Brenner Children's Hospital

At Morehead, under the oxygen hood.

Immediately after Caleb was born, okay not immediately, but 18 hours after Caleb was born, he was transferred via helicopter to from Morehead Memorial Hospital in Eden, NC to Wake Forest University Baptist Hospital, and the building/wing he was specifically taken to was Brenner Children's Hospital.

Dr. Salvador (the pediatrician on call that observed Caleb throughout the day of the 27th at Morehead) was afraid Caleb was having neonatal seizures, apnea, and respiratory distress; and since Morehead wasn't equipped to handle such a situation, Caleb, according to her medical expertise, needed to be transferred. Adam and I had no idea that we should have possibly chosen a hospital that would be equipped in such a manner. We were at a loss for words. As soon as she left the room we balled our eyes out. No parent wants to hear that their child's condition/situation had worsened. When we somewhat pulled ourselves together we called our parents and siblings and urged them to come to the hospital quickly since we weren't sure when the ambulance was to arrive.

Here are the EMT nurses getting Caleb situated

Hours later, Caleb was picked up via helicopter instead. It was horrible sitting there watching the EMT nurses get everything situated to have him in the helicopter. And what was worse was the fact that neither Adam or myself (I wasn't discharged until two days later) were allowed to ride with him. Talk about your stomach dropping. It was such a disappoint that one of us couldn't be there with him. Since we knew that might be the case, Adam and I decided earlier in the day that since I wasn't able to go that he and his family would make the drive to be with Caleb. He was picked up around 7:30pm and made it to Brenner Children's Hospital in no time, whereas it took Adam and his family an hour to get there.

Caleb's humble abode at BCH.

Once they arrived, Caleb was taken immediately into the NICU. The picture to the right was his home for the next four days. The nurses were so sweet to personalize each baby's area; it proved how much they really do care about each individual patient!

Before Caleb even reached what would be his humble abode,  his heart rate and oxygen levels stabilized during mid-flight. Praise God! So when he did get to BCH and to "Pod D" the nurses began an IV on him, gave him a pacifier (which he absolutely adored, especially since Morehead didn't allow me to breastfeed him and all he had to "eat" was what they gave him through his IV), and wrapped all nice and cozy like a little burrito. When Adam and his family arrived they ushered Adam in to see him and that's when we found out about RMHC which you can read about here, but since they got their so late he and my mother-in-law stayed overnight in a parent's room while my father-in-law and brother-in-law stayed at Adam's aunt's house in Greensboro.

Adam "Daddy" holding Caleb for the first time.

The next day, Adam was able to hold and feed Caleb. This was the picture (featured to the left) that was sent to me while I was still at Morehead Memorial. It was so surreal and disheartening to be reminded that I was miles away while my husband was holding our son. Please don't misunderstand, I am not jealous/envious that my husband held our son first, but it hurt that I wasn't there experiencing that moment with him. Adam was anxious and excited about holding Caleb, and the nurses made sure that he felt at ease while doing so. In his own words, "They were reassuring and helpful." They explained everything to him and kept him in the loop. 

Marie "Mama" holding Caleb for the first time

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I finally arrived at BCH on December 29th, just two days after he was born and almost two days after he had been transferred. I felt like a little kid at Christmas. My best friend Hazel drove me to the hospital and when she dropped me off at the front, my husband was there anxiously waiting for me with a wheelchair (I still couldn't quite get around yet on my own). Once I was situated, he wheeled me around and got us to the sixth floor. I'll never forget how he beamed with pride at the nurses and staff while telling them that I was his wife and I was finally here! He rolled me through after washing my hands and I got to see my sweet boy after what felt like an eternity. Here's the picture of me holding him for the first time. How incredible and joyous it was being able to hold my son, it was one of the best feelings I've ever experienced! God was so good to not keep me from holding him any longer, because goodness knows my heart couldn't have taken it!

Our little baby burrito :-)

Though I was only there for two days, the nursing staff at BCH was phenomenal! They treated us with compassion, worked together as a team, promoted and encouraged parents to be part of taking care of the baby process. For example: I wasn't given the chance to breastfeed Caleb at Morehead and the nurses at BCH had this curtain-on-wheels get-up that basically sectioned off our area so that we were given privacy and I could try to feed him! They offered me tips and did their best to help him latch and when he struggled they found a nipple shield which helped him do so. It was the best feeling in the world when he finally latched, but that's a story for another post. I was just in awe (and still am) at the generosity of the nursing staff at BCH---they treated me and my family the way we expected and wanted to be treated, like we mattered, and we did! Their benevolence extended into every area of service, and we could not be more grateful! The doctors/fellows were great to include us in their rounds as well. We were able to talk with them directly, hear their thoughts, and ask any questions we had. Though we did not spend as much time with them as we did the nurses, they never rushed us as if they could only allot a specific amount of time to us and that was extremely important to me.

