We're home!

We got released today! Hip hip horray! It's kind of bitter sweet because when Preston was at the hospital I knew that he was okay because the machines and nurses told me so. Well now it is up to me to see if he is improving and that's a little scary. And now I am back to reality with dishes and laundry to catch up on. It feels really good to be home though. We are very blessed. Thank you for all the support. We love you guys. Preston has been smiling and cooing all afternoon.

Sick Nicolaysens

Thank you everyone for your thoughts, prayers, visits and kind words. The odds haven't played well for our family since our last update. Kendra jinxed us with her last post, though we're doing well and are so grateful for the love and support of our friends and family. We're finally down to one healthy Nicolaysen, and unfortunately for Kendra, Preston and Katelyn--it's Stephen. After Preston's visit to the ER on Sunday (which accomplished nothing, by the way, except providing a name for what ails him--though we're not complaining. We LOVE the staff at St. Lukes Meridian) he continued having problems breathing and eating. He was still struggling enough by Monday that Kendra felt like she should follow up with our family doctor, who has it all over everyone else who's tried to help. At our doctor's office, P-Dawg was hooked up to oxygen and given a spin on the nebulizer which seemed to help a little, though his oxygen levels bottomed out whenever they took the mask away from him. Some of you already know we had him admitted Monday to the hospital and he's been fighting to get better ever since, and doing much better as of late.

Our Dr. is hoping to get him breathing cleanly on his own before releasing him, so we're hoping and praying that by Wednesday he'll have kicked this well enough that we'll get to take him back home. Katelyn is staying with Grandma and Grandpa Nicolaysen, and while Stephen was tucking her into bed tonight she pled with him, "Daddy sleep at Grandma's house?" We can't wait to have the whole family back home together.

On his first night in the hospital, Preston had his nose sucked out dry three times, and was so exhausted from not being able to sleep right for the last couple days that he was out cold whenever they weren't messing with him. In the picture above, shortly after a round of nose sucking, Preston knows that having a moment of peace from being worked on probably sounds too good to be true.

The nebulizer was just what the Dr. ordered. Just a spoonful of albuterol helps that oxygen go down in the most delightful way. We're starting to worry he's going to develop an addiction to pure, unadulterated oxygen, though I suppose there are worse things to which he can be addicted.

Things I am grateful for...

Preston has RSV. He cannot breathe very well and I took him to the ER yesterday because I was so worried about him. They did the RSV test which is awful, suctioned out his nose (with a glorified bulb syringe as they put it) and did chest x-rays to check for pneumonia. Two hours later I was sent out the door with, "there is nothing we can do for you." I am feeling upset because it's 4 am in the morning and Preston seems to be getting worse. I have to cover his $500 deductible for my visit on Sunday (which we just covered in November for 2008) and any more visits just adds to the $500. It is so hard to watch your child suffer. I really feel empathy for how God feels watching us suffer and how hard it must have been to watch Jesus die on the cross. Katelyn and I are also starting to get sick. When it rains, it pours. But I found some things to be grateful for in all of this.

1. Stephen gave Preston a blessing yesterday and I felt the spirit so strong the moment he started. What a great thing it is to have a worthy Priesthood holder in our home. I never had that growing up and what a difference it makes. Thank you Stephen, I love you so much.
2. We have medical insurance.
3. We have savings so we won't go into debt for all of this.
4. There is a hospital close by with knowledgeable people to answer my questions.
5. I know my father in heaven is mindful of Preston and our family. I know that he loves me and that bad things happen to good people and that we are not being punished for anything.
6. We have such a great family on both sides that would be willing to help us with anything that we asked. Right? :) Just kidding. About the right part. :)

8 Cow Wife

Now that we've covered cleaning, we're moving onto other skills critical for a budding homemaker. She may not be there, yet, but Katelyn knows she's well on her way to becoming an eight cow wife. Today when she was baking a chocolate cake with Julia, Grandma asked her if she was making a cake. Katelyn nodded her head and said, "I'm making a cake, would you like some?" She's so sweet. Too bad we've taken her off sugar. (Please disregard the last two pictures.)

We blessed Preston on an off Sunday so Stephen's 87 year old Grandpa could come from Salem. Because of the snow he almost didn't make it, but luckily he came. We had 25 people come to support us that day. Thank you to all our family.

Preston's 2 month pictures! He is too stinkin' cute. The original is 10x cuter but you can still see his fun smile.