Another Long Night

Another long night. I'm pretty sleepless these days for many reasons. Hospital noises, wanting to be there for Charlotte, general nervous energy...

Actually slept for a while but then she was awake. They have given her some morphine for pain and that makes her drowsy. Her speech is kinda funny and slurred but she keeps talking. She has also been practicing her princess wave.

We have posted all her cards, the angel star poster inititated by Aunt Loretta and created by folks who visited today, pictures of her friends...she looks at them and talks about them. She sees her name in many places and will sign a C and then says "that's my name". She loves the balloons, especially the giant Dora (thanks Wyatt!)

That neurosurgeon must be good because it seems he definitely only took out stuff that didn't belong in her brain in the first place...and nothing else. It's all still there and her personality is still very much in place. She asked for ....no...demanded chocolate milk tonight and was very upset when she could only have water and juice. Same old stubborn Charlotte.

She is surrounded by all the stuffed animals that have been sent in. They are all dear and she talks about them and pets them. They are good "bolsters" to prop her up in bed. Rompy has been close by all the time and went into surgery with her. The nurses have bandaged Rompy's head to look like hers and we told her that Rompy is trying to feel better too. She said, "I want Rompy's head to be better so he can take his bandage off."

She has been running a low fever (99-100) which is very normal after surgeries. About 2 AM they needed to give her some blood (about 17 ml) because her hemoglobin was low). Again, to be expected in a surgery like this. She was eating and drinking earlier and seemed to be voiding well but her catheter bag is getting a bit TOO full and they have sent some of her urine off to the lab. The pituitary gland can get a bit overactive and she will excrete too much fluid. They still have her on IV fluids and are monitoring her very closely.

Please keep her nurses in your prayers. Tonight she has Amy and Liza working with her. Amy is now the lead nurse on her team (she got "dibs" on her and Nurse Melissa was very upset!) :-) Nurse Keisha has also been helping. They are all very knowledgable, empathic, and caring professionals who treat Charlotte (and her parents) so well. I can't remember the pediatric resident's name but she has been checking in frequently as well and monitoring her progress.

I will try to rest and so will sign off now.
Rachel