New Parents

We’re parents!  Josiah Michael Bailey arrived on August 3 at 4:04 am.  He came at 32 weeks and 5 days--my actual due date was September 24!  Josiah weighed 5 lbs 2.9 oz and measured 18.5 inches long.  The doctors have been very impressed by his size for how early he decided to enter into this world! 

Josiah is now 6 days old and it feels like we have lived in a giant medical bubble for those 6 days.  Michael and I were talking about our little guy last night and I mentioned that he was only 5 days old and he was stunned that so much has happened within 5 days!

Michael and I are thrilled with our precious little boy.  The labor went quickly and once Josiah arrived, I feel as though things just haven’t slowed down.  Josiah was placed on my chest for about 30 seconds when he was born and Michael got to cut the umbilical cord.  This was so special that we got to have one “normal” aspect of delivery.  After that, the NICU team was quick to take Josiah and start placing tubes and lines in him.  The team at St. Paul worked with him for about 2 ½ hours.  They put a tube down his throat to help with breathing and placed a central line in his belly button to give the necessary meds for his heart.  Almost every appendage on our sweet little boy has wires or needles connected to him.  After that 2 ½ hours, the transfer team from Children’s came to pick him up.  They brought him to my room so I could see him and hold his hand before they whisked him away.  Michael was able to ride in the ambulance with him and he stayed with Josiah while I was still recovering from labor. 

Since that time, we have spent our days at Children’s Hospital.  Michael, of course, had to go back to work on Monday, but I am at the hospital from about 6 am until about 7 or 8 pm most days.  We have known that we would be spending time at the hospital for about 2 months now, but to actually experience it is a completely different thing!  Josiah had some problems breathing on his own the first few days, as he is a preemie and is still figuring out how to breathe consistently.  He had a couple of really good and stable days until his levels dropped one night and his kidney levels rose due to lack of blood flow.  On Wednesday, August 6, the doctors decided to go ahead with the Pulmonary Artery banding surgery—that day!  My mom was here visiting and we went down for breakfast and when we came back up to the room, the surgeon came in to tell us they would like to proceed with surgery that day—in about an hour or two!  As a shock to the system, they whisked our little boy off to surgery.  Thankfully, it was a success and Josiah did great!

We are now on day 2 following the surgery.  I know our Sy is a little fighter!  The doctors are continuing to try and find the right amount of medicine and ventilation for our little man to find the right balance of levels.  Since he is so small, they tell us that time is what will make the difference for him.

Day by day and minute by minute is how we are getting through this. There are so many ups and downs that I feel exhausted most of the time.  I know that we have a long road ahead of us, as we have only endured one surgery and we have at least 3 more to go!  Our sweet little boy is such a trooper and it kills me that I can’t pick him up and cradle him in my arms when his face is filled with panic after waking up and knowing his little world has already been rocked.  I know that we are receiving the best care possible and I am so thankful for the medical staff at this hospital.  The nurses, doctors, residents, fellows, students, nurse practitioners, surgeons, etc. have already played such a crucial role in Josiah’s life.