Tuesday, November 8, 2011
WE ARE HOME ! !
Yes, the day finally came. It's Tuesday morning and Jack came home on Friday morning around 11 AM. It was a joyous day filled with so much happiness for all our family. I do believe that Madeline appreciates him being home so much more than I could have even imagined. She is IN LOVE with her brother. It's incredibly sweet and brings so much warmth to my heart. As for Jack and his progress, he is doing great. As inpatient as I was and how badly I wanted him home, I certainly learned that Children's would not allow him to be discharged until they were 100% sure that he was ready to be at home with us. That has been the case. We haven't had any scares since we have been on our own without monitors, doctors,nurses, or respiratory therapists within an arm's reach. He has his days and nights a bit confused so we are working on that, but it's hard to work on that with a baby who still REALLY likes to sleep. Of course, the past 4 nights he seems most awake around 1 AM. I must say, I AM NOT complaining.....I am just so happy that he is home. I am glad to sit with him awake rather than having to make our nightly phone call in the wee hours of the morning to get an update....now I can just walk in his room and stare at his beautiful face, cuddle with him, or just kiss him endlessly! As for sleeping in our room....that didn't last....Jack grunts like crazy through the night so we decided that at least 1 of us needs to sleep. Don't let that fool you though....we are both still very sleep deprived. After spending so much time at the hospital for the past month, we are physically and emotionally drained, and with adjusting to him at home we are trying to catch up but that will take time.
We continue to thank the Lord for all that he has done for our family, especially Jack. We wondered each day how we would get through it, and you just manage, but we were able to do that by the grace of God and all of the prayers that you have all sent for us. We really cannot thank you enough. We continue to pray for Jack everyday, and for all of the other 58 kids in the Cincinnati Children's NICU, and for all the sick babies and people in this world. May God bless each of you with good health.
Enjoy the pictures of our little munchkins!
We continue to thank the Lord for all that he has done for our family, especially Jack. We wondered each day how we would get through it, and you just manage, but we were able to do that by the grace of God and all of the prayers that you have all sent for us. We really cannot thank you enough. We continue to pray for Jack everyday, and for all of the other 58 kids in the Cincinnati Children's NICU, and for all the sick babies and people in this world. May God bless each of you with good health.
Enjoy the pictures of our little munchkins!
Thursday, November 3, 2011
November 3, 2011
After driving to the hospital for the past 24 days I can say that I am so over the drive to downtown Cincinnati from the "burbs" and never wish to be a Big Wig working in a downtown office! Traffic always stinks and I am convinced that the BMV has just given licenses to whoever walks through their doors! And don't get me started on the people that don't know how to drive in parking garages! Anyhow...on to our little guy Jack!
We are SO HAPPY to announce that Madeline will finally get to have a brother in the house with her starting TOMORROW! The Dr.'s have all confirmed that he is COMING HOME ON FRIDAY ! I was there today when they did their 24 hour discharge head-to-toe exam and Jack passed all parts. I must say that it felt so good to see a Dr. working with Jack in a calm state with no concern. We finally feel like he can be a "normal" baby. We have certainly learned how easy Madeline was bringing her home from the hospital in comparison to Jack, and we appreciate that now more than we ever did. These past 25 days in the NICU have been trying, exhausting, and emotional.....to name a few. We all realize how important the final trimester is while your pregnant, after having a son that missed out on almost half of it I was able to see just how important it was. The little things that he would have been doing while I was pregnant were so laboring for him to do out here on his own without my support. We are thankful for the Dr.'s, nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians and anyone else that may have had a hand in healing Jack at Cincinnati Children's. We certainly feel like we have been blessed.
A note to all of you reading this, THANK YOU! I will be sure to post pictures of our family in our home. These seem so long overdue for Steve and I, but here we are and Jack is doing amazing. I will continue to let you know how Jack is doing. I am convinced that he will thrive at home. The nurses are sad to see him go because they love his low-key personality and cute facial expressions, but pictures will have to work for them......he is ALL OURS NOW!
Blessings and good health to all of you!
Love,
Steve, Lorraine, Madeline and Jack Hartke
We are SO HAPPY to announce that Madeline will finally get to have a brother in the house with her starting TOMORROW! The Dr.'s have all confirmed that he is COMING HOME ON FRIDAY ! I was there today when they did their 24 hour discharge head-to-toe exam and Jack passed all parts. I must say that it felt so good to see a Dr. working with Jack in a calm state with no concern. We finally feel like he can be a "normal" baby. We have certainly learned how easy Madeline was bringing her home from the hospital in comparison to Jack, and we appreciate that now more than we ever did. These past 25 days in the NICU have been trying, exhausting, and emotional.....to name a few. We all realize how important the final trimester is while your pregnant, after having a son that missed out on almost half of it I was able to see just how important it was. The little things that he would have been doing while I was pregnant were so laboring for him to do out here on his own without my support. We are thankful for the Dr.'s, nurses, respiratory therapists, occupational therapists, dieticians and anyone else that may have had a hand in healing Jack at Cincinnati Children's. We certainly feel like we have been blessed.
A note to all of you reading this, THANK YOU! I will be sure to post pictures of our family in our home. These seem so long overdue for Steve and I, but here we are and Jack is doing amazing. I will continue to let you know how Jack is doing. I am convinced that he will thrive at home. The nurses are sad to see him go because they love his low-key personality and cute facial expressions, but pictures will have to work for them......he is ALL OURS NOW!
Blessings and good health to all of you!
Love,
Steve, Lorraine, Madeline and Jack Hartke
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