When you think of outer-space, images of adventure are usually the first to rush to the forefront of the mind, but, the truth is, a trip to outer-space would probably be more traumatic than invigorating. At first, this assessment might seem harsh due to the charming space odysseys we've seen depicted on theater screens. When [...]
The parade of health professionals briefing us on life after NICU continued throughout the morning, and after each specialist said their part, I would turn and say to Jesher, "It's time to go home bro!" Honestly, much of the medical jargon and final reviews never made it to my frontal lobe. For four months, we [...]
One of the excruciating aspects of our hospital's NICU waiting room is its positioning right across the hall from the Room-In Family Suites. These hotel rooms are reserved for families who have reached the end of their NICU stay and are 'rooming-in' to care for their prized child the night before discharge. Once a baby [...]
Just about all of us have been conditioned to see balloons as an indicator of festivity, but, on this occasion, I held my balloon in silent reverence while quietly watching the couple in front of me. Our two families had met under some extremely challenging circumstances. Our bond was forged in a NICU waiting room. [...]
Have you noticed that tubes are nature's primary vehicle for sustaining life? If you step back from observing the prominence of squares, circles, triangles, and cones, you will notice the overwhelming number of cylinder shapes we depend on daily. For example, the majority of our oxygen is produced by trees outfitted with tubular trunks and [...]
There is an idiom that has permeated a great deal of my brain-space lately. Customarily, the phrase is spoken whenever a person or group has faced a grueling circumstance and is nearing the much awaited point of deliverance. It is a popular saying--a mainstay for bi-standers (a.k.a. 'outside observers'). The idiomatic phrase is commonly associated [...]
I caught myself pouting the other day, and I didn't feel guilty about it. I was overseeing Jesher's care as a nurse attempted to calm him down. Since being moved from a ventilator to a CPAP [Continuous Positive Air Pressure] machine, Jesher has been noticeably agitated. And I can't blame him! The contraption requires him [...]
Each NICU patron must begin his or her visit by huddling over a water trough (fit for a Clint Eastwood western). The faucet has been engineered to negate the need for touching any part of the sink with your fingers. You don't even use your hands to turn it on! With a nudge of the [...]
I sauntered over to Jesher's cubicle anticipating the usual scene, but what greeted me upon my arrival was an uncommon and comforting image. Jesher was resting comfortably upon his mom's chest. Lhorraine was humming a hymn while holding up a speckled mirror to watch her son's facial expressions. Here we were--sitting together as a family, [...]
"How is Jesher gaining all this weight so fast?" My mind was completely boggled by Jesher's third consecutive day of weight gain. He had never recorded a streak like this in his life! And although this news would be mortifying for the average adult, it is tremendous news for a micro-preemie. The nurse laughed at [...]
Prayers for Jesher 