs". It was difficult to hear the poor sick little child screaming while I had to help pin her into the device. After the x-ray was taken we went to the lab. There they stuck a bendable stick into her sinuses. Needless to say, she did not enjoy that either.
While this was taking place, Kim and Grandma had already left to prepare for the c-section. Caitlin saw the doctor again and was released with a prescription for steroids and the use of the nebulizer treatment every four hours. The three of us went to see mom and grandma at the other side of the hospital. Kim and Grandma were already in the prep room when we arrived.
Grandma and Grandpa took care of Caitlin during the surgery. As stated in an earlier blog the c-section went well and Jack was born at 5:41. After he peed on Dr. Hilton, was checked over, received a 9/10 apgar and cleaned off, Jack and I went to meet his grandparents and sister.
We are grateful to Grandma who stayed with Kim during the hospital stay as I had to give Caitlin her nebulizer treatments throughout the night. Grandma did a great job of taking care of Kim and Jack while they were in the hospital. Grandpa was given the nickname "Grunt" as he had to do all the everyday chores and the shuttling of people to and from the hospital. I was able to see Jack during naps and when Caitlin went down for bed. Jack, Mom, and Grandma came home on Thursday.
Once home things where a bit more relaxing. Caitlin started to feel better and act more like herself. The test results for Caitlin came back negative for RSV and influenza. This meant that Caitlin did not have to isolated from Jack any longer. I was recovering slowly from my chest cold. Mom was in pain, but did not have all the complications she had during the first c-section. Grandma and Grandpa had their aches and pains from recent falls and surgeries. They were however, able to play with Caitlin and Jack and even take Caitlin to Story Time.
Just as it looked like we were getting healthy, Caitlin came down with a stomach virus. She began vomiting a little before noon. We overreacted a bit as this was the first time Caitlin had a stomach virus, we had a newborn in the house, and Caitlin was recovering from her previous illness. We took Caitlin to the doctor again who calmed our fears and told us to keep the two kids separated again. Poor Caitlin was so exhausted she fell asleep on the tile floor of the doctors' office. She slept most of the rest of the day. The next day she was doing a little better.
A day later both Kim and I found ourselves sick. Thank goodness for Grandma and Grandpa who had to take over all the feedings for baby Jack, day and night. We did our best to keep Caitlin comfortable as we dealt with the bug. As Kim and I began to feel better, 24 hours from when the symptoms began, Grandma and Grandpa feel ill. Fortunately, Uncle Chris arrived just in time help us recover.
Now everyone is feeling better. The stomach bug is gone from the house. Jack was able to avoid getting sick, knock on wood. Grandma and Grandpa have returned to Connecticut. We are very grateful for all their help over the past two weeks, and Caitlin and Jack had a wonderful time with them. Uncle Chris, Kim and the two kids went to story time today. Hopefully we can begin a routine without all the illness.
