Miranda and Audrey GraceGoing home day~1/15/10
It was November 16, 2009, and everything changed. Miranda was admitted to the hospital in Waynesville and later transferred by ambulance to the hospital in Asheville. She had spent the weekend with me in Charlotte and I knew she did not look well, but she was more gravely ill than either of us knew. She was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, H1N1, and pneumonia. We spent the next week waiting, the doctors were trying to keep Miranda stable to allow Audrey just a little more time to grow with her Mom. Just shortly after midnight five days later, Audrey had to be delivered, it was time to aggressively care for Miranda. Audrey was born crying and breathing on her own at just 3 lbs 1 ounce - ten weeks early. She was immediately removed from the room for infectious precautions, it would be five days before Miranda could see her baby girl. That was the longest five days.
Miranda spent the next two weeks recovering from pre-elcampsia, H1N1, and pneumonia.
She was released from the hospital and moved to the Rathbun Center across the street from the hospital to be near Audrey. December 8, Audrey is just over 3 weeks old. She is moved to the transition room and gets to live with her mom and dad while she continues to grow and be monitored. Audrey had a small defect in her heart that the doctors were hoping would repair itself on its own, which it would have done in utero had she not come so early; or if they would have to surgically repair the defect. There were good days and bad, but heart medications and a blood transfusion, along with time, allowed the heart to finish developing and catch up with Audrey. Finally, after just over two months in the hospital, it was time to take Audrey home.
She was released from the hospital and moved to the Rathbun Center across the street from the hospital to be near Audrey. December 8, Audrey is just over 3 weeks old. She is moved to the transition room and gets to live with her mom and dad while she continues to grow and be monitored. Audrey had a small defect in her heart that the doctors were hoping would repair itself on its own, which it would have done in utero had she not come so early; or if they would have to surgically repair the defect. There were good days and bad, but heart medications and a blood transfusion, along with time, allowed the heart to finish developing and catch up with Audrey. Finally, after just over two months in the hospital, it was time to take Audrey home.
Today Audrey, Miranda, and Dustin are settled in their own home in Waynesville and we are all getting into our new routines. The past two months have been a blur. I look back at all that has happened since November 15, when I moved to Charlotte and Miranda came for the weekend, and it seems like it has been much longer than just over nine weeks. Miranda has fully recovered and does not remember much of the really tough times in the hospital before Audrey came. Audrey weighed 6 pounds 5 ounces at her first check up after leaving the hospital and is continuing to do well.
It has been difficult to get back to painting. I think stress and worry drown any sense of creativity and imagination. I am just now completing commissioned paintings that should have been finished before Christmas. Everyone has been so kind and patient to wait for their paintings. I should be all caught up by the end of the month. Then, I am going to relax, enjoy my beautiful new studio, spend quantity time with Kevin and the rest of my wonderful family, and continue unpacking boxes that should have been unpacked months ago......
Check back again, there will be more paintings soon.
Torrie
1 comment:
Torrie!
I had no idea, but am so glad that the baby is safe and sound. Little children don't belong in hospitals.
Stay strong and creative. I think its the times when we feel the worst that we need creativity the most.
Always,
Victoria
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