We're Home!

Dear Everyone,

Thank you so much for your prayers over the last few days while Kaitlyn was in the hospital. She was discharged yesterday morning. She was a happy little girl when we walked out of the hospital! She enjoyed a quick lunch at McDonalds before we bought a few things and headed for home. By the time we got Munchkin from the farm, it was 5:00 when we got to Matukeng.

She still not eating quite normal, but the doctor thought she’d come around after a few days at home. She’s still throwing up some, too, but all of the lab work showed no problems with her stomach. We’re guessing it’s just mucus and stress. As long as she’s eating and drinking, we’re not too worried about it.

Steph slept with Kaitlyn the first night she was in the hospital. (Actually she slept in a bed in an outpatient day ward and the nurses called her when Kaitlyn cried.) I don’t think she slept well at all, though. The hospital has a rule that only one parent can stay with a child at night, so I got a room at a bed and breakfast across the street from the hospital. The next night Steph was totally exhausted, so I took her to the guest house and I stayed at the hospital. I tried to sleep in a chair beside the bed, but it wasn’t comfortable, and I slept very little between Kaitlyn and other babies crying, nurses in and out, etc. The third night Steph still was very tired so she went back to the guest house. This time I laid a blanket on the floor and slept beside her bed. I rested MUCH better, and Kaitlyn only woke up a couple times during the night. She threw up once all over her bed during the night. I was so glad I didn’t have to change it myself while trying to hold her! I guess the hospital has a few advantages at least. L

The halls of the pediatric ward are murals with all kinds of nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters. They are very cute and VERY well done. Kaitlyn loved walking up and down the halls looking at them. Her favorite was the three little pigs.

Another thing that really caught Kaitlyn’s interest was little plastic chairs. The first time Steph put her on one, she was just spell bound having a chair her size. She sat for a long time doing nothing. Joy gave us money for her birthday to buy a chair, so before we left Bloem, we picked one up for her. She was almost heart broken when I took it away from her to give it to the cashier to pay for it. We’re still looking for a riding toy that her grandmas gave money for.

Our weather is very hot and dry here. The days have been in the mid 90s all week and it hasn’t rained much since the beginning of November. Things are really starting to look brown after a green spring. Today there are some clouds and the wind has blown some from the north which sometimes brings rain. A cool shower would bring welcome relief!