If you follow my blog, or my life ;p...you know about Will.
A few weeks early, born on Thursday, surgery on Saturday, NICU for ten days and counting...but he is DOING GREAT! We are blessed by this little boy and all that he has taught us in this very short time.
You will hear me talk about Will ALOT...but today I want to tell you about "them". Elliot, Lilly, Sierra's sister, Claire and Baby J's family...
They are in the same NICU suite as Will. At his what looked so tiny 6 lbs. and 4 oz. - he looks like a GIANT to these fragile sweethearts.
The nurses are not allowed to give you information about the babies.
But with the many hours we have spent in the waiting room with their also anxious parents, grandparents, friends and families...we learned so much about and through these little angels.
Claire's Mom was our first NICU "friend". Her husband is in the military and has been out on training for five weeks (out of state). Claire was born 16 weeks premature, she has a brother that is 18 months old...a baby himself. Each day, Claire's Mommy makes the 45 minute drive in the scorching heat to spend the day nursing and nurturing her. A family friend, a teenager, comes along to play with Claire's "big" brother. Now really think about how life is for this family...Dad, unable to be with his family, Mom is doing everything on her own, a teenager is giving up her summer to play with the 16 month old EVERY DAY, and the 18 month old always has a smile on his face and eager for loving on.
I've thought about being in their place...how would I be handling it? After SO many weeks would I be able to handle your military duties if I were her Dad, would I be her continuously joyful Mom eager to arrive each day and seemingly never tired, would I be the teenager who loves the little guy and dotes on his every need...or the little guy - his world disrupted - yet he naps on a chair, or the floor, eats to go every meal...but always smiling and ready to share a hug?
We are so blessed...but what about them?
Lilly shares the bassinet (plastic box, thin mattress, hooked to an unbelievable amount of wires and tubes) next to Will's. She is almost shocking to see. She has been in the NICU for two months, and almost weighs 3 lbs. She was a twin, her brother did not survive. Lilly's Mommy is young, beautiful, smart and all on her own. She spends hours beside Lilly, following the nurses' instructions to a T. She bathes her, dresses her, and is familiar with how to hook everything back up for Lilly's safety. On Friday, Lilly's Mommy brought some precious new clothes for her, they were brightly colored, very soft baby doll dresses. And some of them remain too large. In spite of her struggles to move, or cry, Lilly's eye contact with who is over her bassinet is a thing of beauty...it's almost heartbreaking.
I've thought about being in Lilly's Mommy's place...would I have handled her day when I was that young, would I remain so hopeful for my little girl who is still so fragile, would I grieve for my lost son...yet live for my Lilly?
We are so blessed...but what about them?
His brother and sister (going into 6th grade and 3rd grade) would sit in the waiting room the beginning of the day until after a true dinner hour. They were staying at the Ronald McDonald house. They brought a very nicely packed lunch, big brother would break it out at the appropriate time and they truly enjoyed a picnic each day. They would look out the window at the parking lot and make up stories about cars of people they saw...it was magical to listen. We had a couple of preemie outfits Will was TOO big for, so we offered them to the brother and sis. They LOVED them, adored them, discussed how they would have to take them in...their brother weighs less than two lbs. They compared his size and weight to a liter drink bottle, their intelligence and logic was awe inspiring. They never complained...not once...never whined, never wished....they were just happy to be there with their less than two lb. baby brother. Well, I will take that back...the little sis did tell John she had always wanted a laptop computer like his ;p With her adoring little charm and eyes...I wasn't so sure she wasn't about to get it!
Would I have been like them when I was their age? Could I be as brave as their Mom, away from home, family, still caring and trusting for her two older children while trying to help her little one survive?
We are so blessed...but what about them?
The sisters share a birthday a week apart...Sierra is a very tiny one year old, her sister was born six days after Sierr'a first birthday. Her baby sister is up to three lbs. The family relies on a friend to bring them to the hospital each extremely hot day....the drive is 1-1/2 hours. Sierra is charming, precious, bright and very independent.
If I were this young Mom, could I handle everything she is dealing with? No car, a one year old, a critical newborn...the financial burden and worries?
We are so blessed...but what about them?
Elliot's bassinet stayed behind a wall for the first day, she was then brought out into the NICU general area. I still have a lump in my throat from my visit with Eliot's grandmother. She had flown in from Illinois, and was leaving the next day (extremely reluctant I might add). Elliot's parents live in College Station, and were also staying at the Ronald McDonald House. Her first day in the NICU, and she had open heart surgery. Elliot is another 3 lb. little angel. The surgery was a success, but the 48 hours that follow are critical...as well as all the long days and nights ahead.
How would I handle Elliot's Grandmother's situation - flying back when she was so critical? How would I handle being her parents...they are both young, intelligent professionals...with a new priority that absolves all other aspects of their lives.
We are so blessed...but what about them?
None of us know what the future holds - but I do know that under the best of circumstances each of these children will continue to struggle with health, development, and some - survival.
I don't want to EVER forget how it hurt my heart to see them.
But I also don't EVER want to forget how their parents & families live for EVERY MOMENT, ANY MOMENT to have them. Would you join me, please remember these little angels and their families when you pray.
What a lesson...maybe they are the ones that are blessed (in disguise).
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