2009, I am not your friend.

This year has started out rough.

January marked the beginning of Ivan's health issues.

February started a bevy of issues for Ella, including this, as well as a bad flu. Noah also fought that stomach flu.

March was more testing and e.r. visits for Ivan, as well as a double ear infection for Ella that required two rounds of antibiotics. We are also still fighting sinus issues for her.

Then two weeks ago, we got hit even harder. Noah started a super high fever, vomited through the night, so we took him to the e.r. at 5 am on a Saturday morning with a fever of 105. After poking him repeatedly to obtain blood samples and get an i.v. line started, they decided to admit him. His white blood cell count was 25,000. (apparently, normal level is 10-12 thousand.) He also showed signs of bronchitis on his chest xray. So we buckled down and spent three days sleeping in chairs, crying, talking to nurses, and eating hospital food. He was released on a Monday. That week, I took him for a checkup at his own doctor, who suggested that we maintain the course of liquid antibiotics prescribed by the hospital. So we did.



That was Thursday.

On Sunday, his fever spiked again. Monday it was up to 102. Another visit to the e.r. This time, we decided to go to C.H.O.C. because, of course, its reputation is impeccable, and we were starting to think something bigger was going on. We wanted to have Dr. House on speed dial. Well, apparently, everyone else had the same brilliant idea and nothing else to do on a Monday night, since all of Orange County was in that emergency room. Let's put it this way. There was a 2-hour wait and they were triage-ing people in groups of EIGHT. So we stayed for about an hour, during which Noah's fever started to come down and he started getting sleepier and fussier, and we felt no closer to seeing a doctor. So we took him home and kept an eye on him. He's been steadily getting better since then, the fever finally broke after two days of alternating Tylenol and Motrin, but he still feels sick. I can tell. And what makes it even harder is that he's such a good kid. Always smiling, always laughing. Even in the hospital. So it makes it hard to tell when something's wrong.

noah in the hospital

Anyway, we're all exhausted from the battle. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I don't know how families deal with terminally or perpetually ill children. And I saw many in the hospital. I pray every day now that we never have to experience anything worse than this, because I don't know that I can handle it.



But in that same prayer, I am always quick to thank God for every moment and every gift.



I'm ready for 2009 to get better now.