Tilley-Gray's Surgery + Hospital Stay

I know I told you all I would be back on a regular basis, but I've been focusing on my sweet little family and making sure that Tilley-Gray is as healthy and happy as she can be. 

Tilley-Gray had surgery last Friday unexpectedly and we were in the hospital for three days. I have never been so scared in my entire life, but she is doing better than we could have ever imagined and we just feel so blessed. Our family and friends were tremendous through their support and prayers and what could have been something horrible turned out to be only a very infected lymph node that her body could not fight. The IVs were the worst part (she had a total of three), and let me tell you, when the anesthesiologist  took her out of my arms for surgery, I was just about to pieces. Thank goodness for such great family and friends. Our families visited and brought food and coffee, friends sent balloons and little doctor kits for Tilley-Gray, and the doctors and nurses were patient with our questions and made all of us as comfortable as they could.

Tilley-Gray with her new doctor's kit 

Walking the halls was her favorite thing to do while we were there when she wasn't in the playroom. I couldn't resist capturing her little diaper hanging out of her hospital gown. 

I can't imagine what it's like to have a child that is chronically sick. We were only there for three days and it felt like an eternity, but we made the most of it and our friends and family made our stay much more comfortable. If you have friends in the hospital or know a child that is there, here are a few things that helped us during our stay. 

A Care Package

We have such amazing friends, and they came together and brought  us a care package full of bottled water, healthy snacks, dinner, and a bottle of wine! I told one friend what was going on and she relayed it to our closest friends so that I wouldn't have to make so many phone calls. 

Coffee and Food

The coffee at the hospital is pretty awful and when your child is in the hospital, the don't feed the parents. Our hospital's cafe is closed on the weekends and I was so worried, I didn't even think about eating. It was great to have friends that took care of that for us. 

Slippers

Tilley-Gray had to stay in a hospital gown, but I was so glad I had these slippers for her. 

Moisturizer and Chapstick

I never noticed how dry the air was in a hospital, but by day two, our skin and lips started peeling because it was so dry. Kiehl's lotion was heavy enough for the dry air but didn't break us out. 

Toys

Tilley-Gray had to stay hooked up to her IV for the first day we were there, and wasn't too happy about not being able to walk around. Books, puzzles, movies, and fun flash cards helped us keep her happy. 

Hopefully you won't ever have to stay in the hospital, but if you do, these things should make your stay more comfortable!