Monday, April 2, 2007, 10:57 a.m., D.S.T., Nashville, Tennessee~

Dear Journal~

I actually slept in today. I didn't get up until 9:00. It was niiiiiice! :)

We had a good weekend: the practice sessions for our upcoming Easter Cantata (this coming weekend; gosh, it's hard to believe that it's nearly Easter already; time sure flies!) are going smoothly, and the babies I have been taking care of in the NICU have seemed to turn the corner: both are improving (much to our surprise, hard to believe that they were so sick just a few days ago!); things are suddenly looking up for the little guys.

Now there's a new one to worry about: Baby Girl Moreaux*, who weighs one pound exactly. She has all sorts of things wrong with her: she has pulmonary hypertension, which requires constant monitoring and the use of a respirator to aid in her breathing, organs (stomach and intestines) on the outside of her body (we have those wrapped up; she will require surgery once she gains more in the way of weight), webbed fingers and toes, she may be blind, and she also has  hypoplastic left heart syndrome. She was born one month ago today; she is a transfer, and she is doing very badly.

I heard about Baby Girl Moreaux when she was to be transferred to our hospital from Baptist; she's kept us on our toes ever since. It has really been fun. (NOT.)

Now I am on Easter Break, as I just said, and I am going to try not to think about work; yet I can't help wondering how my patients are doing (or my co-workers). Or when I least expect it, I get a call from the boss and am asked to come in--which I usually end up doing.

(Louie, sometimes you don't have the good sense God gave a goose!)

Instead of thinking about work or my patients, I'm going to concentrate on caring for my family and practicing for our upcoming church Cantata.

Oh, dear--Jodie messed up her diapers; she smells pretty ripe. She knows about it too because she is grinning and laughing to beat the band. I hope she's proud of herself.

Before Jodie stinks up the entire neighborhood, I am going to have to go, so I can change her and hook her up to her feeding tube so she can have her "breakfast". It's time for her to "eat". Take care, dear Journal, and God bless!

~Love, your friend, Louie May. :D

*not baby's real name; name changed for identity reasons.