Suite 1101

It has been a long week. Preceded by a long winter. This winter has been a long, hard learning experience for us. Julia has had back-to-back-to-back sinus infections. We've been working with an ENT for the last couple of months (Dr. Sulman, who is an AWESOME addition to Julia's team). She started us with 4 weeks of antibiotics. Followed by a CT scan. Followed by 4 more weeks of antibiotics. Followed by a week of clarythromycin. Followed by an ambulance ride. Followed by six days at Children's. Followed by a 3-hour sinus surgery. Followed by at least two weeks of Vancomycin IV antibiotics.

The nearly week-long stay at the hospital was spent in the penthouse suite - the largest room on the top floor of patient rooms. Beautiful room, huge bathroom, and just not home. Bad bed, no sleep, lots of stress, beeping machines. Quiet time, great views, no cooking, reading books. Not-so-great nurses, PICC line, CT scan, postponed surgery. Healthier, happier Julia. And, it is so good to be on the other side of this challenge. Even though the last couple of weeks have been filled with stress and roadblocks, we are so hopeful that the payoff is going to be huge - we're getting our happy, spunky, sassy girl back again, and it is so nice.

So, even though life doesn't always seem fair, right now it feels so good. We have so much to be grateful for. Seems to me I got the best birthday gift I could have hoped for this year. And, the long road getting here makes it so much sweeter.