room 435…

ByMary Lenaburg
Daddy giving good night kisses. 
As I continue to make adjustments to our daily schedule to include all of Courtney’s new feeding and care needs I am trying to create daily rhythm and flexible schedule that recognizes the need to change at the drop of a hat depending on what’s happening with Miss Courtney.

It sounds so easy.


It’s not.


Let’s take today for example. 


It started out a little slow. I put some laundry in gave Miss Courtney her morning g-tube feeding and meds, handed over the reigns to big brother and went to run few errands. 


Had a quick meeting with my critique partner and the headed home for the remainder of the day. 


I got Miss Courtney up and dressed, hair done, oatmeal fed, water through the g-tube. I noticed she was coughing this pathetic little bird cough and she couldn’t seem to clear her throat. I took out a tongue depressor and took a peek to see if she had any puss or anything suspicious in her throat. 


All clear. 


She kept coughing and gurgling and coughing and gurgling over the next several hours. She didn’t want to eat her lunch. When she would cough she would begin to cry. When Courtney cries that means she is in pain. 


Not good y’all. 


So I called the Doc and filled him in. He told me to head to the ER to rule out bronchial issues and a UTI. I packed her bag and off we went. I didn’t even tell anyone until we were actually in the ER. I thought that maybe I was overreacting in my response to her cough. 


I doubted myself. 


An hour and legions of prayers later we find ourselves in Rm#435 of our local hospital on the Telemetry Unit. This is the heart and lungs unit that sits right outside the ICU. They monitor seizure patients her as well as heart and lung. 


Miss Courtney has been diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia in her right mid to lower lobe. She is being treated with a wide spectrum heavy duty IV antibiotic. We will probably be here a minimum of two days, hopefully no more than five. 


They will let us go home when her Xray comes back at least 50% improved. 


I will never doubt my Mama radar again.


When I got up this morning I did not think for one moment we would end the day IN the hospital. This is not a typical life I lead. My lesson for the day is to embrace the suck that can be and let go of trying to be “typical” 


So here we go again. One more time with feeling. 


Thanks so much for your prayer support. I can feel them. I really can. Please pray that God’s will be done here, whatever that is. I don’t hazard a guess anymore. 


I am just along for the ride.

7 Comments

  1. i think you need to throw "typical" out of your vocabulary my dear friend. your normal is not the same as that of what most of us call "normal." May GOD's glorious grace rest upon you as you wait for the medication to work…and allow others to minister to her needs.

  2. 'Normal' is just a setting on the washing machine isn't it?? And on my machine it's called 'fuzzy'. Sounds about right to me! hugs xx

  6. Mary,
    Your positive attitude and faith amaze me. I loved how you "embrace the suck that can be." We don't know why things happen in our lives. We just have to believe they happen for a reason. I'm praying for your daughter and your whole family.

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