The Day Emily Went Back to the Hospital, Again

After having more blood draws and heel pokes than she was days old, Emily’s test results indicated that her bili number was continuing to increase and showed now sign of slowing down.  So her doctor re-admitted her to the hospital for more photo-therapy.

This time she got a different “tanning bed.”  It was more like a inclined tub they placed in a hospital crib.  At first she mind it, but by evening time, she would have nothing to do with it.  We couldn’t keep her in that bed for anything, so her bili number was not coming down at all.

I was so busy trying to get her to lay in the bed, that I was 2 minutes past the deadline when I tried to order my deadline.  I was sure they would still bring me something to eat, but they didn’t and didn’t seem to care either.  So, I did what any tired, stressed out, post-partum mom would do… I cried.  Moments later though, Stacey, Alli and Bonnie arrived with dinner and treats.  The food tasted so great, but having them there to visit was even better.  It is amazing the impact friends can have on your mental well being.  Somehow, not being able to keep Emily in her “tanning bed” seemed less traumatic having them there trying to help me.

Later that night, the nurses were finally able to get the other bed back and she was much happier.  The lights were underneath and above her, so our whole room looked like a blue-hued disco tech.  The phlebotomists loved making that joke every time they’d come in to do a blood draw.

By morning, her bili number had finally started to come down, but had a long way to go.  They checked her again later than day and said she would need to stay for another night to get that number low enough to try sending her home again.  I was bummed but glad she was getting the care she needed and that the photo-therapy seemed to be working, albeit slowly.

While Katelyn was at school, Brooke came to visit again.  She was still thrilled with my hospital water mug and thought watching TV in a hospital bed was pretty cool.  Katelyn got to visit after school and was bummed that we wouldn’t be home for at least another night. 

 

Unbeknownst to me, Katelyn made and new sign for the front door so that visitors coming to see Emily would know she wasn’t there.  When I heard about the sign, I cried again.

 

On the morning of the third day, they tested Emily again and her bili number was finally down enough that they said she could go home that afternoon.  We were so glad to take her home again and hopeful her liver would be able to keep on top of things this time.