NICU

For moms and dads who have had children in the NICU - you understand when I say that its both a curse and a blessing. My little man had an 15 day stay but it seemed like a year. Everyday in and out of that place holding your breath as alarms sounded wondering what they meant and when can you take your baby home.

Chase alarmed just after they started thinking about discharging him and starting to do all the things necessary to process him out. The alarm was a mandatory 7 day stay. Although that news was like a punch in the gut, I knew that he needed to be there.

The nurses love those babies like they are their own and they comfort parents when they cry hysterically. You form bonds with the other parents because unless you experience watching your child hooked up to all those machines/wires and struggling to do things that come naturally to full-term babies, you truly have no idea how heart-wrenching it is.

I was discharged the Wednesday following Chase's birth. I was barely able to walk because my limbs were so out of practice. Although I was beside myself when the couple in front of us in the parking line was taking home their newborn, I was thankful that when I came turn for Chase to be released, I was ready to fully take care of him. I don't know that I would have been able to otherwise.

We had a lot of firsts in the NICU - the first bath, the first bottle, the first time the grandparents got to hold him. It wasn't the ideal location for these firsts, but they were joyous nonetheless.

So NICU staff - thank you for the love, support and compassion you showed to me and my family. I cannot thank you enough for all you did.