The last 2 weeks with Baby R have been heavenly. I told Hannah not to long ago that if I ever had any doubts about me doing Foster Care, they were gone now! She was concerned about me not getting sleep, since that is what happens when you have a newborn. But like I have mentioned before, not being hormonal after just giving birth makes all the difference in the world. But to top it off, I have an amazing amount of energy. So much so that there has been a few times that I have forgotten to take one of my depression/anxiety medications that give me energy. I used to drink a B12 drink to help with my energy level as well, and I have only done that once since Baby R has been in our lives. The Lord has blessed me with so much strength and I'm truly grateful.
But on Thursday of last week, everything changed. That day and night were truly horrible. Not just because I was deliriously tired but because I felt so helpless as to help Baby R. That was the night he was admitted to Primary Children's Hospital.
A little over a week ago, I started to notice a change in Baby R's diapers. He had a doctor's appointment that day. The doctor thought it may just be a bug but she was a little concerned that he was having diarrhea. Not to much though since he was still gaining wait. But by Monday he was vomiting. Baby R spit up like most babies but never vomiting. So I took him back. She thought maybe it was his formula and asked me to come back on Thursday, after trying a new formula, to make sure he wasn't loosing weight. Within days he was projectile vomiting so much that I was sure he wasn't getting much fluids, if not at all, in his little 3 week old body. So I called his pediatrician that night (who had given me her cell phone number....what doctor does that??? I just love his doctor!) who told me to get him to the emergency room. It was a relief to get that confirmation from her because I felt a little like I was being over protective. That night was a long night in the ER as they did an ex-ray as well as an ultrasound. They were pretty sure he had Pyloric Stenosis but couldn't tell for sure so I needed to follow up with his doctor the following day, which happened to be Thursday when we were going anyway. He had lost weight and she was positive that he had PS without even seeing the ultrasound so she got us into Primary Children's Hospital. I rushed home, got clothes and off to Salt Lake Baby R and I went!
I didn't realize that being sent to Primarys meant that you didn't spend a penny in health care. We wouldn't have to anyways since Baby R is a foster child and has immediate Medicaid but it was amazing to learn that no matter what your insurance situation, all children admitted was cared for. And if you stayed over night the Ronald McDonald Family Room was open to the family of the admitted child. Which meant I never had to pay for a meal either.
Baby R was put in his room right away. They ran his blood work as well as a new ultrasound and before we knew it we had a surgery time...the next day! That was so very hard. This poor baby hadn't had a bottle since 9:30 that morning (and by the time he had his surgery and could finally have a bottle it had been over 24 hours!) and on top of that he wasn't holding his formula down anyways so who knows when he actually ate last! But they put an IV in and he was getting fluids almost immediately.
Things were turning around for this sweet little guy of ours but he didn't know that! The poor guy just cried and cried and cried. He was just so hungry. That night was torture for both him and I. For him it was physical. For me it was mental. If he wasn't crying, I was. It was so horrible. When they told me in the morning after that horribly long night, that he wouldn't have surgery until 4 p.m. that day, I almost lost it! But luckily things changed and they were able to get him in that morning.
That sweet baby boy came out of surgery and after eating was back to his sweet, perfect self.
That night, David came up to relieve me and I went home. As you can imagine, I slept like a baby.
These last few days have been crazy for us but I sure felt blessings in many directions. Before I took him to the ER, David and friend gave Baby R a blessing. In the blessing he spoke of it taking time for Baby R to get better. The following morning April texted me and told me that she kept praying and praying the night before and kept feeling as if he wouldn't be healed but that everything would be ok. If she had told me that the night before I probably would have lost it but after knowing he was going to have surgery, it made since to me. He would need medical help as well as someone watching over him....
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So during one of the times that I just had to get away from Baby R's crying, I was walking the halls of the hospital and found Superman and Jesus right next to each other. Who wouldn't want to see that in the hospital your baby is in??!! There were superpowers at work here! It made me think of Hyrum not to long ago. He said to me once, "It's like Jesus has Superpowers." I sure do love my Hyrum.
Before the boys came up, I took a picture of this and sent it to my Mom. She said that it reminded her of Big Shane (he LOVED superman) and how he was watching over Baby R during the surgery. Everyone in our family misses Shane. We loved him and to to read that was such a comforting thing.
David's stay with Baby R at the hospital was what he needed. Levi and I have fallen completely in love with Baby R but David has distanced himself in some ways. He thought he was adorable but was not nearly as attached. In some ways, I was grateful though. I needed his wisdom of keeping myself grounded during those moments when I feel anxious that Baby R might not stay with us forever. That his birth mother might get it together and get her rights back. David has been good about helping me to remember why we are doing this. Foster Care is about reuniting families first.
But his stay with Baby R has definitely stirred something in David. It has been precious to watch.
Baby R is back at home with us now and just as cute and cuddly as ever.
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