Thursday, June 30, 2011

It's all about numbers!!!

It was kind of funny today....I was thinking about doing my post today all related to numbers because: #1-I always think in numbers-I am a math teacher-and I like to count and do stats for everything (nerdy, I know), and because #2- most of what we do here in the hospital is related to numbers!  Then I looked at facebook and Jacquie Tui had also written a comment about how everything in Ab's life now is numbers, so it kind of confirmed my thinking.  So, this post is written in terms of numbers:

42-The number of days it's been since Abby collapsed in PE, I know it seems like so many more. 
42-Is also how many days left until teachers report to school.  This will be the first year in 13 years that I haven't been working on the first day of school.  This makes me really sad.....no, I'm not kidding.
20-If we leave tomorrow......the number of days we've spent admitted to PCMC in the last 42 days.  I was trying to figure out why it feels as comfortable here as our temporary "home," but it's because we've been here almost the same amount of days.  Everyone knows Abby now.  When we were wheeling her to the 3rd floor in her big hospital bed yesterday, it was like she was on a float in a parade, just sitting there, waving to all of her fans!!! 
4:00 am-the time Abby woke up this morning not feeling so great.  She said she had a stomach ache and a headache.  They checked all of her vitals and everything looked okay, so we'll just have to wait and see what the docs say.  She looked really pale again, which was discouraging, because all day yesterday she looked and felt so good.  Her blood pressure has been all over the place all night long.
19-The number of doctors and nurses that came to listen to Abby's heart yesterday.  They are a little concerned because they found a new murmer in there.  Yesterday was the first time they had heard it.  If it's still there today, we'll be back in the cardiology department today getting another echo.  Abby really wanted to hear it, so my dad let her listen to her own heart.  She thought it was cool!
36-The number of days that Abby has been on the heart transplant list.  It's easy to remember the day she was officially listed because it was her birthday!!!
10-the number of days that Britt and Brock and the rest of my family, except my dad, will be in Hawaii.  They all leave tomorrow.  It will be hard for both of us not to see Britt and Brock for so long.  I hate that we can't just be living together in the same house, all the time.  This is really hard on all of us.  It really stinks.  It's hard for Britt and Brock too.  Yesterday Britt realized that she will spend more consecutive days in Hawaii than she's spent in any other one place all summer!  I just can't wait until we can be back home, in our house in St. George, kids and dogs, and stop all of this craziness.  I'm kind of worried that Abby's heart will get here while everyone is gone.....but I guess I'll take it as soon as we can get it.  I'm just ready to move on.
3-The number of ports that come out of Abby's picc line.  Britt posted a picture yesterday.  It's funny because they're red, yellow, and white so Britt joked that we could hook our TV up to her.....same colors!!  A really cool thing is that the little wire that the ports feed into was threaded up the vein in her arm up to the vein by her heart is smaller than the tip of a pen, but it's divided into 3 sections so she have 3 different things going in or coming out at one time.  They gave me a little piece of the wire to show Britt and Brock, I guess it's like a souvenir.  It's a little uncomfortable for Abby, she said that it only bugs her if she bends her arm, or straightens it...that 's all!  She's just going to have to get used to it now though.  It makes it so she doesn't have to get poked so many times, so it's worth it.
3-the number of times Abby has won at Monopoly in this room.......and we've only played 3 games!!!
1:30 am-The time that I made a fool of myself this morning.  The nurses came in to fix her IV and check her vitals.  I was asleep.... but when I heard them, I woke up(kind of) and thought it was morning, so I asked the nurses, "How did Abby do last night??"    Well, since it was only 1:30 and we didn't get to sleep until after 11:00, they didn't even answer me, they probably just went out the door and laughed at me.  That's okay, I just rolled over and tried to sleep some more.  I can't help it if I'm a dork.
2-The number of Liters of oxygen Abby is now on.  She used to be on 1 L, but they bumped it to 2 when we got here.   I'm not sure if it will go back down or not.
1-the number of stuffed animals in Abby's room right now.  It's so sad, last time we were here her bed was covered and her room was all decorated and cute....now there's nothing.  It's just not worth it when we're only here a few days.  When we're here after her transplant, I want it full again, it makes it more fun!
1,196-The number of blog hits yesterday. This is amazing to me!!!   Holy cow, I can't even believe it.  Thank you everyone so much for following us and supporting us.  For some reason, this is just really comforting, it lets me know that I'm not alone in all of this.
1-The number of hearts we need for Abby.  Just one.  I know it's hard to think about, and it seems like I'm being selfish asking, but we only need one, and I hope it comes soon. 

I know I haven't said it in a while...... But, thank you for all of the texts, phones calls, emails, facebook messages and comments, blog comments, visits, etc.  It makes a difference to all of us, it's really  helping get through this and to "endure it well!" 

3 comments:

  1. Michelle and Abby and fam, we love you! Thanks for this sweet update. I wish you all could be going to Hawaii! You deserve a nice sunny vacation. We'll continue to pray for you.

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  2. 4- The number of Sparks girls coming to see you tomorrow on our way through town! Woot Woot! Can't wait! P.S. + 1 Cullen girl...My mama...who wouldn't want an actual "Cullen" visiting them? :) We aren't bringing Edward though...sorry!

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  3. I remember a sign that said, "$1.00 to listen to Abby's heart." Way I see it is Britt should be $19.00 richer just from yesterdays numbers. She looks so good in the latest pictures. It sucks that her night was so dumb.

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