Finally on our way home!
Thanks BCH for the great care!

God blessed our experience at BCH so much. Not only were the nurses friendly and extended themselves to make us comfortable, but they also kept us informed as to every little detail about what they were doing, how they were going to do it, at the time they were going to perform it, etc. What Morehead lacked in communication, BCH certainly made up for! For anyone who finds themselves in a situation like we did, it is our hope and prayer that they too  will not have to worry about whom is with their child, but instead can focus on the progress of their child. Looking back, Adam and I both said that though we wish we could have changed our circumstances as to why we were there, it was nice to have some guidance and aide in learning how to truly take care of a newborn before we actually got home. It certainly made us feel more comfortable and ready when we did.

Ronald McDonald House

On the evening Caleb was transported to Brenner Children's Hospital, Adam and his family (and myself though I wasn't there yet) were worried about trying to find a place to stay and how affordable it would be. Would we have to spend $$$ to stay the night? Thankfully, and praise God for looking out of us, the nurses in the NICU told Adam and our family about the Ronald McDonald House across the street from the hospital. They offered a  room with  a queen size bed and a set of bunk beds as well as a pull out cot and a bathroom. Plus, the house comes with a well stocked kitchen which included plenty of meals and lots of cozy, comfortable seating to hang out. It became our home away from home. Check out the pictures below.

Source: http://picklesandcheeseblog.blogspot.com/2010/09/ronald-macdonald-house-in-winstonsalem.html

Best of all, they asked for a $10 donation for each night you stay. That was LOADS cheaper than any hotel we could have stayed in for the four nights we were there! Not only did they offer us a warm place to stay, but the house was still decorated for Christmas so it made the atmosphere that much more inviting. But that's not all! Not only was the RMH available to us but there was also a Ronald McDonald Family Room available on the sixth floor at the hospital to visitors, parents, and siblings of children that are patients in the NICU/PICU. This room offered food, drink, a place to relax, and use the Internet, all with only being a few steps away from our little one.

Our first family photo (outside a hospital)
at the Ronald McDonald House

Adam and I are so thankful for what the Ronald McDonald House Charities provided us with---a worry free experience while we were with our little one. The foundation is able to support itself from "individuals, organizations, and other corporate donors."  Though Adam and I had each heard of the RMHC (thanks to McDonald's) we were both naive and unaware of the good it truly did until we needed them. It is our goal and hope to take some of our tithes and give them to the RMHC. We want other families to be able to focus on their children and not have to worry where they may stay the night or get their next meal. The RMHC took care of us when we found ourselves in need. We hope to be a blessing to it and other families as well. Be sure to check out their website for more information by clicking this link: Ronald McDonald House Charities.

4th of July

I don't normally write posts like this but I couldn't help myself. Maybe it's because I'm pregnant and my hormones are kickin', but I'd like to think it's also the government teacher in me that cannot take this comment lightly. Here's what I'm referring to:

A friend of mine on facebook said the following:

every year i am morally conflicted on the fourth of july.

"there are two great lies that i've heard:
the day you eat of the fruit of that tree, you will not surely die
and that Jesus Christ was a white, middle-class republican
and if you wanna be saved you have to learn to be like Him

my first allegiance is not to a flag, a country, or a man
my first allegiance is not to democracy or blood
it's to a King & a Kingdom"
(derek webb)

My response to that was: Really?! You're morally conflicted?! Let me help you out, Luke 20: 20-26 says:
²⁰ Keeping a close watch on him, they (i.e., the scribes and chief priests) sent spies, who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said, so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. ²¹ So the spies questioned him: “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ²² Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
²³ He saw through their duplicity and said to them, ²⁴ “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
²⁵ He said to them, “Then give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.”
²⁶ They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.

It's pretty clear that the Lord does not declare that any man or woman's allegiance must be to a ruler, what He says is that what you owe him is to be rendered. Jesus does not say to worship Caesar. Therefore, my allegiance is first and foremost to God and to follows his command that whatever government I live under, I must be responsible and pay the taxes required of me. And secondly, I am 100% thankful that this is the country the Lord allowed my ancestors to come and live. I am 100% thankful that I live in a democratic country which allows comments like the one this person has written and even my own ramblings on this blog to be published thanks to freedom of speech and the press. And I am, above all else, 110% thankful that I live in a country that promotes freedom of religion where I am able to worship and praise my God the way I wish. So really and truly, I am not morally conflicted and there's no reason anyone else should be either because obviously if this is the land God wants you to be to serve Him you'll remain and if it's not, then He'll lead and direct you elsewhere; and wherever you end up living, "Give to Caesar (any government authority) what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's."