HOPE'S STORY, PART 10: "A GOOD WAY TO HAVE HEAVEN IN YOUR HOME"

Here are a few more posts from my mom's journal...

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October 22, 2011

This morning Hope had a bath:

This evening she did not like it when Caeli was washing the dried oxycodone off her lips, so she kept swatting at Caeli with her hand.

Later, when Hope looked uncomfortable and Caeli tried to give her some of the oxycodone, Hope made it very clear she did not want any and pursed her lips and swiped again at Caeli anytime she tried to put anything in her mouth.

Caeli obeyed and did not give her the oxycodone.  It made us all smile.  She has such a strong will.  Just like her parents.

It was almost like Hope knew the oxycodone made her loopy and she didn't want to be loopy.  Rather, she just wanted to enjoy her time with Mom and Dad and family and friends.

October 23, 2011:

Today Hope turned one month old!  Caeli did not sleep much last night because she thought Hope was leaving us several times in the night because she was having difficulty breathing.  

But today she was peaceful.  

For her one-month birthday I gave her a Fancy Nancy book about stars and Caeli read it to her.

She was actually looking at the pictures.  Here is a picture to show you:

Seriously, it looked like Hope was reading along, every word.  Maybe it was another tender mercy.  It made me want to read her more books, so we did and it was the same thing.  I think she knew how to read.  :)

We had a birthday party for her tonight and Thom (Caeli's dad) joined the party by Skype.  Here is Thom on Skype:

I love my weird Dad.

Yes, those are googily eyes to entertain his grandkids.  If you click on the picture you can also see Hope in Tyler's arms.  

John and Celeste shared a beautiful quote with Tyler and Caeli tonight.  Some friends gave them a clock in memory of their son Jordan who died in Iraq September 2008.  It says:

"A good way to have a little bit of heaven in your home 

is to have someone from your home in heaven."

October 25, 2011:

This was taken last Friday, 21 October, when Hope was 4 weeks old.  She really loves to smile.

Celeste said this about this picture on Facebook:  "I think that Hope was making faces at her silly Daddy!
Tyler is sooo very sweet and silly with Hope. He helps Hope to makes us all laugh by making her imitate the funny things that he is saying."

Yesterday Hope was quiet and peaceful most of the day.  She seemed to enjoy the glycerin swabs Caeli has started using to moisten her lips and mouth.  She smacks her lips and laps her tongue in and out.

Tyler had to work from early morning until late at night, so they sent text messages of love back and forth.  The hospice nurse came by to bring eye ointment for Hope's eyes that get bloodshot and seem reddish and a bit swollen.  Her heart rate is down to 100 beats per minute (should be 140).  Caeli got to hear and I did, too.  It is a very strong beat, although it is a bit irregular.

In the evening before Tyler got home, Hope expressed some pain through a very gently cry.  Caeli gave her some oxycodone (she hadn't had any for at least 24 hours).  She became peaceful after that, but her face looked very drugged and Caeli didn't like that.

Last night was a rough night of little sleep for the three of them.  Hope developed a cold and a cough last night.  Her nose has visible mucous.  

Tyler will be staying home most of the day today.