The Easy Button

I did something amazing last night.

I fed KayTar and gave her medications, after she was asleep.

Yes, that's right. My child ate and took medication while she was sleeping.

It was amazing.

She hit the wall yesterday afternoon. Her body was pained and exhausted and it culminated in a mega-breakdown. She was a sobbing miserable mess, so I took her to the bed and cuddled with her for a while. She curled into me, great big fetus style, her little knees pushing against my stomach and her head nuzzled in my chest, a ball of preschooler. She stayed there, still and quiet for a very long time. My poor little girl. I was almost certain I would be missing class again, staying home to lend her the comfort she so obviously needed in that moment, but she perked up in the nick of time. She told me I could go to school, Daddy would take care of her. She still wasn't her best and I decided to skip the lab portion of class, so I could get back to her quickly.

I got home around 7:30 and she was already asleep. Her little body was just worn out. Healing is hard work. We had a small problem, though, she needed her nightly dose of antibiotics and she hadn't "eaten" or had pain medication since around 3pm. Though we were concerned about waking her accidentally, we didn't want her to go without her medicine. We decided to give it a shot, at least try to give her the medications.

I gathered the supplies and sneaked in the bedroom.

I opened her port. Froze. Looked at her, motionless.

I hooked up the bolus tube. Froze. Looked at her. Still motionless.

I ran in her medications. Lortab, Amoxicillin, Miralax and water. She slept.

I shout-whispered to Josh, "Bring me a Pediasure!"

I ran in 2 ounces. She slept.

I waited a bit.

I ran in 2 ounces. She slept.

I flushed the line.

I disconnected the line. Froze. Watched her. Still sleeping.

I closed her port.

I zipped her footsie pajamas.

I kissed her head.

I sneaked back out.

Medication and nutrition in her sleep. Wow.

We discussed these things before the surgery. We made the decision to get the button for these very reasons; the ability to feed her when she felt too poorly to feed herself, the ability to keep her hydrated, the ability to be able to give her nutrition and fluids and medication while she slept...we discussed all of it. Though, somehow putting it into practice feels like an unexpected gift, each and every time. It had only been a week and already, it has done so much for her and for us.

[Would have been] Wordless Wednesday: The Blue Plate Special
It's what for breakfast...and lunch...and dinner...and midnight snack.