I just left Stuart in the hands of a great friend and NICU nurse, Alexis Furin. I went to high school with her husband, Buck, and she works night at the NICU. I requested that Stuey have her earlier today and was TICKLED PINK that she is his nurse. There is nothing more comforting than to have his care in her hands. The nights are the hardest for me to leave him and tonight it was so much easier knowing she would be with him.
Ahhhh...what a long day. I need to do some serious cucumber slices or cold compresses to help the puffiness in my eyes. Talk about major cry fest...over and over again. For some reason today I was more emotionally exhausted than I've ever been. I think the closer Stuart gets to discharge, the more excited I get about getting him home and the harder it is to leave him in his little bassinett. I just want to scoop him up and make a great escape. Also, the more time that goes by, the more bonded and attached to him I am. Today it was all put into perspective, however, when the mom of the baby next to me told me her daughter has been in the NICU for 1 month already and she probably has 5 more weeks. The baby was 1 lb 7 oz at birth...pretty amazing. I think the mom said she was born at 23 weeks or so. The baby is in a covered, dark unit-she had me peek in and see her little girl. It makes my emotions about Stuey's uncertain discharge date seem silly, as families wait weeks and months to take their little ones home.
Stuey is on such a small amount of room air flow oxygen and his oxygen saturations did much better this evening during feedings. AND he was much more alert for this evening's feeding...looking around and he fed for longer. He seems to be feeling better. Many people (including Alexis) think that he looks like me-especially the eyes.
Today I had lunch with Cathy and Mike which was fun. Felt good to get outside, go for a drive, have a yummy Monte Cristo Sandwich at an Anchorage Deli and visit with them before they head back to Homer. They were on their way home from a trip to Tucson. Then tonight I was blessed with a visit from my sister, Bonnie. She gave me her shoulder to cry on and after I was feeling much better she got yummy Thai food which we ate in the hospital cafeteria.
Patrick is so supportive. He reminded me that things are going well on the homefront and that he and Nora are doing well and to not feel rushed to come home or feel bummed if Stuey needs a few more days. I'm getting things lined up for discharge (car seat, CPR refresher, discharge planning videos, etc....) so when the time comes I"ll be ready. Gosh I can't wait to get home. Talking to patrick today was fun cause I could hear Nora babbling in the background. She was making sounds which I've never heard before. Amazing how 1 week can be such progress in her speech!
Off to bed to catch some zzzz's before my 6 AM trip to the hospital to feed Stuey.
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