We're Heading Home Tomorrow!

Esther has had two days of stable labs and two days of drinking 3+ liters! Today she even had a slight increase in her red blood cell count! Except for the times when she was receiving medications, Esther has been detached from her IV pole all day. Tomorrow morning's labs will give us the first indication of how she is doing without the 3.6 liters that she has been receiving each day for her maintenance IV fluids. Assuming her labs look good, she'll be allowed to go home on Friday, which is a couple days sooner than projected!!

The antibiotic switch that the doctors talked about doing never happened. They thought that things were working well and decided not to mess with it. Esther has received a dose of IV antibiotic every 8 hours for the last 11 days. She'll likely have another dose in the morning before being discharged. The doctors believe that will be enough so she won't have to continue the IV antibiotic at home. She will have to stay on the oral antibiotic for the C. diff.

Even though she won't be continuing the IV antibiotic, Esther will be going home with the PICC line still in place. It will make the outpatient lab draws much easier for the next week or so. The PICC line will also be used next week to give Esther some extra Epogen. We'll be glad to have it if she should get into trouble and need some extra hydration.

Esther and I are both very excited to be going home. I am looking forward to being together again as a family. Because of H1N1 and RSV concerns, the pediatric floor is "closed" and visitors have been severely restricted. I also can't wait to sleep in my own bed. Most of all, I am hugely relieved that Esther is well enough to leave the hospital! She still has some recovering to do, but time, rest, and antibiotics should do the trick.

Thanks to all of you who have left encouraging comments on the blog or sent cards or emails! Thanks to those of you who have prayed us through another crisis! We are tremendously grateful for your love and support. Special thanks to Grandma Peach who sent Esther some comfy shirts and pants which she has been living in during her hospital stay. Thanks also to Joanne and Janina for teaching my Latin classes for me these last two weeks! Blessings to you all!

We're going home!