Sunday

Steve is definitely better today than he was Friday night. But he seems a little worse today than he did yesterday.

He had a slight fever this morning, controlled with Tylenol. He's been short of breath much of the day, getting winded from just the small walk from his bed to the sink. He seems more fatigued, despite more sleep last night.

The medical staff doesn't seem concerned, though, so I'm trying to my cues from them.

His nurse tonight listened to his lungs and heard slight evidence of fluid. She suspected that he's short of breath because of too many fluids. (He's been on IV fluid since early Saturday morning, plus he's eating and drinking well. The kidneys process only so much fluid.)

She summoned the doctor on call, who listened to his lungs and agreed with the nurse.

So they're taking him off IV saline for tonight to give his body a chance to absorb all the fluids.

He's continuing to receive three different antibiotics via IV -- Vancomycin, Levaquin and Zosyn.

Sometime Monday he'll have another chest X-ray. And they may start to transition him from IV to oral antibiotics. That will help get him ready to head home, which probably won't happen until at least Tuesday.

*****

We didn't spend this Palm Sunday in our usual fashion, worshipping with our church family, watching children parade through the sanctuary waving palm branches, celebrating Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.

Of course, missing a church service doesn't remove the importance of the day.

And we still watched a small palm parade. Jim and Betty brought Cooper and Katie to the hospital after they left their church service. They walked in waving palm branches. What a glorious sight!

Katie was quick to snuggle with Daddy, and Cooper wasn't far behind. We all enjoyed lunch together. As an added bonus, Jackie and Sydney were here, too.

*****

Later in the afternoon, Steve was surrounded by four lovely girlfriends. Liz, Holly, Shannon and Carrie drove in from Frisco, Plano and Rowlett to deliver dinner and dessert and to visit for a while.

Other visitors this weekend have included Mary MT, with multiple gourmet meal deliveries; Allison, Tyler and Reese, with an Easter basket of goodies; and Layne, who sat with Steve yesterday so I could pick up necessities at home and cuddle with Cooper and Katie.

While I was home packing, friend and neighbor Bill was toiling in the front yard, freshening the beds and planting spring flowers.

*****

I've been working on a large project with a quick turnaround for a new client. On Friday night I began to worry about how I would finish in time with the added wrinkle of an extended hospital visit and all the logistics involved.

Two friends came to the rescue, each pitching in with a few hours to help, editing the document when I wasn't. Thanks to Sarah and Clay, I'll be able to turn the document in on time. Their help allowed me to catch up on sleep and spend more time with Steve. I have just about three hours of work left.

I'm constantly reminded how lucky I am to have the kind of work that can be done at home, in a transfusion room, at a coffeeshop, in an ER waiting room -- wherever I can take my computer, I can write and edit.

*****

Steve doesn't let pneumonia get in the way of his personality or routine.

He's charmed all the nurses, often making them laugh with his sly jokes.

He spent some time on his laptop, working from bed. And he just beat the deadline for The New Yorker's weekly Cartoon Caption Contest. He enters almost every week.

This week's cartoon:

His caption:

Hand it over, Mac. I've got to make a payment on these tights.