My Michelle

Here I am, sitting in a very comfy cozy hospital bed next to my finally resting little girl. It has been one week since we came to the hospital, and it has definitely been an up and down emotional week.

The last two nights Tory and I have somewhat traded spots since he had to go back to work. I have been spending the night here meaning 24 hour hospital life with our little princess, while my mom stays at home with Ryker. Sounds crazy I am sure. But to be totally honest, every time someone offers me relief from the hospital, the idea makes me break down to tears. But I miss my little Buddy too. I call my mom everyday to check up on him and hear his little voice in the background and hear about all his adventures the last few days and start bawling again. I am a baby and I know it. But it is because I love our babies both so much. And as much as I hate this hospital life and being separated, I know we are doing the right thing for Michelle. Progress has been slow, and difficult to understand why things are and are not working. But we are making progress.

For those who want to know all the details, right now the first step is to put in a "cuffed trach." It is a special tube that has a small foam cuff around the outside of it to create a seal in her trachea. Right now the most popular theory is that Michelle has been having chronic tonsillitis this winter (which fits with the get sick, get better, get sick, get better pattern we have been going through this winter, and also some of the difficulty with swallowing in her therapy) and that since her throat has been bothering her she has not been swallowing well and her saliva has been going down her trachea and into her lungs causing the pneumonias. They feel if they can stop the saliva from going down and causing the pneumonias she can get better. After that we are looking at a tonsillectomy that right now is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 22. We are lucky because our Ears Nose and Throat doctor already had us on her schedule for Monday to do a bronchoscopy (a special test where they put Michelle to sleep and then look down her airway to see how floppy her airway is or if there is any scar tissue forming) so they just added the tonsillectomy to the procedure list. But this all depends on her getting well enough to tolerate surgery. Pretty much we seem to go from one moment to the next trying to help Michelle get better.

But as I have already admitted, I can't live without my camera. And I am definitely turning into one of those crazy paparazzi type mommas, but that is just how I roll.

This is the effect versed has on one sick little girl. Nice to see some goofiness, wish it was not medication induced.

Having to go downstairs for a CT of her neck. Making sure we wouldn't need to change surgery days to sooner than later.

Such a big bed and big production for such a tiny little princess.

Now this my friends is where you all know for sure that I have turned crazy paparazzi momma. Here they are using this monstrous CSI like tool to find a vein for an IV.

If any of you out there as are crazy as my family and love the TV show "Monk" you will understand why we dubbed this machine the "Spectrascope."

Our view to the outside world.

And a bunch of the medications Michelle is on. And that is just one round, not the whole days worth.

And one very tired little girl who just wants to get better.

P.S. I can't wait to be home taking pictures of our little buddy and chronicling the new adventures he is currently having, and most of all I can't wait to take pictures of both little rascals together doing what rascals like to do best.