Evie in the Hospital

We're home! The hospital released Evie yesterday around two o'clock in the afternoon. We're so happy to finally leave the place with a much healthier girl. When we were already outside the building, Evie said "Bye bye doctor!" in a very happy voice.

Looking through the pictures I took of her while she's in the hospital brought back good and bad memories. The not-so-pleasant one was the one-hour breathing treatment which made her so upset. We were even worried that she won't do her breathing treatment at home anymore because of the experience. Thankfully, it didn't traumatize her.

Busy Little Patient

Evie enjoyed her coloring activities so much. She colored all the coloring papers the nurse gave her. We had to ask for more blank papers for her to scribble using crayons. She colored both sides of the papers until there's not much space left. She'd scribble something and asked "what is this Mama/Dada?" We had to come up of different things and tell her what it was. It's funny how she agreed whatever answer we gave her.

She fell asleep on her Dada's arms after her busy day of scribbling and pretend-making-shapes-and-things. It was the safest and most comfortable place for her in a surrounding where she thought all the people around is going to hurt her. She had a good night sleep, was moving a little bit when hospital staff came in to check her vitals and gave her breathing treatments.

Go Pee-Pee or Get an "Owie"

Nurse Debbie came in around six in the morning expressing her concern about Evie not having peed for more than twelve hours already. Her appetite was down. She only took liquid right after we asked the nurse to take off the oxygen tube from her nose. She chugged down her milk so quickly. We're quite sure that she was hungry and thirsty. Her body had this little shivers when she was drinking her milk. Evie had another cup of milk in the afternoon and some juice. From time to time we asked her to go pee pee, but wasn't successful at all.

That very morning, Debbie told us that Evie has to pee before she leaves or else they are going to put the little one on IV. They're worried of her getting dehydrated. The moment Evie woke up, we immediately gave her a box of apple juice. We kept talking to her and encouraging her to drink and finish her juice. It took her few minutes to finish the drink. And after she was done with the juice, we gave her a sippy cup full of soy milk. She was probably wondering why we kept talking to her about "owie." Debbie kept telling her that she didn't want her to have an owie, so she should chug the milk as soon as she can. And after she drinks her milk, she promised her to pick up a toy from the hospital's toy room. I think Evie didn't like the attention that she got from three people who never stopped talking . There were times she looked like she's going to cry. My daughter was very cooperative though. She did the best she could to finish her milk.

After she was almost done with her milk, nurse Debbie took us to the reward room. Evie's eyes lit up when she saw all these toys on the shelves. She didn't know what to pick up. We kept offering her some toys which we thought she might like but she kept saying "no."

 When her Dada put her down, she was able to move freely by herself and found the toy that she wanted. It was there sitting on the corner. A "hoolaloop!" That's what she calls it. She was very happy she's getting a hoolaloop at last. She wouldn't let go of it.

Later, Debbie whispered to her. She told Evie that because she was so good with drinking her juice and milk, she's going to let her pick another toy! She didn't understand. She thought that we're going to take away the first toy she picked up, so she didn't want another one. Her Dada and I decided to pick the second toy for her.

Right after we got back to her room, we immediately gaver her a popsicle. What toddler doesn't like popsicle? She probably thought it's a reward or was wondering why we gave her popsicle for no special reason at all. She didn't know that the purpose was to add fluid in her system in able for her to get hydrated and hopefully, pee.

Well, less than an hour after she had all the fluid in her body, she finally peed! What a relief for me and her Dada. Putting her on IV would be so upsetting for her and we're so glad that the juice, milk, and popsicle she had really helped her to go pee. Unfortunately, nurse Debbie was no longer there at the time Evie went pee. I am pretty sure she'd be so happy and proud of her little patient.

New, Fun Thing She Discovers

One good thing that happened in her stay in the hospital for one night and one day was her new discovery of how enjoyable painting is. The coloring/painting kit was the second toy we chose for her reward. She loved it so much. She didn't want to put down the brush. I had to teach her how to do it with the water and she immediately picked up my instructions. She was a busy bee with her painting tools. For her (right now), it's the most fun activity of all.

Looking at Freedom

I like how her Dada describes this picture: "Looking at freedom, kind of like the Fulsom Prison Blues." Although I don't think that was what she was thinking in this picture. I think she's enjoying the view of the scenery from her room's window at the fourth floor. She was naming the things that she saw, counting arrows painted on the streets, birds and airplanes flying in the sky, mountains, cars, trees, and plants. She liked looking through the glass window and seeing various things from where she was while we were waiting to be discharged. The waiting felt like forever, but that "forever" feeling came to an end at two o'clock in the afternoon. She finally earned her freedom after the many tears she shed, the fears she felt, the friendship she gained, the new things she uncovered, the sweet treats she doesn't get a lot from home, and the joy that filled her heart from the love and care of the people who surrounded her in her stay in the hospital.