Friday, March 22, 2013, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, Nashville, TN., 4:18 p.m., D.S.T.~

Dear All~

While our six-year-old daughter continues to remain in a coma, there are signs that she may be starting to turn around from this illness that's gripped her for nearly a week now.  Her numbers are coming up and her vital signs are starting to stabilize.  She also continues to show reaction to deep pain stimuli and is starting to become a little more active.

It's been a very grueling week for all of us, but it's helped having our family together and seeing friends from our church stop by to offer their prayers and support.  I don't know what we would ever do without them; I feel incredibly blessed!

I know God is watching out over Camille as she snoozes in her slumber; He has plans for her life.  He obviously must still want Camille around because otherwise there'd be no improvement in her overall condition; there's no other way I can explain it.

Today I actually got to leave the hospital for a few hours while most of the family went out to lunch.  We ate at Golden Corral and stopped at the house to check on the mail.  I also checked up on my e-mails, made a few quick phone calls, and grabbed some clean clothes.  It was good to leave the confines of hospital life; I was starting to go antsy from looking at all the monitors, checking up on numbers and stuff, yet I know I have to be informed as to how she's dong.  So far she's doing better: not great, mind you, but she IS starting to improve, so for that we are all eternally grateful.

We just got back to Vandy Children's about a half hour ago, waiting for six o'clock, which is the next time we will be able to see Camille.  We are currently out here in the waiting room; some of the kids are reading, texting, talking on their phones, or playing on their computers or electronic hand-held games to pass the time; others are sleeping, sprawled out on the couches or on the floor, snoring.  I know they are all as tired as I am (if not, more so).

Bill has stepped outside; he has never really handled hospital life very well.  He does visit the children whenever they've been in here in the past, but I can always tell he's ill at ease and very uncomfortable, so he often goes outside to stretch his long limbs and clear his head for a while.  He then will come back, looking somewhat refreshed.    I feel bad for him; it's been really difficult on him.  Camille has become one of his babies, even though she's only been with our family for less than six months.

Well, I am going to try to catch a few winks myself (an hour); am suddenly getting really sleepy.  I will write in here again in a few days with another update; hopefully Miss Camille will continue TO improve and (maybe) be moved out of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit; that would be so nice!  It also would be nice to see her wake up and open up her eyes and start to respond!  Just keep those prayers and well wishes coming; they are really making a difference!  Thanks and God bless!

~Love, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May.  :)