Exhausting

Just finished another exhausting day at the hospital with Ally. I am not sure why it is so tiring, but it completely wipes me out. We did keep very busy today. Very little TV. We did a lot of her homework that had been sent home, and then she had an almost two hour home (or hospital) instruction session with Mrs. Brower. This was her very first "real" tutoring session and Judy said she did great. I was a little leary because she had just taken some medicine right before they started and it always makes her gag and cry. I couldn't believe she lasted that long. Everything was easier in the summer, but now we have school and we have to keep up!

Ally's hospital "school"

We also spent time listening to the new Jonas Brothers CD, making a potholder, and doing another craft project that the Pezzot family brought her when they visited. We also had a visit from our friend Jon Kruesch...his little boy was staying about 10 doors down from us. Poor guy was sick! I do love when a visitor pops in and breaks it up for us. I don't leave Ally at all, not even to go to the cafeteria. So a new face always makes me happy.

Speaking of the hospital, it was a virtual madhouse there today. So many sick kids....overflowing parking..our friend Lara that works there told us that they are already seeing the flu! And people haven't even had their flu shots yet. I guess this never happens this early, so it sends me into more of a panic.

Ally's doctor stopped in around dinnertime and said that she can go home soon if her body starts producing some white blood cells again (and thus her ANC would rise) but also if she starts eating and drinking. She is eating NOTHING and I mean NOTHING. No milkshakes, cookies, candy, nothing. She may have had five bites of something all day. They have discussed giving her an appetite stimulant and it is looking more and more like we are heading that way. I like to stay away from as many meds as possible, but she also needs some nutrition. I am hoping that she gets to go home tomorrow, but we will see. I don't want to be let down. I am tired of being a single parent (either to Ally or to E and C). Jerad and I haven't seen in each other in days except to pass in the hospital for a few moments. He is again taking the night shift. I would just like our family to be together again.

Thanks to everyone for your calls, concern, cards, visits (thank you Pastor Gil and Keli from yesterday) and prayers. We hope to have our girl back on track again here soon. But then probably back in the hospital next Friday the 11th for another inpatient stay.