Last year on that day life threw us a curve ball. The day started out as all of them had since we had all three babies home with us. It had been just over a week since we were all home, no hospital, no nurses, no sleep :) We did a little photo shoot before Derek had to leave for work and then it was back to diapers, bottles and naps.
I had left Brinley bundled on my bed and it was about time to start another round of feedings so I went in to check on her. Brinley was a mover, she would grunt and squeeze her way out of the best swaddling job. When I looked at her she hadn't moved the entire time that she had been asleep. I picked her up immediately and she was limp, a quiet whimper was all she let out. She was also really warm. I took her temperature and it was 102.4 my stomach dropped. We met our pediatrician at the ER where they took blood for tests and did a spinal tap on my four week old baby girl. That was hard. She ended up being transported by ambulance to Summerlin Hospital in Vegas. That's where they were born and we felt more comfortable with them handling whatever this was.
In the morning, the nurse practitioner came in and told us that they had some of the tests back, she had a bacterial infection in her blood and needed to be started on antibiotics. It would be a round of 10 days worth so we would be here for a while. We decided Derek would go home and pack what I would need for that time. Before he left, we got a call from my mom, Ethan had a temperature. My parents ended up coming down to Vegas with Derek and both of my boys that night. They were both admitted just to be safe, the same blood work had to be done. What an emotional mess.
I shared a room with the boys, Derek and Brinley were down the hall. Jackson was diagnosed with the same infection as Brinley and Ethan never ended up needing treatment. He was discharged about a week later. I had to send my baby home with Derek knowing I wouldn't see him for at least a week. It was Jackson, Brinley and Mom. At the end of her treatment Brinley got to go home with Grandma, again, really hard to send her home. Jackson and I got almost a week together before he was discharged. He had it rough, his iv ports kept going bad, veins were getting harder and harder to find. The Dr. there at Summerlin asked me to leave the room when they did his spinal. I walked away bawling because I knew what they were doing to him and I couldn't be there. I could hear him screaming and I had to keep walking away from that. After that I only put him in his crib when I had to leave the room, I always slept in the chair holding him.
I spent around 16 days in the hospital between all three babies. It was an experience I will not soon forget. Our small family had amazing angels watching over us. My mom came down several times to be with us and as the babies were sent home helped care for them there. My sister Kelle left her 4 small children to spend a couple of hours before she had to turn back and go home. My good friend Jo did my laundry so I could have clean clothes to wear. Friends brought me food and good conversation. My mother in law came and stayed with Derek to help at home.
I will forever be indebted to my Father in Heaven who saw fit to make my babies whole. Who comforted an emotional mom who had to see her babies go through so much. For a husband and father who gave priesthood blessings. Who blessed the nurses and Dr.'s with the wisdom to treat my babies. For my mom. For my friends and my family.
Taken just before Ethan (left) went home with dad.
