Her Schedule.

We had a few rough days earlier this week.  Rough doesn't even begin to describe it.  UGH.  I didn't know how much longer I could take the "roid rage" of the steroids, or dreariness of hospital living, or everyone interrupting my baby's precious sleep. Once again, Heavenly Father answered my prayers and sent us a miracle.  The child life specialist helped me make her schedule and it took a while for everyone to understand it...hence the "rough week".  Evalette was beside herself with exhaustion and so was I.  But on Wednesday, she had a sedated spinal tap.  Well, the sedation seemed to calm her down, since then, she has been back on her regular schedule.
9:30 AM                   Wake up...the nurses know not to come in until I pull up the curtain.  Evalette is such a late sleeper.  She is a bear if the nurses wake her up by poking her to do vitals.  She has great days when she wakes up on her own!
9:30-11:00 AM         Breakfast, vitals, and chemo.
11:00-1:00 AM         First nap
1:00-3:00 PM            Lunch, playtime, and medications
3:00-5:00 PM            Second nap
5:00-8:00 PM            Dinner, play, possibly a third nap until 8 pm
8:00 PM                    Vitals, medications, and bedtime
midnight, 4 am  VITALS   don't wake her up...dream feed, quick vitals, back to bed.  No fuss!!!    
One of the nurses said to me last night, "I have never seen a baby sleep, eat, pee, and poop as good as she does."  I laughed.  That's my baby.  She just needed a schedule.  Babies thrive off of schedules and routines.  The nurses are amazed that all I have to do is lay Evalette down in the crib, tell her good night, and then I leave that she is asleep in minutes on her own.  No fighting, crying, or rocking needed.  She just conks out.  She has always been a great sleeper since she was born.  Now the nurses and doctors understand how much better she does when she gets her sleep...she corporates much better and doesn't ever cry.  She even does better on the steroids and the side effects are minimal.  So they stick to her schedule!!  They have become very protective of her sleep and don't let anyone in her room when the curtain is down and the do not disturb sign is up!  It is kind of funny.  But I appreciate it so much.
I have always been a huge advocate of sleep.  My six year old still takes a nap 1-2 a week.  So glad to have good doctors and nurses who will work with me and help me create the atmosphere Evalette needs to heal and get well.  Yeah for sleep.  Yeah for eating.  Yeah for pooping. Yeah for peeing.  Yeah for Evalette.  Yeah for a SCHEDULE!!!