Day 89

When you are in NICU unit with over 40 premature babies, you know your baby must be sick if you are the only parents offered a room that is literally within the unit itself. When we arrived on Saturday night, the empathetic smiles from all the nurses on the handover round said what Ellie’s nurse was brave enough to tell us face to face that night – ‘I don’t think she is going to make it through the night.’

Over the last two days Ellie has proven once again that she is a fighter…..a warrior princess. Antibiotics are fighting the infections while we wait to see if she is able to open up part of her lungs to start breathing again (without such high pressures from the ventilator). She has been heavily sedated since Saturday but surprises nurses by occasionally moving a foot or opening an eye to let them know she is still there.

Doctors are very cautious when talking about her chances from here on but with every hour a tiny bit more hope creeps in. When she gets past this immediate danger her next challenge will be to face any complications these trials might have brought along. Once again we are so humbled by the rallies of prayer and support that have been happening just for our little girl.

Hannah on the other hand is a hit with the nurses, she has made us truly aware of how much these amazing people really love babies! It is hard to walk through the NICU without someone offering to hold, feed or bath our baby that is no longer admitted to the hospital. One nurse even took her during her lunch break so Deb could have a sleep! Hannah had her first trip into the big world today when we went to stretch our legs and get some real air into our lungs.

Deb has been amazingly strong having a newborn, a critically ill premmie and a sick husband to look after all while being away from her boys. (I have been unable to help much until today for fear of sharing the family flu with the bubs). I will head home today to be with the boys and she will be staying somewhere local in Randwick until Ellie is out of the immediate danger zone which is likely to be at least a week.

Hannah’s first outing

I quite enjoyed a moment at the shops today when an elderly lady was admiring Hannah and said she must be very new. When I told her she is 3 months old she was quite taken back.

Sneaky late night hugs.

 

Hannah cheering on her sister.