Full moon fever

We are into our fourth week here (it looks like there will be many more). There are quite a few who have been here much longer than we have but we've seen families come and go and gotten to know a few people. The NICU waiting room is a great support group. We still have not watched the orientation video but have learned most of the ins and outs. We are learning our way around hospital and this part of the city. We are starting to learn where to get groceries and a good cup of coffee. Tina is getting really good at packing a suitcase. We have all washed our hands more than a gang of auto mechanics. Jon knows to look closely at the food in the cafeteria before he puts it on his tray. Annie has been riding on my shoulders ever since she outgrew her backpack, yesterday we tried a variation on that theme.
Hanging out with Kevin in the NICU is obviously different than having your baby home. It's filled with sights and sounds you don't see anyplace else. It doesn't happen everyday but it isn't uncommon to see a surgeon working on a baby right there in the room. I remember the first week we would hear an alarm and look around for a code red. We've gotten used to that, most of the time when we hear one of Kevin's alarms, we just look up at the monitor to see which level is wrong. Yesterday when I was holding him, I had his head at the wrong angle and caused his oxygen saturation level to drop. The nurse helped me fix the problem. That's another thing, I remember when Annie was that age I was always nervous about holding her because she seemed so small and fragile. Now there are doctors and nurses all over the place that are always willing to help or offer advice. It sure reduces the stress level, between that and the monitors, it's hard to do the wrong thing. It takes a little practice to learn how to pick up a baby that has wires and tubes but it can be done. Tina makes it look easy.

Kevin is in surgery right now, he should be out by 3:30 or so.

2:30- The OR nurse just called, everything is going well, Kevin is stable and it will be about another hour.
3:50-We just talked to the surgeon, Kevin is doing well, the operation went OK. It was a little difficult because he has a big liver and small stomach. I found out they took his appendix out too, it would have ended up on the other side which would make it hard to diagnose if it were to have problems, easier to remove it I guess. He's on the way back upstairs to his room soon.

P.S. Darth Hideous-Put the mug of shame away and savor coffee of the victorious.