This isn't genealogy...but I want to thank everyone so much for the kind words and thoughts they sent. Sorry have been so long in responding. To let everyone know, we were finally able to bring our three year old daughter home late last night from the hospital. It turned out to be a burst appendix....very dangerous. We have an in-home nurse come in twice a day to administer antibiotics via I.V. as well as three doses of oral antibiotics that I give her per day. She seems almost her old self....but she tires easily. I warn anyone with young children and who might be caring for an older adult.....burst appendix are much more common than you would think and are hard to diagnose in the very young and the more mature adult. The symptoms mimic so many other gastro-intestinal illnesses. And not everyone's appendix is in the same location....so forget the notion of appendix pain only being on the right side. I have to take her back to the surgeon every few days so that they can monitor her progress. If all goes well and she responds to the antibiotics at home as well as she did in the hospital, then she will go back for surgery in 3 to 4 weeks to have the appendix removed. Currently, the surgeon feels that the risks far outway the benefits of removing it right away. Her abdoman is still obviously swollen and her blood work still shows too high a level of infection to risk an operation for "convenience." I truly appreciate everyone's concern. She is allowed no "rough housing." Anyone that has ever cared for a 3 year old knows what a task that is going to be. I will try to get back to everyone who sent me genealogical queries as soon as time permits. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as this is not over yet. Kathy in FL [email protected]