Quiet Day?

4:23 AM, EST

 Quiet night/morning. Melissa Owens told CJ to tell her mommy and daddy to get some sleep. Well since I have no recollection of her coming in to check on her this morning, I must have been out for at least a little while. Probably got between three and four hours.

Charlotte has been well attended to all night with fresh drugs, diapers, and turnings. She's opened her eyes occasionally during these times but has always fallen right back to sleep. Doesen't seem to be in any pain but she occasionally explores the tube going into her nose..

The music has been playing off and on (mostly on). We are strong advocates of including music in any healing plan. Right now we're listening to a great compilation of lullabies from around the world called, "On A Starry Night." We've also had Miles Davis', "Kind Of Blue" (which she heard in utero.) and a double CD of "the most relaxing piano album in the world...EVER!" Doesn't seem like a very relaxing slogan.

Since we got flooded out of the other room, I've been enjoying the amenities of the new corner room; mostly the private bathroom and shower. The only drawback is that when the door is closed, the nurses can't hear the many beeps and alert sounds so whoever is in the room has to make the staff aware and they scold me when I try to push buttons.

Whoops, invasion of the nurses wielding florescent lights. Gotta go...

5:24 AM, EST

DOAH! Spoke too soon. The nurses came in like that because they couldn't get a steady stream of blood from the IV in her left hand so the had to poke her right wrist to get a vial of blood.
Nothing starts your morning off right more than having to hold your child still while someone else causes her pain. It also didn't help that her head started hurting again. (Did I say thank God for morphine and Barbie Band-Aids?) It really wasn't much by normal standards and the nurses were very efficient but for me it was awful.

I think Daddy needs the music "therapy" as much as CJ. The latest selection is a very cool CD called Le Voyage De Sahar by Anour Brahem on the ECM lable. It's some of that weird music I love to collect. A strange combination of jazz, classical, and European and Middle Eastern folk music. A nice mellow set of songs with oud, piano and accordian. If CJ doesn't have the most varied musical taste in her first grade class, it's not our fault.

So she's sleeping again and before the nurse left, we did a little massage/excercize session on CJ's legs and right arm. That actually seemed to help a little.

Breathing...breathing...

Thanks go out to Becky for letting me hang on to her laptop for the night. Don't mind the ranch dressing spots on the screen.

Today should be a grand day for visiting. Looking forward to the parade of friends and family. When you get here, don't be shy about snacking. Lots on which to snack. Nothing left from the very yummy lunch provided by the Richmond Dads Yahoo group, though. (never had a cashew chicken salad sandwich before!) Thanks guys.

Rog