One Step Forward...

...500 steps back.

Well, that's where I feel like we are right now. Apparently, that's RSV. I think the last update I gave was yesterday when she was taken off of the oxygen. She did fine for a few hours, but had to be put back on oxygen in the late afternoon. Last night was horrible and she did not fall asleep until 5:30 in the morning. She did sleep until 10, so that was good. I'm not sure what's going on with her at night. She seems restless and the only way I know how to comfort her is by nursing. Obviously, this is physically exhausting for me and does not really help her either. They tried giving her a little Tylenol last night, but it did not help. Pray that tonight is a better night for us both.

We had a rough start to today with a nursing session that ended in a coughing spell and vomiting. However, after that they did allow her to come off of the oxygen. This was around 10:30 this morning. She did well on just room air all day, but started having trouble keeping her levels up at about 5:30 this evening. The nurse, charge nurse and several doctors came in and talked about what should be done. Ultimately, the decision was to put her back on the oxygen after a good suctioning out of her nose, mouth and throat. She HATES that and it's difficult to watch, but the benefits are immediately noticeable as she completely relaxes afterwards.

This virus can be so deceiving. One minute, I feel like we are hours from being discharged. The next I feel as though we could be here for another week. It's emotionally draining. I've decided to focus on some positives from today:

1. Ellody was able to breathe on her own for a longer amount of time today than yesterday.

2. I got a shower AND washed my hair this morning...you have NO idea what a change that makes!

3. I made an executive decision to dress Ellie in her cute, comfy pjs after being in that yucky hospital gown for days. I think she appreciated the change. And she sure does look cute!

4. Last night, we decided to let the girls come up and visit their sister. They were only in the room for a few minutes, but every time Ellody heard Addison's or Emerson's voice, she would break into a big smile. Right before leaving, we had an impromptu sing-along session. Ellody was BEAMING and that just melted my heart.

5. Joe was able to come up today by himself. That allowed for me to go downstairs for a while which is a nice break from being in this room, and it allowed Joe to be with Ellie for some cuddle time.

6. While eating downstairs, I was reminded of how blessed I am to have 3 beautiful, healthy (relatively) baby girls. There are many, many parents here who would trade places with me in a heartbeat.

Blessings to you all and thank you for continuing to lift us up in prayer,

Melissa