Kindness and Progress Makes for Good Days

I posted about gratitude a few weeks ago, and I have to say that it just continues to flow.


Cute new outfit -
Thank you Robin & Quin!



Last week J went in for his nightly visit (I was home b/c my parents were in town that night) and he came home with a gift bag in hand.  Inside was an adorable onesie (preemie sized, of course!) and a fluffy blue blanket with "Miracle Baby" and angel wings embroidered on it.  It was a gift from another set of NICU parents who we've become friends with during this journey.  Included was a lovely note with sentiments regarding Andrew's progress, and looking towards the future of when our children play together.  How kind and thoughtful of them to be thinking of us while they are going through their own rollercoaster.  Amazing!

Appreciation for my work also deserves mentioning.  I am fortunate to work for a large company, with generous benefits.  We haven't seen a dime in hospital bills for Andrew, and let me tell you the amount so far is staggering!  Between my benefits, and the Medicaid that he qualifies for since he is hospitalized, practically everything is covered.  In addition, my company has a great maternity leave policy, which allows you to take up to 6 months without risk to your job.  I plan to use every minute (and more if I can gain approval, since we are already at the 12 week mark).  We also have a leave donation program, where you can request a leave campaign once you've used up all your paid time off and colleagues can donate time to you.  I was amazed, humbled, and thankful to all my colleagues, when I found out on Friday that 160 hours of paid time was donated to me (the maximum the program allows).  The fact that the request email was sent out from HR at 8 a.m. and the campaign was closed by 1 p.m. because the hours had been donated already just fills me with so much gratitude.  I am blessed!


Happy daddy!

Andrew has had several good days this week.  He had a follow up eye exam yesterday, and he is healing well.  He'll continue to be monitored, but so far we are very hopeful that the ROP has subsided.  Also, they lowered his flow again on the nasal cannula to 2 - so he continues to need less respiratory support while hanging out around 21% oxygen (room air).  We think he will get his first (small) bottle in the next few days, and hopefully will begin to make progress with eating.  And, the best news is that he hasn't had any major spells (requiring bagging) in two weeks now!  He is 36 weeks gestation today, and it is amazing to think how far he's come in the past 12 weeks.  We're so proud of our boy!