Hospitals - rest and recuperation?

I know we were in the hospital for observation, just in case her throat started bleeding, etc. What I forgot was that hospitals are NOT a good place for rest. Her monitor went off about 9pm because the oxygen monitor slipped off her thumb. The alarm made her wake up and cry. The nurse adjusted it and she went back to sleep. I finished up my blog and went to bed about 11 on the side bed. The nurses were talking so loudly (I know it's their "daytime", but it still seemed that they should be talking softly since it was the patients' bedtime?) I put earplugs in and finally got to sleep. Her monitor went off at 3 and at 4, and she woke up crying each time but went back to sleep pretty quickly. I think at the 4am hour they said they could discontinue the IV (although they left the attachment in her hand). They undid some of the tape to remove the tubing and she cried and cried. She woke up at 6am but I was so tired I didn't want to get up, so I got into bed and snuggled with her and we both slept until 7:30. The nurse took her vitals and removed the oxygen monitor line from her thumb. I had some granola and pop for breakfast, and the nurse ordered some options for Amanda. She ate a bit of scrambled egg but wanted nothing to do with the blueberry muffin (thank you, Amanda). She didn't want the medicine but finally took it. The playroom opened at 9am and we spent some more time sitting in the baby pool of plastic balls while she practiced her aim at the mini basketball hoop. The oncall ENT doctor stopped in to see us and was happy to see Amanda looking chipper and up playing. We got the green light to go home (although Amanda wasn't sure if she wanted to leave the playroom with all its options), so we went back and I packed up all my stuff. The nurse took off the last of the IV connection (another owie experience) and accompanied Amanda, with balloons in hand, to the lobby while I brought the car around.

I drove through the Walgreens pharmacy for her prescriptions (tylenol and antibiotics) and we had to wait an half hour to pick them up, so we went to KFC for lunch. The doctor said she could have a totally regular diet except for anything crunchy/sharp like crackers/pretzels, etc. I figured she might like some mashed potatoes and she usually likes a chicken leg so might eat some of that. She dug into the mashed potatoes and had a little chicken. Then she got this distressed look and I moved her plate, cleared the tray and placed it in front of her, while shielding with a napkin from the other people in the restaurant. It was just a few moments until she threw up a bit of the mashed potatoes. She was fine after that and even wanted more mashed potatoes, so I gave her a bit. Then she acted distressed again and I put the tray back in front of her. She did some posturing and opened her mouth, did a fake throw up motion, then looked at me and smiled. Yep, she's still got her spunk in full gear! When she threw up in Moscow she did a lot of demonstrating afterwards. I had forgotten it until she did it today.

We had a great nap from 1:20-3:30, Amanda, Mom and Scout. Amanda woke up once and started crying and getting out of her bed, but I spoke to her (I slept in the twin bed in her room) and she looked at me, realized - oh yeah, Mom's right here - and went back to sleep. I felt tired the rest of the afternoon but was really glad to get the nap. We listened to music, played some Memory matching game, and she spent a lot of time putting stickers everywhere (and I spent a lot of time removing stickers from the wall, the floor, anywhere they ended up). I had brought stickers to the hospital and she enjoyed putting them all over me. I told the nurses sorry for all the stickers everywhere! (I think I got most of them off the bedclothes and floor). She drank juice pretty well, had half of a popsicle, a little ravioli for supper, then bath and bed.

I bought a book last November called, "If you were my bunny" and it is proving a favorite. The first lines are, "If you were my bunny, and I were your mama, I'd pick you out from all the other bunnies, and nestle you beside me." It's so perfect, and I spend a lot of time reiterating that I'd pick her out from all the other bunnies, or boys and girls, in the world. The book goes through what Mama Bear would do for her bearcub, Mama Duck, Mama Cat, Mama Dog and finally a human Mama and her baby. And we do a lot of "Green Eggs and Ham"! She loves the page where the train comes in. "A train, a train, a train, a train! Would you, could you, on a train?" She makes me be quiet so she can say it, and when we're out driving and she sees a train she launches into it.

Tonight, after her bath, I had her towel on her wet head, down like a scarf. She saw herself in the mirror and said, "Look Mom, like Babushka!". Well, she knows who her Babushka is and we had even talked to her earlier in the day, but my mom doesn't wear a scarf, so she wasn't thinking of that. She must have seen pictures while growing up of Russian "Babushkas" in their head scarves. I thought it was interesting for that Russian background memory to surface, even though she has a new picture of her Babushka in her head.

Thank you, everyone, for your "first Mother's Day" wishes! We are going to keep a low profile and just hang out at home, although I may celebrate with a take out meal (nothing sharp or crunchy). =)

Thank you for the get well cards, too! Amanda enjoyed getting cards that were 'hers', although I wouldn't let her play with them (which means cutting them up) as I will keep them for her scrapbook.