It was a long time journey to be able to come home from the NICU. We had gotten so much news, had so many tests, had learned to breathe on our own and now it was time to come home. Northside Hospital's NICU was wonderful. They encouraged us to stay a couple of nights in a separate room on the NICU floor with Harper Kate. We kept her in the room with us with all of her medical equipment, and made sure we felt comfortable using it. We gave her medicines, made sure we knew how to insert the NG tube and got ready to go. Those two nights were hard, but we were so excited to take our little angel home.
NICU stays don't go without setbacks. Of course, the day we were supposed to go home, HK decided to have a spell of choking on some reflux that had come up and her oxygen levels dropped. When things like that happen, her stay gets extended so our going home day was postponed just a couple more days.
When we finally got to the hospital ready to take her home it seemed to take forever! The doctor had to give our discharge instructions and for all of Harper Kate's doctors to give instructions took almost all day. Once we had our discharge summary in hand, Jarod loaded up the car with all of our "stuff" that had accumulated over a month. :) I got Harper Kate dressed in her going home outfit that her Cookie made. It all seemed so surreal. We were taking our angel home.
Jarod drove extremely cautiously going home and I sat in the back making sure Harper Kate's head held up and that the feeding tube was working. When we arrived home, we took a couple of pictures and all three sat on the couch at OUR home for the first time without oxygen tubes, feeding tubes, heart monitors etc. all around us. It was one of the greatest blessings we could have imagined. I'll never forget how it felt leaving that hospital knowing we would never have to be in the NICU again. I am eternally grateful for all the nurses, doctors, specialists that took care of Harper Kate. She was in fantastic care and I never once doubted that she was loved and cared for by each person that visited her bedside.
Harper Kate, your first month of life was spent at the hospital. You saw lots of doctors, had lots of tests done, charmed the nurses, got them to change your clothes at least 3 times a day, worked with a physical therapist and learned to lie on your tummy. You loved to swing so that you could get out of your crib and off your back for a little bit. You heard mommy and daddy's voice for the first time and felt our hands touch yours, you met all of your grandparents, aunts and uncles and 3 of your great-grandparents. They rocked you and held you, prayed for you and cried for you. You weighed about 8 1/2 pounds when you left the NICU. You were the cutest little thing as you laid in the bed. You tried to nurse with mommy, and really wanted to learn how, but you couldn't quite figure out how to suck and swallow at the same time. You learned to like a paci for a few weeks. You loved your bath time when the nurses would get you cleaned up after an EEG test. You loved your daddy rubbing your head so you could sleep (and still do!). Even though you spent your whole time in the hospital, you accomplished a lot. That first month went by pretty slow since we visited you instead of having you home, but bringing you home was the best day of our lives! We love you so much sweet pea. We wouldn't trade you for the world!
Here are some pictures from her first month & her first evening home.
