Our original plan was to drive up to Edmonton that same night (it was already about 8pm), but after having next to no sleep for a few days, we were talked in to getting some rest at my parents house and then leaving early the next morning. It was good to spend a little more time with Emma as well, mostly for our sakes I think as she was enjoying her extended sleepover at Gramma's house. One of the doctors that flew up to Edmonton with Ashley called us late in the night to say that the flight and the transport had gone well, and that Ashley was all settled in at the ICU there, so we were able to rest a bit easier after hearing that.
Ashley's surgery was originally scheduled for sometime Tuesday evening, but as we were getting ready to leave, we got a call from the hospital in Edmonton saying that they had an opening, and Ashley was stable enough, so they were going to go ahead with the surgery right away. We instantly regretted not leaving the night before and got up there as fast as we could. Her surgery was done by the time we got there, but everything had gone well, and she was resting peacefully in her bed when we arrived.
Tammy had been sick for a few days at this point, and though she seemed to be coming out of the woods with it, she still had a pretty persistent cough. My body decided to shut down on the drive up to Edmonton, and I had a really nice case of the flu by that afternoon. After spending the rest of the day in masks by Ashley's bed, we made a trip to the emergency room, and there it was confirmed that we were both very sick people, and that we should probably stay away from the ICU until we got better. That was a hard pill to swallow, but unlike the Children's Hospital, there are no private rooms in the ICU in Edmonton, just rows of babies on beds with a chair next to each one for a parent. We didn't want to risk getting Ashley sick in her frail condition, let alone any of the other babies, or the hospital staff for that matter, so we stayed away, and worried ourselves even more sick the entire time.
Ashley's surgery was originally scheduled for sometime Tuesday evening, but as we were getting ready to leave, we got a call from the hospital in Edmonton saying that they had an opening, and Ashley was stable enough, so they were going to go ahead with the surgery right away. We instantly regretted not leaving the night before and got up there as fast as we could. Her surgery was done by the time we got there, but everything had gone well, and she was resting peacefully in her bed when we arrived.
Tammy had been sick for a few days at this point, and though she seemed to be coming out of the woods with it, she still had a pretty persistent cough. My body decided to shut down on the drive up to Edmonton, and I had a really nice case of the flu by that afternoon. After spending the rest of the day in masks by Ashley's bed, we made a trip to the emergency room, and there it was confirmed that we were both very sick people, and that we should probably stay away from the ICU until we got better. That was a hard pill to swallow, but unlike the Children's Hospital, there are no private rooms in the ICU in Edmonton, just rows of babies on beds with a chair next to each one for a parent. We didn't want to risk getting Ashley sick in her frail condition, let alone any of the other babies, or the hospital staff for that matter, so we stayed away, and worried ourselves even more sick the entire time.
The Ronald McDonald House is the traditional place for parents to stay when their baby is in the hospital, but it was full, so the next option is a motel close by. It turns out that we know too many good people to have to stay in a motel. May Way, who is the wife of Kevin Way (one of my young men's leaders who passed away back in January), called Kevin's sister Karen, who lives minutes away from the hospital, and despite warnings of our sickly condition, she insisted that her family be allowed to put us up in their basement for as long as we would need. It was an amazingly generous offer, considering we had never met them before, and it was the sort of offer we couldn't refuse. Karen even met us at the hospital with some sandwiches not long after we arrived, and the whole Davis family were incredibly supportive the entire time we stayed with them. We can't thank them enough for their hospitality, and they will always be remembered as an integral part of Ashley's recovery.
We stayed away from the hospital for a whole Wednesday, and though we called the unit every few hours to find out how Ashley was doing, it was just too hard to not be there. We got a couple of phone calls ourselves from both sets of grandparents that day. My parents called to say that Emma had come down with a double ear infection, and Tammy's parents called to say that they were coming up to Edmonton the next day to be with us. We decided that since I was still pretty sick, I should go back to Calgary with Grandpa Olsen to be with Emma and finalize the sale of our home, and Tammy, who was starting to feel much better, would stay in Edmonton with her Mom at her Auntie Anne's, who lives across town.
Early Thursday morning, we met with a lawyer I had called the night before who was kind enough to act as a witness for us as we signed the papers for the sale of our home, and then we headed for the hospital. Tammy's parent's arrived there around noon, just before the nurses took Ashley off her respirator. It was so good to see her without that huge tube taped to her face, and it was just another great step for her to make. The staff at the Stollery were weening her off most of her medications and IV's at that point, and she was handling it all quite well to their surprise. After a short visit with Gramma and Grampa Olsen, and of course some photos, Jim and I left for Calgary. It was another tough departure, but I'm glad I didn't have to make the trip alone.
We stayed away from the hospital for a whole Wednesday, and though we called the unit every few hours to find out how Ashley was doing, it was just too hard to not be there. We got a couple of phone calls ourselves from both sets of grandparents that day. My parents called to say that Emma had come down with a double ear infection, and Tammy's parents called to say that they were coming up to Edmonton the next day to be with us. We decided that since I was still pretty sick, I should go back to Calgary with Grandpa Olsen to be with Emma and finalize the sale of our home, and Tammy, who was starting to feel much better, would stay in Edmonton with her Mom at her Auntie Anne's, who lives across town.
Early Thursday morning, we met with a lawyer I had called the night before who was kind enough to act as a witness for us as we signed the papers for the sale of our home, and then we headed for the hospital. Tammy's parent's arrived there around noon, just before the nurses took Ashley off her respirator. It was so good to see her without that huge tube taped to her face, and it was just another great step for her to make. The staff at the Stollery were weening her off most of her medications and IV's at that point, and she was handling it all quite well to their surprise. After a short visit with Gramma and Grampa Olsen, and of course some photos, Jim and I left for Calgary. It was another tough departure, but I'm glad I didn't have to make the trip alone.
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