The next 3 days

For the next 3 days our life revolved around the feeding times.  We went to every feeding.  The nurses taught us how to handle Katie with all the wires.  We got to change her diaper, check her temperature, feed her, and hold her as long as we wanted.  

Mike, of course, was awesome and went to all the feedings with me, even though there wasn’t much to do.  We got to spend a lot of time with Katie and fell deeply in love.

Ellee got to come on Friday and Sunday to spend the day with us.  She was not allowed in to the NICU because it is flu season.  On those days, Mike would take Ellee out on adventures and Grammie would come with me to hang out with Katie.  They would stay a couple hours and then leave in time to get home before dark.

Pastor Jane visited on Friday and got to see Katie and was there with Mike when the cardiologist spoke with Mike about Katie’s progress.  It was very nice to see her and have a break with someone from the outside world!

Mike explored Syracuse around the hospital and found a Dunkin donuts and Chipotle.  I’m not sure I can count how many times these fine dining establishments were visited!

We did have some drama on day 3 (Sunday morning).  The resident doctor, doing rounds, and in charge of me, barged in at 6am and told me I was being discharged.  I had been told weeks before that I could stay 4 days, which would be Monday, if Katie had to stay in the hospital.  We didn’t have any guarantees but a Monday release was the target for Katie at that time.  I argued with the doctor in my sleepy haze and she was firm that I had to go.  

Mike and I got up and immediately found the night nurse.  We were very polite and suitably panicked.  Our nurse told us immediately not to worry about and the nurses would handle it.  We then went up to the NICU and told the nurses there too.  They assured me that if all else fails, start crying!  It didn’t come to that, we check with the nurses about an hour later and they had handled everything for us.  It always pays to have the nurses on your side!

This is totally random, but here is the industrial hand wash station we used every time we went into the NICU.  You put your hands in and the sprayers circle your hands with a powerful blast for about 10seconds.  Mike had to buy lotion from CVS because it cracked his skin.