Isabel update

Once again, my darling family and friends,

Just once I would love to send you an email saying “Isabel decided to get up and walk today and she wouldn’t stop talking and telling jokes and really… she’s just asked me how long before she can start dating.”

Just once.

But I should be counting my blessings that I’ve got something to write about at all. Afterall, not everybody does. I just wish I could tell you about progresses instead of challenges. So first off, let me tell you that Isabel has gained 5 glorious pounds since her surgery in June! After 2 years of being in size 4 diapers, she has jumped to a size 6 in only three months!!!

And other good news has been to discover that she has been trying to tell me “yes” for years by making direct eye contact after being asked a question. Good grief, has this little one been patient with me! It only took me six years to figure it out! In fact, last night I asked her “Isabel, would you like to have your bath tonight?” and she deliberately kept her eyes away from me. So I asked, “Okay, would you like to have your bath tomorrow night?” and she still kept her eyes away. Jokingly I asked “would you prefer never having to bath again?” and the little bugger smirked and looked right into my eyes!!! After we both chuckled about this, I told her she had to choose “tonight” or “tomorrow” and as any 6 year-old would, she decided on “tomorrow”; however, she is in a hospital bed instead… and I’m almost wondering if she is so clever as to purposely pick a night she figured I wouldn’t be able to bathe her!

Today was a long day. The process of notifying the school, daycare, transportation, canceling meeting/apts for the day and making arrangements for Mina’s pickup should things not be resolved by 5:30 pm was not only time-consuming, but also exhausting! We didn’t get to Children’s Hospital until 8:00 am. They took one look at her and her wheezing little-self, hooked her up to a sat monitor which showed she was oxygen deprived and we were quickly escorted to a private room and hooked up to oxygen.

As an aside - I think I will create an updated info document to bring with me every time we visit Emergency because it is the same questions by several different doctors: “Was she premature? What medications is she on? Has she been to the hospital before (at which point I chuckle and say ‘Yes, most of us are on a first-name basis here’). When did things start going wrong? How much does she weigh?” and my favourite… “Are her immunizations up to date?” This would really make life easier.

Despite getting poked for an IV and getting hooked up to oxygen and its oxygen saturation monitor, Isabel was in good spirits. I explained the purpose of her IV when I noticed her eyes staring intently at her hand. Her eyes followed the tube all the way to the IV pole and then she looked back at her IV and then to me and smiled. It was like she said “Oh, that’s what it’s for. I guess that’s a good thing, isn’t it, mom?”

My favourite moment was when I was holding her on my lap and the fourth and final doctor came in to ask the same series of questions (and was barely understandable). After he left, I felt Isabel’s head look up at me and she smiled at me as if to say “Kudos for not losing it, mom!”

The doctors don’t know why she needs the oxygen. It doesn’t seem to be asthma related yet there is no indication of pneumonia in X-rays and no indication of a viral infection. Maybe her little lungs were just feeling worn out and needed a boost for a little bit.

My writing feels choppy and inconsistent tonight… sorry if I’m not making much sense. But thank you all once again for being there. The most reassuring part of these types of experiences is when I come home to find a flood of prayerful messages reminding this family to count its blessings (which include all of you) and to know that Heaven’s song protects our little Isabel for as long as she is meant to be here and that none of you will ever forget what she has taught us.

I could never forget what she is teaching me… to love unconditionally, to accept our life path with gratitude, to honour truth and to live life to its fullest.

God bless you all. I love you very much and your prayers are a rain of blessing that bring me immeasurable peace and comfort.

I will let you know when she is home…

Pour tous mes amis francophones, je vous aime beaucoup et je vous remercie pour vos grandes prières et vos beaux messages. J’espère un jour pouvoir traduire chacune de mes lettres simultanément!!! Entre temps, j’apprécie que vous pratiquez votre lecture anglaise! J Bonsoir à vous tous!