The day before our little Lily turned three she was lethargic and breathing pretty fast. After an appointment with her pediatrician we found out she had pneumonia. She woke up on her birthday coughing and fevering, but smiling, but then it all went downhill from there.
We canceled her birthday party, but cousin Abby let us have the cupcakes she made for the party anyway. It was a blessing because it was the only thing she ate all day and they made her so happy. We had aunt Rachel over to entertain Halle while I took care of Lily and then aunt Kendyl came with bundles of activities, treats, and toys. Lily finally played for a little with her and gave me ten minutes to wash my face and put deodorant on, then she was back to clinging to me.
By Sunday Lily had barely eaten anything and was mostly laying around breathing fast. I had never seen her like this. We took her to the ER, where they gave her a breathing treatment and sent her home.
By Monday she was so exhausted she couldn't keep her eyes open for more than an hour. I knew something wasn't right and took her to the doctor again. Her oxygen levels were low and her lungs weren't sounding better. After a breathing treatment there, they decided they needed to admit her and get her oxygen right away. Her tired little body slumped on whoever was holding her all day. She could barely sit up and it was enough to break my heart.
We spent the next five days in the hospital with her. I slept on her little bed with her, held her hand while they x rayed her chest every morning and held her down while they put in an IV and soothed her when it was time to take her medicine. She hated that they made her take off her minnie pajamas and wear the hospital pajamas. She really hated having the oxygen tubes in her nose. The movie Frozen was on constant replay. It was the only thing she wanted to do. She was so miserable she would shut down and not do anything but lay around and watch frozen with her Rapunzel toy in her hand. Every time they let me take the oxygen out of her for a little bit she would perk up and become a fighter.
The doctors suspected bacterial pneumonia, but she didn't respond to antibiotics. They then suspected viral pneumonia and thought she might have asthma. By the fourth day they suspected bacterial again and put her on a stronger antibiotic which helped her improve enough to head home in one day with no oxygen.
We were so loved by grandmas and friends who watched Halle, and visitors of all kinds for Lily. She was showered with gifts and treats and each one of them did wonders for my spirits, because she would perk up after she received each one and I caught a glimpse of healthy Lily. Wes described it best when he said watching her be so sick and miserable and in pain was eating at his soul.
Aunt Kendyl pulled out all the stops and dressed up as Elsa. The look on Lily's face when she walked through the door was priceless. Kendyl sang "Let it Go" and gave her pink lipstick. What an incredibly kind thing to do.
Towards the end of the week, Lily started to play and move around more. She looked forward to the pancakes and sprite they would bring her. We took her on walks and she read books, colored, and played with toys. She loved the dog they brought around to all the kids' rooms.
No medicine healed her more than when her sister would come to visit. She loved to be by Halle and watch Halle play. Halle hopped in the bath with her and Lily was playing for the first time the whole week. Thank goodness for that beautiful sister of hers.
We were finally released and Lily was so relieved to have the IV out of her arm and the oxygen out of her nose. She was just so happy to be out and back in her minnie pajamas.
Watching her suffer and struggle to breathe just wounded me. It was a miserable week, but it has made me appreciate her energy and passion for life so much more.
