Ninety One

Luke and Lincoln could be twins as babies!!

It's been ninety one days since we were first intimately introduced to the NICU. At times the beginning feels like a distant dream. Like we couldn't have possibly lived through those first couple of days/weeks. The excrutiating ups and downs seemed so unbearable, but somehow we got through them. We still have a few bumps here and there, but they're in no way comparable to the mountains in the beginning.

At night, I often find myself pleading to Heavenly Father for my baby boy even after I've layed my head on my pillow and closed my eyes. I've always made it a point to recognize my blessings and show my gratitude, but in the last couple of months I have been much more aware and much more sincere.

The one big thing that lingers in my mind is......how will I ever re-pay all of those who have helped us through this trial??? I am so humbled to think of all of the selflessness on our behalf. The meals, concern, hours of babysitting, encouragement, medical care, advice, prayers....so many acts of kindness.

To give you a little insight on exactly how miraculous it was to get Lincoln back to UVRMC- My insurance denied the request to have him back-transported. Without them paying for it, that meant we were stuck up at Primary's until he was discharged for good. After hearing wind of this, the doctor's, a few nurses, and the care manager in the NICU at UVRMC, were trying to figure out how to make it work. We got a call the morning after the request was denied to tell us he was now being transferred. After Lincoln's arrival to UVRMC, Scott and I went in to visit him. We ran into the main doctor in the NICU in the hall, Dr. Steve Minton. He greeted us with a smile and a hug then informed us Lincoln made it "back home." He said "you know, the insurance wouldn't pay, so we're covering the fee for the back-transport." We were in awe. I responded "Oh my goodness..we are so grateful and forever indebted to you." Dr. Minton just smiled and replied "I know." Can you BELIEVE that?? He is very family oriented and that emulates within his whole staff. They saw the importance of us being five minutes away rather than sixty. Not only was the round trip drive two plus hours, but the whole ordeal would be at least five hours a day.

So, many of you may be wondering what Lincoln acts like. Afterall, he is three months old. Well, he is actually just like a newborn still. Yes, he was born three months ago, but he has spent these last three months growing, fighting off major issues, and developing as a fetus would be...just outside of the womb. So, his "adjusted" age would be calculated from his due date. That would make him six days old. It will always be somewhat confusing.

Lincoln has drastically changed our lives. I call him my Little Bear. He loves to growl and it reminds me of a cute baby bear trying to communicate with his own foreign language. He continues to get better and better everyday. His blood pressure has been high since his return from Primary's. They're not quite sure what the cause is, that's something they're still working on. He is also still on room air, no nasal cannula, and is doing extremely well. No longer are our eyes glued to the monitors watching his heart-rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation for any slight change. We're still working on eating. He shows all the healthy cues and will even breast/bottle feed for awhile.

Home is calling us. Home is where our heart is and where we want Lincoln to be. It's only a matter of time. His room is almost already. The bassinet is empty, waiting by the side of my bed. .....His family is ready and waiting.