The end of a long hospital day

James made it back up to us around 4:30 and we very gingerly moved him from the gurney to my lap in the rocking chair. It took him a little while to settle down and nearly right away he signed that he wanted to nurse. I can't let him nurse, though, because we have to keep his little belly totally empty until he starts to move things through. We will know when this occurs because he will begin to have air in his ileostomy bag. That could take up to a week to happen and hopefully by then, everything will be well healed. In the meantime, he will continue to get the TPN.

At about 8:00 p.m., our new nurse came in. She got James a crib, so he could sleep alone and we wouldn't have to worry about bumping him. She moved him into the crib for me--I am a wimp about moving James after surgery..especially abdominal surgery (this is James' eighth surgery--five of which were abdominal surgeries). It took him a little while to settle down again, but now he is resting very peacefully. The nurse will keep his morphine up every two hours all night long in the hopes that he won't have too much break through pain. If you wake up tonight, please pray that James will sleep peacefully and not have pain.

Once James was settled in his crib, we asked the nurse if there was any other option for getting food in the hospital--we are thoroughly tired of hospital fare. She told us about the hospital's best kept secret. Each night, between 9 and 11, some dear soul caters food--sandwiches, salads, fruit and pizza. Katie went down to get us something for a late supper. It was a welcome change.

Tomorrow we are looking forward to a visit from the family--it's a two hour drive for them. My folks will also come down for a visit (it's a different two hour drive for them). Hannah will stay and Katie will get to go home for a change of pace and scenery. We have had a very good two weeks together and I am grateful to have had to help and her company. As an aside, when Katie joined me here, she was 14. She'll be going home as a 15-year-old. Talk about time flying! She is growing up to be a wonderful young lady and I am very proud of her. I hope to be just like her when I grow up!

Y'all have a good night, now. Love, Stephanie