Two Depart, Three Return

HOME!!!! Finally we made it back home. We took a little detour from the trip we had planned, but in the end, we have our daughter back home and she is doing well.

Let me fill you in on day four, the trip home. We got the final report from the doctor on Brigitta's condition Tuesday morning and he signed her release form. Blood sugars holding stable without having to go to formula so that worked out well from our point of view since we didn't want her having any formula to get 'hooked' on.

Then Haniza's doctor gave the final release authority for her. She is still fighting a low grade infection with antibiotics but nothing they have to do with an IV - so good to go. The only other problem was she was starting to have a rash - not sure if it is a reaction to meds or hormone related but will follow up with doctors later this week.

This is me and Brigitta as we are waiting for the release papers to be signed. Since the last two days, there were not that many babies in the nursury, they lent us a rocking chair. I used it a lot since Brigitta would not sleep or even stop crying at night unless I was holding her. Spoiled from day four.


Brigitta preparing for the trip home - I suspect she is making a list of all the ways to manipulate us - but I don't have any solid proof yet.


View of the hospital post partum room as we were packing up.


This is a picture of the courtyard outside our sliding glass door to our room. We had really hoped to spend a little time out here but poor Haniza's complications kept her in bed most of the time.


Brigitta in her car seat as we were leaving the hospital.


Haniza and Brigitta in our bed at home resting.


Brigitta doing her 'arms in the air' routine - prelude to crying.


Me and Brigitta resting in bed . As you can see, there was a lot of resting going on once we were back. There is a lot to be said for being in your own place without the worry of others coming in. It was a lot like the feeling you get when you click your two ruby red slippers together and repeat 'there is no place like home'. Suddenly you realize you are home and the previous four days seem almost like a dream. (I was going to do a Lao Tze anology, but Wizard of Oz won my heart over at the last moment).

Latest Update: Routine? Did I really title my last post as the Routine Begins? Uhhh, that was a little off base. The only thing I can totally depend on right now is that there is legally, morally, eithically, spiritually, physically, positively, absolutely, undeniably and reliably - NO ROUTINE. (Sorry folks, you got me going on the Wizard of Oz line of thought).

She eats for five minutes, sleeps for 20, crys for 9, etc. If you would like to know what the last two days have been like, I can suggest a little game to play that will show you.

Group One:
Eat
Cry
Diaper change
Sleep
Being Held
Spitting up
Awake looking around
Awake looking at your face

Group Two:
5 min
10 min
15 min
30 min
45 min
one hour

Now, randomly pick one item from Group One and one item from Group Two. Keep doing this until you fill up 24-hours. Now start again.

Well, you get the idea.

The biggest thing we worked on today was keeping Brigitta awake during the day as much as we could so that she will start to sleep a little at night. Right now, night time is the time when she has decided is her awake period. Set her down - crying. Pick her up - happy as lark looking around investigating everything and making cute baby sounds. So here are the results from today's battle to keep her awake during the day:

Brigitta awake on the way to her doctor's appointment.


Brigitta awake after returning from the doctor.


Brigitta awake in her bed while we play with her.

With success like this, I am sure we are in for a very peaceful evening.

That's the latest from our little space in the world. Next post - politics - too many things going on in the world so you will just have to suffer my humbled opinion.

Kevin