Day Two

Happy news!  I've been given doctor's approval to get out of bed to shower once a day.   

I had to wear an enormous funny-smelling rubber glove taped over my IV and hold my arm out of the water (tricky, washing your hair with one hand...), but it was heaven to stretch my legs for 20 minutes.  Things are looking up.

Micah and Maddi spent the morning with me and brought with them Chex Mix and Oreos, card games and a stack of books.  Maddi pushed all the buttons on my bed and managed to tangle herself in my cords and wires several times, but it was so wonderful to have them here with me.

I also have a new bed, a much much more comfy recovery bed, rather than the labor and delivery bed I was in yesterday.  I guess now that we've gotten past the critical first 24 hours with no signs of infection or labor, I'm expected to be here for the long haul.  That being two weeks-- which seems interminable after the way these last two days have crawled by-- but if I can give this baby more time to develop and grow and be a little more healthy when he arrives, I'm willing to do whatever it takes. 

Even happier news: Baby is still content as can be right where he is, and is showing no signs of distress.  I had an ultrasound where we were able to see him "practicing" breathing already.  We watched his little diaphragm and lungs huff and puff rapidly and then stop, then start again as he explores inhaling and exhaling.  The ultrasound tech said it's common for girls to start doing this as early as 30 or 31 weeks, but boys usually take a bit longer into the third trimester to pick up the skill, and she was surprised he was already doing it. (That's my boy!)  She estimated he's currently weighing between 3 and 4 pounds (and we thought Madison's 5-1 was tiny!  Oh my).  We also got to talk to the hospital neo-natologist, who was very optimistic and encouraging based on how things are going so far.  He said even if I were to deliver in the next few days, he expects baby to become stable pretty quickly in the NICU.  It seems things are just about as good as they can be, given the circumstances. 

Even with all the positives, I really shouldn't complain.  But can I, just for a minute?  The last two nights have been pretty miserable.  I miss my kid like crazy.  It's been all I can do not to sob out loud as I'm telling her goodnight over the phone.  I really really don't like sleeping without Micah right by me.  And I've had to get nightly steroid injections-- from a HUGE needle! In my buttocks!  Like I'm a horse!!--  that make my stomach churn all night long.  I'm woken up two or three times by nurses checking vital signs and monitors, and in between their visits I'm waking up constantly to use the bathroom, or to alarms going off,  or just to try getting comfortable on a hard bed with rubber pillows.  Not to mention I'm pregnant and emotional and cry all the time.   It's not ideal.  Sorry to be whiny.  I do know it's for the best, and it's so worth it, and I'll survive.  What's made it doable is all the support and love from everyone around us.  Thank you again for being so wonderful!