Our Sweet Little Miracles: September 2012

Anthony and Aryanna have had fun meeting some of their relatives over the past couple of months. In the NICU, Grandma Pam was of course the first one to get to hold them besides mommy and daddy. She was on cloud nine!

Grandpa Greg got a turn, too!

Aunt Bri got to hold them while they were still in the NICU and she's had lots of opportunities to hold them since then. She comes and helps us out at least a couple times a week and it's so nice to have an extra pair of hands!

Aunt Kalli got in lots of snuggle time when she came and visited from Colorado in August.

Here's Anthony meeting Great Grandpa Harold for the first time...

and Aryanna meeting Great Grandma Bertie for the first time.

Great Grandma Mary came for a visit, too.

We've had lots of Skype sessions (so grateful for technology!) with Papi Antonio and Mami Costa in Spain and can't wait until they get a chance to come visit. We also look forward to the day that Anthony and Aryanna are healthy enough to travel so that we can take them to Bolivia to meet their Aunt Daniela (Jose's sister), Uncle Remberto and cousin Camila as well as the rest of their family and friends in Bolivia and the U.S.

We've been reminded this week that the preemie journey doesn't end with discharge from the NICU. We continue to deal with preemie issues on a daily basis.

The week started off with a sick little girl on Monday. Aryanna had been throwing up an entire feeding at least once a day for a few days (we may have to burn our couch by the time these two are done with it!) and was starting to sound hoarse and had a stuffy nose. We took her to the pediatrician and she had an infection in her right ear. The doctor put her on antibiotics in case it was bacterial, but I think it was viral because it's been taking her awhile to get over it. We're baffled as to how she even got sick since we don't go anywhere, but it was a good reminder of how fragile a preemie's immune system is. The preemie journey doesn't end in the NICU.

Back in mama's arms after surgery

Anthony had his surgery on Tuesday. He was such a trooper! He couldn't eat anything after midnight and we had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am and his surgery wasn't until 7:00 so I thought he was going to be starving. He was definitely hungry but he didn't cry once. The surgery went well and according to the doctor he had a "big 'ole hernia on the right side" and it turns out he had one on the left side too, but he's all fixed up now. He had to stay the night in the NICU at Blank for observation because of his brain bleed and being on oxygen. Grandma Pam and Aunt Bri got to have their first experience babysitting all by themselves too. They stayed with Aryanna at home for awhile so Jose could come visit Anthony at the hospital - thanks for the help you two:) The plus side to Anthony staying overnight was that we got to spend some time with our friends, Joy and BJ, who have the twin boys that I posted about a few weeks ago who are in the NICU at Blank. It was wonderful to catch up with them and it was great to talk to someone who gets it (Love you guys!) Their boys are doing well - both are on Vapotherm and tolerating their feedings. Keep praying that they would grow big and strong! The downside to being there was seeing our sweet boy hooked up to so many cords again. He was hooked up to oxygen, leads to monitor his heart rate and breathing, a pulse oximeter, and an IV. How quickly I'd forgotten what it was like to manage all those cords while feeding him, getting him in and out of bed and holding him. It made me so grateful that all we have to deal with at home is oxygen and their apnea monitors. (Funny what a little perspective will do, huh?) The preemie journey doesn't end in the NICU.

Over the past two months since the twins have been home we've had SO MANY appointments! That would be 11 visits from the Visiting Nurse, 10 oxygen deliveries, 9 Occupational Therapy sessions, 7 trips to the pediatrician, 5 specialist appointments, 3 developmental checks and 1 surgery for a grand total of 46 appointments having to do with the twins in the 64 days we've been home! No wonder we're tired! The preemie journey definitely doesn't end in the NICU. One specialist we won't be going to again, however, is the cardiologist. We took Anthony on Monday for the first time since he'd been discharged from the hospital. They did a chest x-ray, EKG, and an echo and his PDA is closed!!! This was the large opening in his heart that didn't close after birth and they couldn't give him meds for because of his brain bleed. Thank you for praying all the times that we asked you to pray that it would close on its own. Praise God for hearing our prayers and healing our little boy! He is good!

So, while our preemie journey didn't end the day we left the NICU, is it all worth it? AB.SO.LUTELY! Yes, it's a lot of work, but it makes us grateful for each milestone.