Wednesday update

Oh for the love of it, we are still here! It's been 5 days and gosh, do I look it!Today is Wednesday, the day of the week I parent mentor here at the hospital.... how crappy to be on the other side of the bed right now. My mom brought Jackson to the hospital for me to spend some time with him and I couldn't get enough of his yummy hugs and kisses. Walter has been working this week and my sister has been a Saint caring for Jackson and Katie while he's gone. He doesn't work a normal 8 hour, 9-5 shift, so she has been doing dinner, homework, baths, all while caring for her own kids. What would I do without her?! My heart is torn with missing the kids and sadness when Kaitlin cries for me, but I do not worry when they are with her and that is a gift!
So, there have been a lot of bodies in and out of Liz's room today. Her surgeon came in to examine her, talk and then view the CT scan results himself. He has cared for Liz since she was 4 months old and literally knows how she looks inside from chest to tummy. That is all his work in there and so he has always treated her almost like his own 9 year project...except he also brings the personal care of a kind father-like physician.
Her GI doctor is back on-call starting today which means he will be caring for her. It was a relief to see him! Other doctors have been great, but he has been caring for Liz since she was 7 weeks old and knows it all when it comes to her. He spent an hour and a half (!!!) with us. He chastised me for not calling him from the ER to let him know she was here and is trying hard to "fix" her. He is such a kind and thoughtful man that he told me, in private, that he wanted to talk to Liz about things because he cares for her so much and she is one of those kids who has forever-touched him. And he did... he told her how she mustn't associate this illness with the Grand Prix and how special of a day that was for her (she got sick hours after that). He knelt beside her and added that she shouldn't ever worry about her tummy...to leave that to him.

So, without going into detail with everything else that has been said today, here's the summary of what is happening now: She will have an ultrasound of her kidneys and pancreas tonight. She developed left-side back pain on Monday and it has worsened along with her abdominal pain. Both on the left side, primarily. She has more labs drawn about an hour ago to check her counts and about 13 other things.
They are saying there is infection somewhere...we just need to find out where and what.
It seems nothing is ever easy when it comes to her case.

For now we still have a private room, as one of the things she's being tested for is contagious (by stool). Until we rule it out, she is stuck in isolation. Isolation is nice because of privacy ( I HATE sharing a room, separated by just a curtain!), but it also means she can't leave this room. Not even to walk the hall. After 5 days in here, she is tired of looking at these walls. Since she is not feeling super great though, she is not fighting it.

Thank you to those who think of us, pray for her and send messages!!


{Umm, who besides Zsa Zsa Gabor and Mariah Carey wears a sleep mask while in the hospital?}







{Crashed, as I write this. She had a burst of energy this afternoon and crashed hard. That cute bunny Pillow Pet was a gift brought to her this morning by her school counselor and principal. So sweet!}