when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Bright eyes
It's a long hallway from the maternity ward to the NICU, and much of it uphill. As we walked along the green carpet toward another visit with Dylan, Andree and I discussed the strangeness of our situation.
Assuming everything continues to progress well, three months from now we're going to take home a newborn who is already more than three months old. He'll be a newborn in every respect. A year from now, he'll be a 9-month-old infant.
And we amused ourselves with the idea that we could stop going to the NICU for the next three months. We'd just show up sometime in late November when he's "done" and take him home.
Our conversation continued along this strangeness even after we scrubbed and stood by Dylan's bed. For instance, of course Aug. 22 is his birthday. But wouldn't it be nice to celebrate his coming home as a second birthday. After all, he'll be just like new.
The nurse, Terry, was nice and very talkative. She offered to turn off the anti-jaundice lamp and pull back his headgear for our visit. And as she lifted the little blanket from his head, she showed us the newest IV.
In his fucking head. He has a tube in his head. Apparently they found a great vein up there.
"He's a unicorn," she said, trying to keep the unveiling light.
Great. Now our son is a unicorn.
Terry encouraged us to hold his hands, so he would stop flailing about. He's been rather agitated today. Maybe because he has a tube in his head.
Then, as we talked to Dylan, the most amazing thing happened. He opened his eyes and he looked at us. First he looked to his left at his mother. Then he rolled his eyes around and looked at me. We continued to talk to him and he continued to look at us.
His breathing eased as he relaxed. His blood-oxygen level increased. His lungs were doing less work but getting better results.
"He recognizes your voices," Terry said.
Of course he recognizes Andree's voice. He had to listen to it for 24 weeks (minus whatever time he didn't have ears). I doubted whether my voice was having any affect. But Andree said that when I spoke Dylan squeezed her finger.
And his little bright eyes kept looking at us.
Assuming everything continues to progress well, three months from now we're going to take home a newborn who is already more than three months old. He'll be a newborn in every respect. A year from now, he'll be a 9-month-old infant.
And we amused ourselves with the idea that we could stop going to the NICU for the next three months. We'd just show up sometime in late November when he's "done" and take him home.
Our conversation continued along this strangeness even after we scrubbed and stood by Dylan's bed. For instance, of course Aug. 22 is his birthday. But wouldn't it be nice to celebrate his coming home as a second birthday. After all, he'll be just like new.
The nurse, Terry, was nice and very talkative. She offered to turn off the anti-jaundice lamp and pull back his headgear for our visit. And as she lifted the little blanket from his head, she showed us the newest IV.
In his fucking head. He has a tube in his head. Apparently they found a great vein up there.
"He's a unicorn," she said, trying to keep the unveiling light.
Great. Now our son is a unicorn.
Terry encouraged us to hold his hands, so he would stop flailing about. He's been rather agitated today. Maybe because he has a tube in his head.
Then, as we talked to Dylan, the most amazing thing happened. He opened his eyes and he looked at us. First he looked to his left at his mother. Then he rolled his eyes around and looked at me. We continued to talk to him and he continued to look at us.
His breathing eased as he relaxed. His blood-oxygen level increased. His lungs were doing less work but getting better results.
"He recognizes your voices," Terry said.
Of course he recognizes Andree's voice. He had to listen to it for 24 weeks (minus whatever time he didn't have ears). I doubted whether my voice was having any affect. But Andree said that when I spoke Dylan squeezed her finger.
And his little bright eyes kept looking at us.
6 Comments:
That makes me so happy. Of course he recognizes your voice silly. Not just Andreas. I bet he'd respond to Joshie too. could you record him? would they allow you to play it?
You could always give Dylan 2 birthday parties a year! I'm sure he wont mind, haha.
Oh yeah! That reminds me - my mom (who, despite having many negative qualities, actually does know what she's talking about from many years working with all kinds of kids, including one who was only 1lb at birth) said to tell you to keep talking to him. It's very good for all of you.
I also like Kelly's suggestion - why shouldn't Josh get to say hello?!
I'm so happy you guys are getting to have some good bonding time, even if it's not the way you envisioned.
Amy
Oh, you made me cry! That's so great. Keep talking, and take care of yourselves!
That's cool - so very cool.
Hook 'em early Dylan. It's never too early to start working on a car for your 16th birthday.
ohmygod. that is so wonderful. not the unicorn part, but, you know, the rest of it.
omg how amazing and miraculous! Your story made me cry too...what a little trooper he is!;)
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