Update---kiddo heading home

We're heading home from the hospital soon.We've gone from, "Daddy, I don't want to cough anymore...it's too boring," to, "Daddy, do pirates have convertibles?"

But infectious diseases have lots of consequences. I'm starting to get a tickle in my throat and a bit of a cough. I have asthma, and this could really set it off. My father has a type of immunity problem, so he can't come around her for a while.

My wife and I planned our first vacation alone together since we were married. Unfortunately, that vacation starts at the end of the week. The kiddo can't stay with my folks while she's shedding RSV, so I guess we'll enjoy springtime in the Midwest.

But at least I have my curious, funny, adorable daughter back.

BTW, thanks for all the kind comments. While I don't believe anyone's prayers will help my kid, it helps me to know that folks care. Damn, I guess I'm an evil atheist who hates children and puppies (but likes veal).

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Yay! I'm so glad that your daughter is doing better. Sorry to hear about the lost vacation though. Take care of yourself and get some rest if you possibly can. The last thing you and your family need is for you to end up in the hospital with an asthma exacerbation.

I must second the motion put forth my the honorable ChrisH...

W00T!!!!1!eleven!

I'm glad to hear it! Enjoy your vacation!

So glad for the happy ending. Sorry about the changed vacation plans, but at least it will be a celebration.

Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah!

Take care. Glad for the good outcome.
Now, get some sleep!

Great news!

Maybe prayer is popular because it avoids acknowledging that we are helpless in these situations, and that is not pleasant. So, I did not pray for your daughter; but I was concerned, and am relieved.

I'm so glad your daughter is doing well! Yeah, what do the non-theistic do to express concern for someone else? Somehow "Sending good thoughts your daughter's way" doesn't sound as good as "I'll pray for your daughter". I struggle with how to convey a message of compassion and caring to others in a way that doesn't sound stupid or like a bad Hallmark card (a la "Tell your daughter to get well soon!"

I know that most people who send a prayer someone's way mean good things, and often enough don't expect a deity to intervene. Also, sending good wishes is the same thing as a prayer.

Basically, whenever someone expresses kind sentiment that doesn't come with a moral price tag ("God bless! Now convert!), it's a nice thing.

To answer the pressing question: I don't know if pirates had convertibles but they did have corvettes.

Great news on the daughter front -- you & the spousal unit must be feeling great relief.

If I were 1,300 miles closer, I'd volunteer for some faux-grandparent duty, so you could get a few nights away, but I'd worry about the Ditz Nearly-Infallible Law of Absent Parents: one or more children left in care of relatives will suffer (a) a laceration requiring sutures (b) a fracture (c) an infectious illness requiring emergent care (d) some combination of (a) (b) and (c) or (e) the jackpot! (a) + (b) + (c). I'm not kidding -- we're into the second generation now. I've hit the jackpot twice.

In other good news, the order to quash the Seidel subpoena has been granted.

Good to learn that she is recovering and feeling better if somewhat bored. Convertible whats? Land-water vehicles (I'm brain-fading on the term for this)?

While my own youngest was in the hospital battling a strep infection which moved into his blood, I recall spending the night shift restlessly on the bed in his room watching the nursing staff like a hawk and feeling very alone.

As a technically trained, non-medical person in a medical world - helpless was too benign a description for my feelings. Nevertheless, the number of people who told me that they kept my son "in their prayers" did more to buoy me than my son.

By the way, the first law of parenting is that you can never outwit a childhood illness when it comes to conflicting with mom and dad's vacation plans.

I guess I never realized that "convertible" might be a Yankee word...also, I'm a detroiter, so cars are often on my mind.

I refers to a car whose top goes down, and to the american ear, it is the first thought with the word (as opposed to, say, a sofa bed).

I was wondering if someone would come up with "corvette", which, in auto form, my partner gave up for an SUV when he had kids.