The Great Escape

We’re home! I type this addition very awkwardly with a beautiful, sleepy baby resting in my arms.

Yesterday Dr. Dunston told me that Alyssa’s blood test results were very positive and her levels were back within the normal ranges since the infection. We were due to finish the antibiotics this coming Saturday and would be sent home when they were finished. With the good news from the blood tests, Dr. Dunston told me that if Alyssa’s cannula didn’t last they wouldn’t put a new one in her. Seeing as they’d only just put one in the day before I didn’t get my hopes up that we’d be home before the weekend – they usually last 4-5 days.

Last night, exhaustion sent me home a bit early and left Alyssa with a bottle and a nurse for her last feed before going on the pump. Alyssa spent most of her night sleeping by the nurse’s desk for company (for Alyssa and the nurses I think). Then this morning I woke feeling just as exhausted, wondering how to get myself through another three days. And then I did what I’d been joking about for two weeks – I called in sick for feeding Alyssa, asking the nurses to also give her the morning bottle and I intended to be there by 11 for the next feed.

When I eventually dragged myself in to the hospital I noticed Alyssa’s bed was still at the nurse’s desk and on second looks I realised her IV drip stand wasn’t there. I threw my bag in her room and asked the first nurse I found where her drip was and found it had tissued in the early hours of this morning. My first instinct was to feel sad that yet again her drip didn’t last as long as it was expected (this one only about 36 hours) until I remembered that they weren’t going to give her another. I asked if this meant we could go home today and just got a nod and a smile from the nurse.

I took her into our hospital bedroom to feed her and I just cried and cried with happiness, relief, surprise! I’d secretly hoped her drip wouldn’t last until Saturday but the last thing I expected was to be going home the very next day. Alyssa scored herself quite a few extra cuddles as the day went on from the nursing staff – she’s going to be missed on the ward and as much as we hope she won’t be back often, they were all a little pleased that they know they will see her again and get to see her grow into a beautiful little girl.

It took most of the day to get everything finalised and organised. She had a hearing test (just to make sure there wasn’t any damage following the antibiotics) and passed with both ears. We discussed getting her physio started on her arm and shoulder and we got her oral antibiotics delivered. She will have two and a half weeks of orals to just give this infection one last final kick but we’ll just pop it straight down her tube, which makes life easy. We’ll have a follow up appointment with Dr. Dunston in January, and also with the orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Edis, but otherwise we’re all good for a hopefully long stay at home this time. So 5:00 came, as did dinner, but I’m afraid they couldn’t tempt me to stay and eat it – we packed up all the expressed milk left over, said our thanks and goodbyes and headed out the door. As soon as the doors shut behind me I cried all the way down to the car, staring at her the whole way – lucky I didn’t bump into anyone 🙂

It was so lovely to see Tristan and Liam sitting over her as she relaxed in her own rocker (well cousin Alison’s loaned rocker). Liam is still quite sick with his gastro but hopefully having just had a bit of a tummy bug herself will keep it away from her but it could pass to her again – let’s hope not. We’re keen to keep her home for a lot longer this time. The doctors have said we just need to be careful with hygiene – keep our hands washed and not let Liam slobber all over Alyssa. This didn’t stop Liam from laying beside her and gently rubbing and touching her hands and face – the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen – so loving and gentle. It was also really lovely to feed her sitting on my own couch with the rest of the family sitting nearby.

So now we’re back to our home routines that we tried to get settled into before this infection business. She’s due for her meds, another feed and then we’ll pop her into her own bed (okay, again, cousin Alison’s loaned bed) with her own pump and hope for a good night’s sleep for all of us. (As Liam complains yet again of a sore tummy, this may not be possible but we can hope!!!)

Alyssa turned 7 weeks old yesterday. She’s slept in her own home for 5 nights. She’s had needles, countless heel pricks, tubes pulled out and reinserted, operations, ultrasounds, a nuclear scan, an MRI… more than any little baby need endure. It’s a wonderful feeling to have her home, safe and sound, loved and protected.

TODAY IS A GOOD DAY !!! 🙂

~Donna