Virginia's Birth Story: Thursday/ Friday (5&6 /6)

OK, we're rounding the bend headed for home.

Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4... and I'm going to cut this down to 5 (lengthy installments)

OK, V is working on getting those levels down so we can avoid a lumbar puncture. Yes, that is the plan.

I wake up for her lab draws at 5:00 AM and a good nursing session. I knew that all decisions would be made at rounds that morning, which are about 10:00 AM.

We made it over for a nursing session right around the time of rounds. We had heard from the nurse that her WBC levels were looking much better (23 down from 39) and were praying that her CRP levels had made a good jump too.

Once it was V's turn on stage they gave a little rundown on her and why she was there. The neonatologist hadn't heard the numbers but the Nurse Practitioner told her that her CRP was a 3 (down from 9... when the normal is less than 1) so we were ELATED, as was the Dr. but she wanted to see <1 and that yes, she would like to do one more CRP the next morning, BUT... V would be able to come back to our room with us.

ALL. OF. THE. YES!

It's a weird feeling when the little baby you bore only days before is given back to you. It seems so obvious that they should have been there the whole time. But when they are locked up in a nursery that little thing, like them being with you, is like the biggest deal in the entire world.

So she came back to the room and we loved on her like she had never been loved on before (in the 4 days since she had been born). It's like we were given a gift we'd not been expecting and we were giddy with excitement.

I think it should be obvious that I didn't put her down for the rest of the day, maybe for potty breaks... maybe not... :)

We had discussed that Charlie was going to give my mom a break from watching MM full time for the last 3 days and would either be back to come pick us up or would just come visit with MM. We had the same dear friends come and visit again, one bringing lunch and the other bringing dinner... we have the BEST friends... one who stayed pretty late to keep me company while Charlie wasn't there.

V was a very good roommate that night, let me get some decent sleep and kept me excited about the possibility of being let out the next day.

Friday, July 25th

5:00 AM labs are taken, which will hopefully be her last lab draw.

Wake up numerous times to happily nurse sweet V from my room (!!) and for some reason, looking back I think V was a much better sleeper in the hospital. Weird? I don't know, I'm really starting to run on fumes these days.

We cuddle and love on each other all morning, while I wait (patiently?) for the neonatologist to come and see us with the news.

10:30 AM, news comes back. They have NO reason to keep us there any longer!!! She puts a little of the fear of God in me that if something seems off, to call the pediatrician ASAP. DONE. I agree to everything she said.

I text almost everyone I know and tell them the good news as I skip my self around the room packing up our lives from the last 5 days. The nurse comes back, knowing the good news and takes V's heplock out and gives us our discharge paperwork.

I summoned Charlie to come pick his girls up, and he informed me that Nana was there too, nice full house for the ride home. We made it home around 2:30 just in time for a late MM nap.

Perfection.