My eye is finally healed enough to be able to handle the light from the computer.  Yay!!  That has been as much of a trial as dealing with Emily and Abby have.  Thank God it's better. 

I went home for a while tonight to see Hannah and Sarah.  I hadn't been out of the hospital since Saturday, so I really needed to get away for a bit.  I've decided I love my home.  I always knew I did, but today I walked through my sweet house and realized how much I love it.  It's so comfortable and so us.  I took a quick nap in my own bed.  Usually, when I lay down at night I think about how we should get a new mattress.  Today, I thought it was heaven.  I am so thankful to be able to go home, even if it's only for a few hours. 

Abby has had a very difficult few days.  She hasn't tolerated her feedings at all.  Today, she did a little better, but she's still only running at 25.  We are going to try for 30 tomorrow.  It's so frustrating to have been so close to being done with it, and now we are essentially starting over.  She's nauseous, even vomiting.  We had to set up suction last night because she was choking on her saliva/ tube feeding.  It's horrible watching her go through this again.  Coming home without TPN would be an absolute miracle. 

Her central line is infected at the place it goes in to the skin.  Badly.  It looks very red and irritated and today it's seeping with the skin turning white from the infection.  They started her on IV antibiotics yesterday.  It's slightly less red today, although it has a larger area of what is probably dying tissue.  I know it doesn't sound cute, and trust me, it's not.  The infectious disease doctor saw it today and isn't sure we can save the line.  She has no fever and we don't think it's in her blood stream, but it's still scary.  It could be contributing to her feeling so sick overall. 

She had music therapy today, which lifted her spirits for sure.  She's resting comfortably now.  :)

Emily has been a hospital champ.  She's been cruising right along with feedings and stopped TPN tonight.  She goes up 10 everyday with absolutely no problem.  It's unbelievable how different it is from what we've experienced with Abby.  Emily feels great.  She's been laughing and playing everyday.  All she has to do is move up on those feeds and we're out of here.

Her blockage will clear as she gains enough weight to lift her mesenteric artery off of the duodenum.  Clearly I am not at risk for this condition ;)

Emily's new tube--because the bowel is obstructed just outside of the stomach, the g-tube portion drains off what can't move past as the J-tube feeds her.  It's kind of cool!

Oh wait a minute, not so fast!  I came back from home tonight to find out that my little stinker has a 102 fever.  AHHHHHH!  I'm hoping it was a one time fluke.  She got toradol, so it came down to 100.5, but I'm wondering what in the heck is going on.  Hopefully it's nothing to worry with.  But, of course, I'm worried.  Her heart rate is 106 while she's sleeping.  That's high for her and tells me something is up with her. 

I don't want anymore complications.  Abby has been here more than 2 weeks with no end in sight; Emily for just a week and for most of it, she's done well.

This has certainly been a challenge for all of us.  I am more tired than I thought I could be, just because they both need and want me.  Emily is a little spoiled--admittedly our fault---because she isn't used to watching commercials, and this wonderful hospital doesn't have a DVR.  Poor kid!  LOL.  She does yell EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. a commercial comes on.  My sweet child needs to learn something about patience!