What a week!

Katie has been reminding us of just how exciting she can make life. We are FINALLY home from the hospital. When we went back for her check up, a week ago today, she was just not doing well at all and so we had to go to the hospital. She was really struggling to breathe and her O2 sats, which should be in the high 90's normally, were around 83, 84. Not good. We spent 2 days in the hospital here in Crossville before being transferred on Thursday to Children's. Basically, we've had a week of constant monitoring, breathing treatments, on average, every 2 hours, steroids and oxygen from a nasal cannula. For the first few days, Katie had no appetite. (unusual for a Hammons girl!) So, she was on iv fluids for several days and also got some of her medicines through the iv. Around Saturday she started to perk up and act more like herself. They finally took her off the oxygen yesterday morning and told us that if she could maintain her O2 sats and breathe easily through yesterday and then through the night, we could come home. Good girl! I think she was at least as ready to get home as we were.

The doctors aren't 100% sure what exactly happened. What they do know is that there was a really mean virus that got hold of her and affected her lungs. She was a very sick little girl for a few days. They have called what she had Bronchiolitis and then they thought maybe she has asthma, but we don't really know for sure. She is being treated for asthma for now to see if it helps. The doctors do not expect there to be a recurrence, at least not as bad as this one. The good news, is that the pulmonologists all agreed that Katie's lungs really look amazingly good, to have been so early. Everyone kept expressing amazement that she was so early. We understand that we are very lucky that this was the first time she had been sick. That's an odd way of looking at it, but when you have a preemie, there's nothing "normal."

Katie is doing really well, she seems happy to be home. She is just exhausted. She's worked hard this past week and a week in the hospital is exhausting anyway. I've said it before, but she is the bravest and strongest person I know. Donnie and I are worn out as well and Donnie is fighting off a sinus infection. If I can only stay well!!!

I know so many of you have been praying for us, once again, and I'm so thankful for all of you. We know how blessed we are.