October 26 - Day 18

Confused and frustrated. That is how we're feeling at this moment. Not with Chloe's progress - Chloe has proven that she is a remarkable baby in how far she's come since being admitted over two weeks ago. Michelle and I are puzzled with the lack of communication amongst the different teams caring for Chloe. One team says, "she will not require a permanent shunt" to facilitate drainage of excess fluid in her brain and another team says she will require it. Another example is being told Chloe did not have seizures and the next morning being told she actually did have seizures during the same time period where we were told she did not. Are they serious? We do not mean to sound ungrateful, because let me make this clear - we are VERY grateful and happy with the care she has received. We just feel that physicians from the different specialties involved with Chloe's care should speak to one another before speaking to us. We have enough on our plate without having to decipher what is fact or fiction.

As for our sweet girl, Chloe had a pretty uneventful day. She did have seizures picked up on her monitor early in the morning. Neurology is adding another anti-seizure medication to her regimen and the new PICU attending is looking into staggering her doses of medication at more frequent intervals with the thought that Chloe might be metabolizing her medications faster than most babies her age. Chloe is also starting to look more and more like herself. Her fabulous cheeks are a little smaller in size but still present, pinchable and kissable. She truly is a beautiful baby and Michelle and I are blessed to have such wonderful children.

Michelle went to work today to speak with her administration about needing to be with Chloe throughout her hospital stay and during her rehabilitation. Let me preface this with saying that Michelle recently started a new teaching position at St. David's school and wanted to do right by them and the boys by speaking with them about finding a replacement for her role. The whole school community has been such a support for Michelle and our family - sending us meals and treats to the hospital and our home, checking in regularly and most of all giving us time to be together during the past couple weeks. Michelle had been so excited about returning to teaching and was having a blast teaching her new class of kindergarten boys. The hope is that Michelle will be able to return to work and return to the family she has found at St. David's. Until then, we remain forever grateful for the compassion, love and kindness they have shown us even after only knowing Michelle and our family for just a few weeks.

Today, I returned to work. Michelle and I both felt that it was time that I ease my way back to work and attempt to establish some type of normalcy back into our daily lives. And like Michelle, my superiors and colleagues have been nothing short of amazing. My coworkers absorbed my absence from work without question and continue to impress us with their kindheartedness. "Family first" is the resounding motto with them.

Is it possible to say, "thank you" too many times?

Thank you.

Rethier, Michelle, Olivia & Chloe