Here is Zuzu- the picture of health the day after the Quail went into the hospital. Since returning from there she has become the next little patient in our ward of care. Her fever remains high and has been over 102 since Saturday. Yesterday it was 103.5 in the afternoon. She went to our pediatrician for a check. Fortunately her lungs and ears are clear. She is up to 37 pounds and 38.5 inches tall. Ears were a real problem for her in the second half of her first year. She had one infection after another from the time she was 7 months old until at 13 months she had tubes put in. After that she still had 4 or 5 infections but would not become horrendously ill with each one. She would get a little drainage, we would use drops and she would be bouncing back within a day. Prior to that we had a time her eardrum burst, she would throw up the antibiotics, her fever would get up to 103, she would develop thrush in response to the antibiotics and she would have difficulty nursing and sleeping. Since the Quail has arrived though she has been sick one time. The thursday after the Quail came home from the hospital she was eating dinner with us and suddenly seemed malaised into a fog. Her temperature shot up to 102.5 and we put her to bed with a Be Kool Gel Patch and some motrin and she slept until the middle of the night at which point she woke and seemed to have drifted through a time tunnel back to dinnertime and wanted to know where everyone was and if she could finish her dinner.

Since then though not a germlet has gotten through her strongly-bricked wall of immunity. Until now. This RSV is the uber-germ of the germ world it seems. All of the babies in the Quail’s room have been sick and now we are going on Day 4 of a high fever. Fortunately our little fighter remains cheerful and polite- heartbreakingly so. We are trying to maintain a distance of 5-10 feet between the girls as our pediatrician let us know that there are many strains of RSV, and while it is likely Zuzu has the Quail’s strain; we can’t be sure. Nana Dori is here for another day with us and we are oh-so-grateful. Lovey’s grading is nearly done and I have returned to work. So he will be holding down the fort, or sick-ward as it is.

Our friends Kipper, Angelina Ballerina, Wordgirl, the Word World Animals, Barney and Elmo have been keeping her company. Part of the day she is happy to play with her dolls, her books and her Little People and a good portion of the day and night she stays in Dreamland.  Each day she asks for her “breathing treat” and if she can please go to the hospital or if not there then could she please go to the Doctor first. She’s starting to protest her medicine though so I’m hoping that is a sign she’s on the mend. This morning her temperature without medicine was 101.5.

Her naps have been long and spent gazing at the Christmas tree lights cuddled on the couch, resting her head on our JOY pillow and snuggled under the amazing Christmas Quilt the Quail received from the Lake and Mountain Quilters Guild in the hospital.  She isn’t very hungry but at least will continue to drink her diet staples of juice and kefir as well as continuing to nurse.

We hope she recovers quickly- we miss her spritely ways and sparkley eyes.