We love Children's Memorial Hospital

I will start by saying that Eleni is doing much better now. But it was quite a week.

Zoe came down with a cold last Friday and Eleni started coughing Saturday morning. She didn't have much of a fever but was breathing quickly and lightly all Saturday night and Sunday morning, we called the doctor. I assumed I was overreacting, but the doctor listened to her breathe over the phone for a minute and then recommended I bring her into the ER.

At the ER, they diagnosed her with pneumonia and low oxygen levels. Because they were unable to get them to stay up after several rounds of medication, she was admitted to the hospital. It took her four days of treatment for her to be able to sustain normal oxygen levels when she was off the medication. As anyone with children who have been in the hospital knows, they were four terrifying, sleep-deprived days.

Eleni wearing the nebulizer (and watching movies).

For the record, getting a 3-year-old to wear a nebulizer 24-7 is not the easiest task...

But the hospital made it as un-terrifying as possible, especially for Eleni. Volunteers dropped by with stickers, toys, videos and DVDs (as well as some rather creepy bubbles that refused to pop but instead remained gently swaying wherever they alit.) The medical equipment was made as kid-friendly as possible (see Eleni's "dino-mask" for her nebulizer), and were patient and friendly.

"Dino-mask"

I know now that we are incredibly fortunate to live near a wonderful children's hospital. The hospital staff work hard to make the experience as positive as possible for the kids...I've never said so many whole-hearted "thank-you's" in my life.

Waiting to be discharged (comfortable enough, are we?)

One of the hardest parts for the girls was that she was in isolation so Zoe was not allowed to visit her. They were able to wave through the doorway but both wanted so badly to be close together that it was heart-warming and heart-breaking at the same time. Zoe made Kostas buy Eleni all sorts of balloons and toys, and Eleni put aside half of the loot she got from the hospital for her sister. They talked about one another incessantly and their reunion at home was full of giant grins and pint-sized hugs. Of course, the sister bliss lasted about 10 minutes before they were squabbling again...

Waiting for the car with some of her "hospital loot"

The final diagnosis was pneumonia and "wheezing." Apparently, if she continues to have these wheezing episodes they will diagnose her with asthma, but in children this young they wait to see if there are repeat episodes. She is taking preventative medicine and we now have a nebulizer at home. Hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst -- and even if it comes it will be entirely manageable.

For the record, Eleni is a total hospital-bed hog, especially when she's on steroids.

I also want to give a special shout-out to the nurse who introduced us to my new addiction, Phineas and Ferb -- an outrageously watchable children's show on the Disney Channel. If I knew her name I'd send her a giant box of chocolates.