MIRACLE DAY!!! - August 13, 2008

I know that what I am about to say will come as a shock.  It is to me and I've known for a few hours.  I am typing this on a snagged laptop in the NICU next to Griff's crib b/c I know I won't have time for lengthy blogs for a few days at least.  The reason???  WE ARE GOING HOME TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I know!  I am as shocked as you are!!!  When driving into the hospital today I got a call from Griffin's lovely nurse that Dr. A had come by.  The bone scan was completely "unremarkable" and he felt that it was appropriate to switch to p.o. abx (oral) and send our boy home with close follow-up (i.e. out-patient labs to follow the cbc and crp).  I know you will think I'm crazy, but after hoping and praying to go home, the first thing I thought was "I'm not ready!!!"  I joked that I will go home, but only if I can take Pernilla and all the monitors with me.  We had a detailed discussion during rounds and Dr. A came back to the NICU to talk to me (read: convince me) at length.  He made a very convincing argument, and I of course (even though I love and trust Dr. A) had to run it by the NICU Director who basically said "get outta here!  You don't want him to pick up something else."  I have never had so many conflicting emotions.  It was surreal to actually TAKE OUT his scalp IV after wanting nothing more than for it to STAY IN for the past 2 weeks.  Luckily most of my favorite nurses are here today (of course I had to get Pernilla's seal of approval) so it will be an emotional good-bye when we leave in an hour or so.  I had so many cute little things planned to express my thank you to the NICU in general, and the nurses in particular, and I feel bad that I haven't had a chance to put my plans into action.  But rest assured I will be back -- next time bearing gifts, and not a baby!!!  

I wish I could adequately express to everyone how much your emails, cards, good wishes, and prayers have meant to our family.  There is just no way big enough to say THANK YOU.  As much as I would love to have every single one of you over to meet our little hero in person, I have been cautioned by the NICU nurses that although I should try and treat Griff as a "normal baby" as much as possible, he is still medically 'fragile' and shouldn't be around a lot of people when he is still fighting a serious infection.  Thus I have to ask everyone's indulgence in letting us keep Griffin in a little 'bubble' for the time being.  Our family is going to take a little time to adjust all living together under one roof -- what a dream!!!  I will try and keep everyone updated on the blog and let us all continue to pray that Griff's extended hospital stay will soon be a distant memory when we see him running around healthy and thriving.  I am forever grateful to all of you, and Griffin is one lucky little boy to have so many earthly angels pulling for him.  Love to everyone!

-Sheila