Heading home

Sunday night and we'll be packing up and making our trek home tomorrow. Did I mention that Richard came down with the flu? He did. He has spent the last two days quite sick but thanks to a Tamiflu prescription I think he's going to survive. The question is, will I? So far I've skated by as we've left a path of destruction in our wake...my mom, sister, and stepmom all got sick thanks to us. My dad has been fighting it off well and then my poor husband was completely quarantined to an extra room upstairs. I literally wore a mask and left things for him just inside the door.

At any rate, we're all under one roof, a home room, not a hospital roof. Avery was discharged yesterday afternoon and has been doing great. She and Lily were so happy to see eachother, they almost didn't know quite what to do except stare at eachother and smile. Both are working through the last week emotionally in very different manners.

Avery is definitely more clingy, not wanting me out of her sight for even a moment. She needs lots of reassurance that she isn't going to be left alone, or I should say, without me. She wants lots of kisses and cuddles and even if she's off playing somewhere, if she comes back into the room where I was and I'm not there, she gets a bit worried for a moment. The fact that daddy has been quarantined has left her a bit distraught as well. When he did venture downstairs this evening she literally fell on the floor and cried when he couldn't pick her up.

Lily on the other hand is acting out in anger, which I completely understand. She's had complete loss of control with strange people poking her and proding her, she felt terrible, and then even when she did feel good she couldn't get up and walk around the halls because we were in isolation. Due to her sensory issues she's usually quick to get upset about things like her waistband not being at just the right spot below her belly button, or the seam on her sock not laying perfectly across her toes, or her sleeves not being rolled up exactly right. These things have continued but have been stepped up a few notches and the cries that accompany the anger and frustration that ensues is blood curdling. She, like Avery, only wants me...so when they're having a dance party with Grandpa and Birdie I take that as an opportunity to take I shower. I never try to sneak away so I'll tell them what I'm going to do thinking that by the time they're done dancing I'll be out. You can imagine how well that went over!

The night Lily got home from the hospital we had her in the tub. My dad has this little bucket with tub toys in it and the bucket was "the hospital." She'd take the toys (all fish and dolphins and such) and say "you're sick, go to the hospital" and she'd throw them in the bucket. Then she'd say to the ones in the bucket "you're still sick you can't come out." And then she'd dump the whole bucket out and say "you're better, bye bye." I'd say that paints a pretty clear picture of what's going on in her head. I just need to find some ways to help her work through this. I don't want to "discipline" her through it but I also don't want to set up a pattern of "if I get hurt and I keep screaming I'll always get what I want." It's a delicate balance and one that I hope I don't screw up!

So, big sigh.......

What a way to start 2010. Here's to hoping things only get better! On the bright side, it could have been a lot worse and I am thankful no ventilators were involved and we only spent one week in the hospital. I'm praying for all the families out there with children who are sick and fighting off any number of illnesses. I pray that God will give the parents moments of peace and rest amidst the worry and as my friend said that He would "breathe the breath of life into their lungs."