A Peek Into the Last Few Weeks

April 19, 2021 | Crystal Paine

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We helped out at an Easter Hunt for native foster households and DCS households. Kierstyn didn’t fairly know what to suppose.

She ended up mendacity down within the grass for a part of it! We laughed that she was sun-bathing as an alternative of amassing Easter Eggs.

We additionally tried to get household footage on Easter.

That was fairly the ordeal — as you’ll be able to examine right here.

Child D had his first huge cleft surgical procedure — this one to restore his cleft lip.

He had some problems after the surgical procedure and ended up needing to remain within the hospital for longer. (Largely simply that he had a little bit hassle after the sedation to have the ability to breathe on his personal, so he wanted supplemental oxygen for an additional day and a half.)

One in all his favourite books! (And a candy follower despatched us the Spanish model, too!)

There have been some further issues once we have been staying on the hospital, so that they ended up doing an 18-hour EEG (that is the again of his head, by the best way — once I posted this image on Instagram, so folks have been involved that his face was wrapped up!)

It was so arduous to have him all hooked as much as so many wires for hours. Gratefully, he slept by a few of it they usually allowed me to carry him for a few of it, too. He was SO completely satisfied to get all the wires off, although!

After a day and a half within the hospital, Child D took an enormous flip in the fitting course! Not solely did his ranges cease tanking after they took off the oxygen, however they EEG was fully regular!

Even higher than each of these issues, early Wednesday afternoon, our boy “awoke” — he began smiling and speaking to me as an alternative of simply fussing and performing agitated and confused and out of it!

I may barely include the tears! I didn’t notice how a lot I’d been holding my breath for 2 days — involved that one thing was actually unsuitable since he wasn’t performing like he knew me in any respect and hadn’t actually been interactive in any respect besides to be make it clear he was in plenty of ache and annoyed.

I FaceTimed Jesse so he may see and stated all emotional, “Our boy is again!” He then proceeded to speak and smile with Jesse, too!

Since he did so properly your entire day and was capable of preserve good O2 ranges with out supplemental oxygen, he received to come back residence final evening!!! We’re so thrilled and grateful. And so humbled by the outpouring of prayers and assist from you all! Thanks appears insufficient!

I really feel like God is rising my compassion and empathy a lot by this. The previous few days have been a tiny drop within the bucket in comparison with so many households we noticed and interacted with at Vanderbilt. I spent plenty of time on the hospital pondering and praying for different mamas and daddies sitting at hospital bedsides.

Since we’re doubtless going to be spending our justifiable share of time on the hospital over the following few years, I began protecting a log of issues I discovered/need to keep in mind for subsequent time:

1) Get showered and dressed by 6 am. In any other case, it most likely received’t occur!

2) Carry your personal pillow, blanket, physique wash, and towels.

3) Don’t neglect disinfectant wipes!!

4) Pack extra snacks!

5) Make it your objective to encourage and present gratitude to each one who steps into your room. Working at a hospital is difficult — do all you’ll be able to to make the employees’s job as pleasurable as attainable.

6) In case you have a possibility to eat or drink or stroll exterior your room for a minute, take it. You by no means know while you’ll get the following probability. (What different suggestions would you who’re professionals add to my listing?)

I used to be so honored to be on The Christy Wright Present lately! (You may watch it right here.)

Kierstyn was so completely satisfied for Child D to get HOME from the hospital!

I like the candy relationship these two have.

That is one in every of my favourite footage I’ve ever taken of her. It captures her character so completely. She brings a lot pleasure to our residence!

Watching my man fall in love with this candy boy warms my coronary heart a lot!