Update on Tabitha

Tabitha's recovery has gone well.  She's eating real food now, and it's coming out in the right place.  =)  So I guess that's progress.  :)  Heath's been with her the whole time, with the rest of us just coming to visit.  I was going to spend the night with her tonight, but since I was having a meltdown Heath offered to stay again.  Why the meltdown?  I'm just really worried about what's coming up.  For the next couple months it appears we have to do enemas (hour-long process every day), strictly monitor her diet, go back to cathing every 4 hours, and STILL be dealing with messy diapers on a 4-year-old.  I don't even understand most of what's going on in her body, and I know it's temporary, but it feels like a step backwards.   I had been excited about starting our new homeschooling year when we get back, even with a new toddler in the house.  But now we get to add all this to our school year and outside activities, and I just don't see that working out so well.  Please pray that God somehow gives me the emotional energy to handle all of this.

Yesterday when we went to visit Tabitha she was feeling pretty well, but extremely emotional.  I think the medication is really affecting her head.  We brought her a big balloon, and she thanked us by demanding that Ethan give it to her now!  And she bit the head off anyone who touched her toys or balloons.  She was pretty mean and feisty the whole time, but then she got very sensitive.  The nurse came to check on her and asked if she needed anything.  When the nurse asked her if she wanted to get up, she said she'd do it tomorrow.  The nurse asked her to "pinky promise" and held out her pinky.  I told Tabitha to give her her pinky, and she looked down at her box of markers and said, "But I don't have pink!"  We all laughed at her cute misunderstanding.  But then Tabitha got all teary-eyed and said "You hurt my feelings.  You laughed at me."  Her emotions are fluctuating quite drastically right now!

The other kids have had fun at the hotel this week.  Rayanna absolutely loves the pool!  She has no fear, constantly dunks her head in the water and tries to get away from me and swim on her own!  The boys are having a blast there too.  We also went to the Cincinnati Museum Center today.  They have 3 great museums there, and we enjoyed them all!  I've also really enjoyed having my mom and my friend Kelly here for the extra help and support.  I'm not sure that Heath and Tabitha have had all that much fun, but they've accomplished what we came for.  :)

Looking forward to going home, but all in all it's been a good trip.