Better and better

[caption id="attachment_1172" align="alignright" width="300" caption="This is my reaction to Ellie having breathing treatments..."][/caption]

Today Ellie is breathing a bit better and was even able to sit up in the chair earlier this morning.  It's so funny how your perspective changes when in the hospital.  When suddenly sitting up in a chair seems like a huge accomplishment.  I saw another mom in the room with her daughter who was sitting up and I wanted to give them a thumbs up.  Yeah!  Sitting up, outta bed!!  I guess it makes you appreciate all of those little things you would typically take for granted. 

Ellie is now peeling some of the crayons that Aunt Linda collected from her school district.   Occasionally, Ellie will look up at my surprised as one of the crayons is already peeled or broken.   Man oh man have those three 20 pound boxes of crayons come in handy!!! 

Breathing continues to be challenging for Ellie.  She just is not getting enough oxygen in her body on her own.  So she has a super duper nose thingy in (a calendula).  We are hopeful that by tomorrow, Ellie's breathing treatments will be moved from every 2 hours to every 4 hours.  Because now every time someone unknown enters the room, Ellie looks frightened, wondering what they have in store for her.   The breathing treatments are hard for me to watch because they are very loud and thus startling for Ellie and a mask has to be held tightly to her much swollen face.  The whole thing just reminds me of someone being drowned b/c whenever the mask comes toward her, Ellie struggles and holds her breath.  But I know that is not the most pleasant thought, so I'll have to work on creating a better feeling one.   The one that I've come up with thus far is, "I am REALLY looking forward to being finished with these treatments."  A little bit better, but not, as Ellie would say, "All the way better." 

A great big thanks to our neighbor, Chris, for hanging out with Ben while Thom switches with me at the hospital this afternoon.   Having Chris and Kathy as neighbors is like that old commercial, "And like a good neighbor, Chris and Kathy are there..." (thanks to State Farm for letting me use your diddy.)