A Beautiful Evening...

So I'll start by saying that my tooth still hurts, but we're getting there. I had another appointment with the dentist today, had my canals flushed out and filled with antibiotics again, and then picked up prescriptions for both an oral antibiotic and some pain killers. We're trying everything possible over the next 3-7 days or so to save this tooth.

But the more important stuff is Casey's... and that's going well, I'm pleased to report!

I arrived with her at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children this morning, feeling somewhat apprehensive. However, the staff was wonderful and started to put me at ease early on.

Her ultrasound tech let me know that though she wasn't a doctor (and therefore couldn't tell me too much), she saw nothing abnormal - including no cysts or abscesses under the belly button. She additionally said that she had often heard of babies and children with umbilical discharge, so that made me feel a little comforted. (Also, the discharge today has been very infrequent and clear, rather than the cloudy yellow gunk we were dealing with in past days.)

When we hit up the nephrology department next, we got the best news of all - that Casey's kidney ultrasound showed nothing out-of-the-ordinary! Her kidneys are working properly, they feel normal, and we were issued a clean bill of renal health! (Yahoo!)

We have since spoken with her pediatrician, who received the hospital results and thinks that we should now await the outcome of a culture she took yesterday of the discharge. That will tell us if there is an infection in the belly button or perhaps if we're "just" dealing with a small pinhole that needs to be cauterized. Either way, I started my evening with a much more uplifted heart.

In closing, this may make some of you (who are squeamish about breast-feeding or just don't want to think about my breasts in particular!) feel grossed out, but I am sleepy and content. I just nursed my adorable, cherished girl on the couch while leaning up against Tee Jay. His arm was around me, we could both stare at Casey as much as we wanted, and we were a warm, cozy family. It was the most wonderful moment and one I won't soon forget.