When I left off last October Elliotte was 3 months old and I was waiting for my next granddaughter, Leah Marie Robinson, to be born in December. Around the 1st week in November I developed an infection that needed an antibiotic. As usual, I went to my pharmacy and had my script filled and began taking the meds. After finishing the antibiotic, I began to have some stomach problems. At first we thought it was the flu. But as I continued to have vomiting and diarrhea, I ended up at the emergency room. They pumped me full of fluids, said it was a virus and sent me home. Two days later, after being VERY SICK, my sweet husband had to clean me up by getting me out of bed, putting me in his office chair and rolling me to our shower. I couldn't walk because I had no stamina, energy.....nothing! And John certainly couldn't pick me up or we'd both need an ambulance. He laid me on the shower floor, turned on the water and sprayed me off, toweled me off, combed my hair, put on my clothes then rolled me in the office chair out the front door, down the steps and into his car. Second trip to the emergency room and this time we told them it wasn't the flu and they better keep me. And keep me they did.......2 weeks!! During that 2 weeks I missed Thanksgiving (which was supposed to be at our house) and more importantly, I missed the birth of Leah Marie!! She decided to come early. One night I vaguely remember John telling me he was going to Baptist to be there when Leah was born. When he came back to St. Thomas after the birth, my first question was, "did they have the baby?" Next question was, "what did they name her?" Now keep in mind, I was on some very strong drugs that were making me forget things (which I was later told was a good thing). And some of what I tell you here is from my family, not because I actually remember it! Of course I knew her name was Leah but I wasn't myself at that moment. The next night John's family, from Atlanta here for Thanksgiving, came to the hospital to see me, or so I was told. I don't remember any of it. My doctor was a Hospitalist and very young. Every morning he would come in and ask me how many times I'd been to the bathroom during the night. Now if I don't remember my granddaughter's name or family coming to visit me, how in the world did he expect me to remember how many bowel movements I'd had during the night! I think he learned about bedside manor because my mother didn't mind telling him when he was asking stupid questions. :) I'm so glad I can't remember exactly what she said to him but I'm sure he won't forget it! So I missed the birth of Leah and being there for Clay. But Clay came to see me at the hospital and had his laptop with all the pictures from Leah's birth to show me. Somewhere around 200 is what I was told. Clay said he showed me every one of them. I don't remember. After I was weaned from the strong meds, I asked John why I hadn't seen any pictures of Leah. He burst out laughing then told me Clay had been there and showed me all 200 of the pictures the week before. I decided this must be what Alzheimers is like. In the end, the doctors decided the antibiotic I had taken must have had gluten in it. I never thought to ask my pharmacist about gluten in the medicine. But I do now because I never want to go through this experience again. Gluten is EVIL to a Celiac!! And John would probably divorce me before he would clean me up again!
one of the 200 pictures
After 2 weeks in the hospital, I came home. I was quite exhausted and couldn't do much of anything. I finally got to see and hold Leah for the first time when she was 2 weeks old. I'm so glad babies can't see at that age because Leah would have taken one look at me and screamed. I did look pretty pitiful but still had to have my picture taken with her. I asked Leslie to please explain to Leah someday why she was 2 weeks old before her Grandma Nonna saw her and why Nonna looked like a tired, old lady in the picture!
1st time to see Leah (I can't believe I'm putting this picture in my blog)
Beth had started her new job so I was to keep Elliotte 4 days a week. I was so weak I could barely get out of the chair by myself so my mother came everyday for the first week to help with Elliotte. Now she may say she was doing this to help me but she really wanted to spend time with her great granddaughter. She wouldn't let me do anything for Elliotte. I'm sure she told her friends that she HAD to help me out but what she was really doing was having a ball being with E. I'm so fortunate to have a mother that will take of me the way she does even though I came in second to the baby!
Today, I'm better. I'm keeping Elliotte on Mondays and Elliotte and Leah on Wed., Thurs. and Fridays. So far, so good. They are precious and fun. I've decided God gave me 3 children in 14 months to get me ready for 2 granddaughters, 4 months apart. God gives all of us talents. I think mine is loving grandbabies and giving them a good start to their lives. Plus I'm a cheap (FREE) babysitter! I haven't mixed up their bottles yet but I have called each of them the other's name. My grandmother used to do this with 11 grandchildren. We just learned to answer no matter who she called us. I'm just happy I haven't put one of them down and forgotten where I put them. As Elliotte and Leah get older and I call them the wrong name, they'll smile, correct me and then whisper how Grandma Nonna is losing her mind. What they don't know is my mind was lost a long time ago........back when I had 3 children in 14 months! Until next time.
Leah - 4 months, Elliotte - 8 months
