Sadie's Story Part 2

THE NICU

As hard as it was to watch Sadie get admitted, I was SO grateful that she was staying at the same hospital as me so that I could be with her while I was a patient there. I was also thankful that we lived closer to this one so the commute back and forth wouldn't be too bad. 

I never took a picture of Sadie on CPAP, but she was on it for the first day and a half. Later on the second day they took it off and she seemed to be doing pretty well. That night though she relapsed and had to go back on. They also had to give her another dose of that medicine to help her lungs again. I hated seeing her have to go back on that thing, and that also meant I couldn't hold her. Things started to get worse when the doctor came into our room and said if she couldn't keep her levels up being on CPAP they were going to transfer her to Utah Valley and put her on a ventilator. Oh and to add to it all he also said to not talk by her or even touch her because those things agitated her and made her respiratory rate go high. It was so much to take in, in such little time. Hours before all this she was just on oxygen and seemed to be doing great! I didn't know what to think, all I could do was call my mom and just cry to her. She immediately sent out  a text to our family who all prayed for our little Sadie and some members even started a special fast.

 That was a very long night. I couldn't fall asleep, so I would go into the NICU but just cry looking at her struggle and not being able to hold her, touch her, or even talk to her. Needless to say, it was awful. BUT on the other hand, it was the first time in my life that I have really felt the love and prayers of those aware of our situation. I felt so much peace, and just knew that whatever happened it was going to be okay. 

The next morning she was still not doing great. There were a few specialist from Utah Valley that kept calling in wanting updates on her to see if they were going to transfer her. Sadie's nurse and the respiratory therapist were watching Sadie and realizing that she was going to get transfered they just felt like they should try and take her off CPAP and see what she would do. Well I walked in right when the therapist took her off and she was holding her (which I freaked out for a second because she hadn't been held in 24 hours, and I didn't know what was going on) but Sadie was stable. She was off the breathing tube, being held, and stable. A MIRACLE. I literally broke down. So thankful for those inspired women that decided to do that right before she was gonna get transfered and put on a ventilator! I was also so thankful for my family and friends that were praying so hard for Sadie, I know she was being watched over, and like I said earlier I literally felt those prayers.

 We could not get enough of holding her. There is nothing worse than not being able to hold your own baby, but there is nothing better than being able to hold your baby after going through that.

After the scary night and day, Sadie literally slept for like three days. She wouldn't take any oral feedings or wake up for anything. She was so exhausted. 

For the next three weeks we went through the whole process again of getting her home. Lots of ups and downs, especially with feedings. But she never had to go back on CPAP and was always progressing in some way.

 The nurses loved were obsessed with her hair. I wish I would have taken more pictures because she had a new hair do every time I came in. So many nurses and doctors there would talk about Sadie and how she was a little fighter. She stayed at the hospital longer than everyone thought she would but we were still all amazed how she fought through the rough patch in the beginning and just kept getting better. 

 When it was time for Sadie to come home Ty and Gabe both had RSV. Perfect timing, right? Because of that Sadie had a 95% chance of getting RSV too. We were terrified that we were going to bring her home for a day or two and then bring her right back to the hospital. My amazing mom took our boys for 5 days, while they were the most contagious, in hoping that Sadie wouldn't get it. And she didn't.

I don't know how we would've gone through this again if it wasn't for my family and friends. They watched our boys for us, brought meals over, helped with the house, brought our boys to the hospital so they could see Sadie through the window and so many other things. I feel so lucky to be surrounded by amazing people that reached out and helped in so many ways.