Going back.......

Oh, I can't tell you how this must have felt for my son. He has kept in touch with some of the professionals at St. Luke's Children Hospital. Last Friday, he planned to take Jilly to visit with them. It seemed important, to show them how their care and professional skills overcame such frightening statistics. These folks are so wonderful in so many ways, I can't really begin to explain it. But I will say, they do remarkable things, as a team that became a family to us. You can feel that it's not just a job to them....it's something that comes from deep inside their Hearts. Without doubt, this is a special place full of special people. They see so much sadness, and heart ache. In the time that we were there, besides our own, we saw so much loss and despair. Tears flow here on a daily basis, from as many different families as there are rooms. I hugged and was hugged by people that I never saw again. I saw Moms and Grandmas lose their babies, and my own heart ached for them. In spite of it, I did also see triumphs, and I will never forget that Hope must always Prevail. Thru it all, I saw these people care genuinely, and reach out to people in whatever way they could, to help.

Here Jilly is with one of her Main Doctors, Dr. Christiansen. He has a great reputation, though we didn't know that early on. But his reputation with us became immense. He was honest, and gently straightforward. He choked up at times while talking to us, but he did not give fake stories. As things progressed, his Joy at Jilly's recovering was obvious to see. He was always there in those first few days, and he would pop out of the wood work at any given moment. It was clear that he did not leave the hospital. For DAYS on end.

This is a handful of the nurses and respiratory therapists that Jilly wriggled her way into their hearts, even in her coma. They combed and braided her hair in her sleep, and spoke to her as if she could speak back. We are forever grateful to their nurturing and they way they made her feel when she did wake up. These were mother figures and grandmother figures right along with us.

Jilly is holding a book that she had published, about her experience and other things she loves. She brought it to show them, because it's dedicated to

The nurses and doctors at St. Lukes who saved my Life.

I'm gonna have to imagine that there were some tears spilled over that. I haven't seen the book again since she took it, but she was going to get their signatures ...what a treasure this book will be*

And as you can see, Bryce feels entirely at home here too!

Courtney was one of Jilly's Respiratory Therapists. * We all fell in love with her pretty much right off the start. * She could have been part of our family before, but she certainly is now, forever. * The two of these played pranks, and teased everyone .... just as it should be.

Jilly and Bryce looked out some of the windows that we did before also. At times we were alone with our own thoughts, and then later, we took Jilly in a wheelchair.

This is Better

And this Family/Waiting Room ...we spent countless hours here with mangled thoughts and fighting despair. *

This is BETTER!

I'm so glad that Evan took her, and that she was able to go. It's good that the Pros in this building are aware how grateful we are.

Evan did this Friday evening and as the evening progressed, he sent me pics to my phone. I was in Fairfield with my friend Sharon (who shares so much with me, good and bad) I'd get a photo while Sharon and I were sitting in the living room, and show it to her. We'd talk about stuff, and though this was obviously a joyful time, the memories overcame us and we chuckled at the fact that we were sniffling * ...good sniffling though...We're grandmas and it's our right.

Moments that evening were yet another reminder to value EVERY day.

Don't let them slip away, there are no guarantees