My Baby Is Home

Last night I looked over at Andrew and smiled.

We did it.  We survived our first unexpected hospital stay.  Friends stepped up to the plate, family rallied.  We were able to spend five days sequestered inside the walls of the hospital without losing too much of our sanity.

obviously impressed with each other.

Andrew and I switched places on Monday.

I cried the whole way home.  The amount of guilt I felt was heavy.  I felt like I lost either way.  Guilty for leaving him there, guilty for not going home to Josie.  After about ten minutes, I was done feeling sorry for myself.  I realized this is what it is, hard.  There are no easy fixes, no outcomes where I do it all.

I walked into a totally clean house and found my favorite wine and ice cream and instantly fell a little deeper in love with Andrew.  The guy knows the way to my heart and that's through high calorie groceries.

Josie got home from a weekend at the lake about an hour after I did.

Girlfriend was exhausted.  I watched as the shell she'd put up to deal with the unexpected unknowns from the past five days started to crumble.  She cried hard.  She had been so brave, such a big girl, but coming home brought all the worry to the surface.

I understand the feeling exactly.

One hot bath and a back rub later, she was fast asleep.  I'd like to say I joined her, but I couldn't sleep.  To much going on in my head.  I stayed up way to late enjoying the presents Andrew left me.  Nothing like a pint of Ben and Jerry's before going to bed at 2am.

Andrew's night resembled mine.  

I didn't get full details, but word is, they had the perfect guy's night.

Late night playing video games and eating pizza and nachos.  I laughed that I ever questioned leaving him.  A night with Andrew was just what the doctor ordered.  I'm sure a break from his overly doting Mother was exactly what Gabe wanted.

Especially since I got a call the next morning that the tube was coming out.

Finally.

Andrew is a total guy, so again, no details on how the X-ray looked or any explanation on fluid levels.  Just that it was coming out and if the X-ray that evening looked good, Gabe could be home in time to sleep in his own bed.

Eight hours later, I tucked my baby into his bed.

Snug and cozy.  I lingered at the door a little longer.  Just a bit more thankful than I'd been before.  Sometimes I forget what a miracle it is to have these kids under my roof.  Safe, loved, and free from fluid in their chests.

Gabe is feeling great.

He is back to his usual silly self.  The only sign that he was in the hospital at all is the sticky residue from all the monitor leads.  That junk never comes off.

Thank you again for loving Gabe so well.

Your kind words and prayers were felt and helped me get through the days I was sure I wouldn't make it.  This little place on the internet means so much to me and it's because of you.

Here's to hoping we don't see the inside of the hospital for a very, very long time.