Pneumonia

We had an evental few days since Sat. night. Maira was hospitalized on Sunday, January 14 at 2am with pneumonia. Michael’s party had been Sat. afternoon and Maira was battling high fevers since Thurs. night. I took her to the doctor on Friday morning, but it looked like it was just a virus. After everyone went home on Sat. after the party, I decided that Maira needed to be looked at again. Her fevers (104 degrees) were not coming down well with motrin and she was suddenly crying about pain in her back. I called the doctor and she had me meet her at the emergency room. Even after the doctor looked Maira over again, she was still quite sure it was a virus. She said she was ordering an x-ray and blood-work just to be sure and to give her a direction as to her treatment. Well, the x-ray showed that she had serious pneumonia in one lung and sinositis. She was immediately hospitalized and given an antibiotic interviniously. She complained of pain and had a fever again at 6am on Sunday. She was hospitalized until Tuesday night at 8pm. The doctor released her because her overall status was very good (no fever, no pain, normal energy, normal breathing), but an x-ray on Tues morning showed little change in the lung. I picked up her x-rays today at the hospital and I will be taking her to a specialist today or tomorrow. She continues to appear well, besides some heavy coughing at times, but I want to double-check things. When I picked up the x-ray today, the technician remembered me and asked me how Maira was doing. I told him she was happy to be home. Well, he couldn’t believe that she had been released from the hospital! That is not very comforting to a mommy! However, we are very grateful for the details that God worked out that showes us His special care. A friend from church was working the night I took Maira in and it was so nice to have a familiar face and someone to help get us situated in the hospital. Maira asked for a banana at 3am on Sunday and I hadn’t brought any from home….but when they brought breakfast at 8am there was a banana for her! Little things like a banana helped me explain to Maira how God was taking care of her! I had told her that she and mommy would be staying at the hospital and that it would be like a hotel, just for us girls! We would have a bed to share, our own bathroom, a little sofa, and a closet! She accepted staying at the hospital just fine and the next day wanted to know where the pool was! Michael was a great big brother and brought her one of his favorite little beany babies to keep her company. He was so upset the first night though when I took Maira to the hospital…he was afraid she was dieing. I don’t know if Maira heard Michael saying this, but she turned to me that first night (after it took 3 attempts to get the IV in) and told me that her yellow bear was afraid she would die. I quickly took yellow bear in my arms and explained to him that we go to the hospital to get better, so he didn’t need to worry about Maira getting more sick or dieing. The few days I spent with Maira in the hospital made me think a lot about families who spend months with infants and children in hospitals who have little hope of recovery. We are so blessed with healthy children!