Home Again

We got released from the hospital yesterday afternoon. The doctor was impressed with how quickly Brooklyn recovered from one day to the next. Monday she was breathing so much better than she was Sunday night, it was great to see. We were in isolation again because they weren't sure if the pneumonia was a viral or bacterial infection so they didn't want us to spread it to anyone else on the floor. It was nice to be in isolation because we got our own room again, but hard because we couldn't leave or walk around anywhere. We played in our room & watched a lot of movies to pass the days. It was wonderful to have one of our good friends as our nurse both Saturday and Sunday, taking care of us all through the night. Mike came back and forth to the hospital so that he could go see the other kids at my parents too since he hadn't seen them all week. Monday, the doctors felt like Brooklyn was ready to go home. Her pneumonia had gotten smaller based on the x-ray of her lung and her oxygen levels and heart rate were much better too. We had to pick up two antibiotics for her from the pharmacy and she felt good enough to walk down there on her own. It was the most exercise she had had in 3 days! She even felt good enough to walk out to the parking garage, and I was very appreciative because I was carrying all of our stuff, so it would've been tough to carry her too! Ever since we got admitted to the hospital, all she had been looking forward to was going to her GaGa and PaPa's house when she got out because that is where the other kids had been staying, so when we got to leave Monday, we drove right there. It was fun to get to see everyone, Braden and Kayla had made posters for her and Kelsey wanted to sit with her wherever she went. Brookie was so sweet too because she had gotten 3 new stuffed animals while she was in the hospital and she gave one to each of her siblings. She took time picking which should go to which kid - it just warmed my heart to see her thinking of her brother and sisters while she was going through such a yucky time. I ran to do some grocery shopping while the kids were at my parents' house so I wouldn't have to take them out to the store today and then we went home. Mike got home from work just a little after we did and it was so good to all sit at the table and eat dinner together again. We felt very blessed and thankful. Today my cousin's son flew out from Wisconsin to spend Thanksgiving with us. He was diagnosed with Lymphoma 2 weeks before Brooklyn was diagnosed with Leukemia back in January. He did amazingly well with his treatments and is cured! He started his freshman year of college this fall and felt like he wanted to come out to see Brooklyn for his Thanksgiving break. The kids are so excited to have him here and Brooklyn seems to feel an immediate bond with him, sitting next to Nate on the couch and at the dinner table. We are so happy to get to spend the holiday with him. Brooklyn is off chemo again for the rest of the week as she finishes out her antibiotics. We are trying to take it easy for the rest of the week so she can relax and get better. It is hard to keep her down though, she was up and playing most of the day today. It's good to see her so full of energy though, it makes all of us happy.