J.W.'s Surgery... rest of the week drama

So.... we got to come home from the hospital Sunday night. Luke smacked his sister on the head soon after we arrived home. So that let us know what he thought about this new baby thing! He also has been very needy and when I am trying to relax and get her eating right then he decides to freak out about something. Charlotte was nursing good Friday evening and part of Saturday and then seemed to stop! She coughed up some stuff Sunday morning and then she did a little better with eating then Sunday before we were discharged from the hospital. Monday nursing became really painful. Monday in the middle of the night I woke up really cold and then by 4am I had severe chills and then high fever. I started boiling bottles and syringes and parts for my pump because I felt like I couldn't nurse again anytime soon because it was too painful. Plus I was shaking violently and that wasn't going to work either! I wanted Charlotte to still have the breastmilk though to give her antibodies and hopefully protect her from the virus I had (oh and Luke had it as well so he was not feeling his best either). The discharge paperwork said to call the doctor if you had fever or chills... my whole body was aching and my back and legs felt really tired and I thought I had some horrible infection either from the delivery or from nursing. I called the doctor on call and they said make an appt. once they open at 8am. I finally got the fever under control by the time I was at the doctor at 8:55 and was drenched in sweat and all clammy. They decided the fever/chills was probably just part of a virus/flu and not related to the delivery or nursing pain and sent me back home. Soon after I got home, it was time for JW to go to the hospital for surgery. Our brother-in-law Chad took him. JW was nervous and not really wanting to talk about it beforehand. He had completely torn his ACL, partially torn his MCL, and then also damaged the lateral meniscus so they had a lot to repair. He didn't get home until 6:30 and then Chad and our friend/neighbor Chad carried him down the hill (Of course this day it was pouring rain ALL DAY!). So JW has been couch-bound and groggy since Tuesday evening with his leg needing to stay above his heart as much as possible and on a pain pump and vicodin. We had a nurse visit to check both Charlotte and myself that afternoon. Charlotte was 7 lbs 7 ounces so she hadn't lost too much weight- she is still a little sluggish on pooping but I think she got a little dehydrated when she didn't want to eat for that day so hopefully things will pick up here! That was the only concern. She didn't seem to be jaundiced and it was nice to know she was still at a good weight.


I continued to get fever and chills that evening and through the night. My poor mom stayed around and helped us with Luke and Charlotte and listened to me blubber in misery! She also took a day off work Wednesday to help us and entertain Luke, hold the baby, walk the dog, etc. I think the fever finally was gone by late night Wednesday, now just have a scratchy throat and cough. Luckily, Charlotte hasn't shown signs of being ill and Luke didn't have the high fever/chills part so that was a big relief.
Thursday was rough because Charlotte didn't want to be laid down at night and would wake up every 10 minutes from 11pm-3:30am and only sleep if you held her. I finally fell asleep with her in my arms on the couch by 4am and was then very tired Thursday. Luke was also tired and needy and JW isn't able to get up to help so it has been difficult. Everything always seems to happen at once... the dog needs let out/in, Charlotte is nursing, Luke is crying for something or needs to be fed/changed/etc/, oh and Daddy will say he needs a drink when I get a chance! :) So it has been very overwhelming when I am not feeling good myself. Plus I think the postpartum hormones and emotions don't help that either.


So now we are to Friday. Luke went to his babysitter's so he could run around and play. Charlotte slept much better last night with the help of the MIRACLE BLANKET! Let's hope it works tonite as well! My headache finally went away. JW finally got up for a sponge bath and some new clothes on. His pain pump has run out but he is feeling better and is able to at least get up and go down the dining room stairs to use the restroom a few times a day. So things are hopefully looking up! Here are some pictures of his set up he has on the couch for now.

Here are pics from this morning- He is doing much better today!- The pain pump which is now on EMPTY! And the first time we unwrapped the giant brace to see what was underneath!

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