Day 18

First of all, everything is still fine. I thought Beau posted a quick "All is well" this morning but with Reed here we are a little out of sorts. I still have no signs of infection and Gaines' heart rate still looks good. One of the attendings came in this morning and I asked her what she thought about Gaines' strips (that's what they call the printed readings of his heart rate). I think I asked if they looked okay. She said yes...if they didn't look okay you'd know really quickly. I explained that I meant, do they look ok for now, or do they look good? She said they looked very encouraging. I was happy to hear that.

Also, yesterday another attending came in. She said she met me on my first night here. I must have been really out of it because I don't remember her at all. Anyway, I talked to her for a little while and I really liked her. At one point she said something to the effect of what a better place we were in now than we were when I first got here. I told her that I didn't know what the difference was but that I felt like 26 weeks was a milestone. She mentioned that maybe I should have the NICU doctors come back in. I told her I didn't want to. She said she understood but that they'd be able to give us more favorable information at this point. Maybe I'll let them back in at 28 weeks. I don't know. I just figure I shouldn't even have that stuff in my brain right now. I'll get there when I have to. One little thought that has been encouraging to me whenever I worry about having a healthy baby is that you aren't guaranteed at healthy baby even if you deliver at 40 weeks. I know that its in God's hands. Thankfully I've had more of a peace about this the last few days.

I really cannot believe we've been here 18 days. That's 18 days of not cooking dinner, 18 days of not picking up my little boy, 18 days of not working, or straightening up or wearing clothes other than pajamas, or being what used to be normal. The weird thing is that this has become normal very quickly.

If I had heard of someone else going through something like this, I wouldn't have even been able to fathom it. I would have been paralyzed at the thought of how you handle something like this. Being in danger of having a baby way too early, being 900 miles from home and my child, and finding a way to live in an expensive city while paying for our life back home (just to name a few of the concerns that come along with this) is overwhelming. BUT...through all of this, God has provided. I mean He really has. Every prayer that I have sent up thus far, has been answered. I just wanted you all to know that if one day you end up in one of these trials (and if it can happen to me it can happen to anyone), just have faith that God will provide...He so does.

I'll get off my soapbox for now. Time for a little color commentary. People in DC are crazy about this cherry blossom business. I mean they have been all over the news here, the metro has been packed (according to Beau) and the hotels and flights are more expensive (according to my in-laws that picked this weekend to visit). So, if you are ever in DC around this time of year...be sure to see the cherry blossoms.

One other quick thing that I thought was funny. I caught the tail end of a transmission commercial this morning. The part I saw said, "Leaking fluid? We'll fix it.". It might just be me that finds this funny but I thought it was hilarious given my current situation.

Sorry for the delay in posting today but with Reed here life has been different. I LOVE seeing him. Keep us in your prayers tomorrow...he leaves. Please pray for safe travels for Reed, no infection and for Gaines to keep being happy where he is.

It's been a good day.

Brittany

P.S. I let Beau "edit" this since apparently, I am not quite the writing prodigy I thought I was but I had to go back in an fix a mistake he made. So Ha Beau.