I'm Here!

I'm here with Tabitha!  This morning I left at 4 am, had a perfectly peaceful all-by-myself drive, and arrived  just after the nurses had taken out yet another failed IV.  Tabitha was crying, so it wasn't quite the welcome I'd imagined, but she does seem glad to have me here.  It's great to be with her, and I got to spend a couple good hours with Heath.  Now he's on his way home.
:(

Since arriving, we've survived insertion of a new IV (NOT FUN!), and lessons on how to handle the ostomy bag.  Heath was still here for that, and he did such a good job with it that I think he's awarded the special honor of doing it all the time!  :)   Actually, it doesn't seem like it will be all that bad.  As long as it doesn't leak.  It did leak this time, but the wound care nurse said it was because it had been on too long, and the sticky stuff wasn't as sticky as it should be.  So if we change it often enough that shouldn't happen.  It's supposed to last 3-5 days, but I might change it every hour just to be safe!  ;-)  We have to demonstrate that we can do it comfortably before being "released," so I guess by early next week I'll be an expert.  She IS allowed to bathe and swim with it, so at least it shouldn't affect our summer too drastically.

Her bowels have started functioning, which means that she can now have clear liquids!!!  Woo Hoo!  No more sponge-water.  She's been downing the apple juice like crazy, and enjoyed a popsicle too.  Hopefully tomorrow she can start real food.  If so, she won't need the IV for meds anymore because she'll be able to take them orally.  That would be a relief since they keep failing.

Now, she's comfortably watching Dora, enjoying her balloons, stickers, cards, and Dora doll that various people have sent.  So we're off to a good start.  Dare I hope it stays this easy?