The Finish Line

As I write this Samuel's discharge papers are getting finished up and Ben is driving home from Nebraska (with a stop in Des Moines).  When Ben gets here we'll go through the discharge papers together and bring our little boy home for the first time.

It's all kind of surreal really.  I mean all we have known about parenting has been our time in the NICU.  As frustrating as it is to be in the NICU it definitely has come with some perks.  Now we have to say goodbye to our "babysitters,"  farewell to 3 meals a day that we don't have to cook and so long to immediate medical assistance when something happens.  This will be a new transition of sorts.

We will have a transition kind of like that of regular non NICU new parents, just a little different.  Because of the traces of ROP (retinopathy of prematurity) they saw, he's back on oxygen.  Apparently there is some evidence that keeping those o2 levels high decreases the growth of ROP.  So, he's going home on oxygen (which is kind of scary!).  Then there's a positive side, we know our son pretty well already.  Most parents start getting to know their baby at the hospital, but then really get to know them at home, we have a bit of a head start on that!  Of course, they have warned us, that babies tend to change some when they get home and develop some new patterns.  So we'll still be getting to know him!

The last few days have been very uneventful and we actually probably could have gone home yesterday.  Over the weekend he was having some borderline temps and the doctor was somewhat hesitant to send him home on Sunday.  When talking he asked me what I preferred.  I told him that I honestly preferred Monday over Sunday because then Ben could be here to help get him home and set up.  So today it is and things continue to go well!

I can't speak for Ben, but I know I am sure going to miss the NICU.  I have spent more time in the NICU in 2012 than anywhere else.  The staff here have become friends and I will miss seeing them.  The doctors and nurses have been just fantastic in every way possible.  So as excited as I am to bring our baby home, I am also sad to see this chapter close for other reasons.

This year is going to be different, but as it has already proven, different isn't necessarily bad, in fact so far, different has been amazing!  This will be the first year since I studied abroad to not be involved in Holy Week and Easter services, but that's ok.  Right now, with Sam's immature immunity system and his needing to conserve some energy for eating, that is what is best for our boy.  I don't know when I will start showing up at Church with him, but you can bet when I do, he will be kept very close to me and away from everyone else (at least for a little while).  Eventually I will let others touch and hold him, but at first....

I digress...  We are going home this afternoon and I can't wait!  I think one thing I am looking forward to is him just being there and I don't have to shower before driving over to nurse him, I can shower when it's convenient because I won't be going out into public first thing in the morning!

The next post...  will be from our house and no longer from the NICU!