From the PICU to the Penthouse

Last night, around 7:00 p.m. we were notified that we "had a bed" on "the floor." We were leaving the PICU. After almost 16 days in PICU room 320, we were moving on up. At that point Finn was on 2 liters of oxygen and working slowly and steadily to eliminate the sedation medications from his body. His feeding schedule was changed -- instead of taking continuous feeds to his intestine, they switched to feeds every three hours, directly to his stomach. The changing feeding schedule should help him start to recognize that he's hungry, and start to show signs of hunger, too. Soon, hopefully, our natural rhythm of hunger, supply, and demand will return.

Day by day
in every way
Finn is better and better.

Day by day
in every way
we are better and better.

I've recited that poem over and over throughout the past sixteen days. Usually, I would gently rest my hand over Finn's precious little chest while reciting the prayer. I suppose I've meditated on that verse at least five hundred times in the last few weeks.

So, how does it feel to leave the PICU and head to the "step down floor?" Hum. I'm still not sure. Of course it feels good -- such a sense of relief! We've hit a monumental milestone. He's on the "last mile" of the race to a full recovery. After we packed up our PICU room and waited for the official transport from one floor to another, Kyle and I stood in a long embrace, and I uttered, "I still don't know how we got through this."

Finn still has some pretty significant milestones to meet. He's got to start breathing "room oxygen" rather than through a nasal cannula. He's got to start taking full feeds by mouth, rather than through a feeding tube. He's got to come out of sedation completely and safely. While we are on the "last mile" it's usually the "last mile" that takes grit. It's the "last mile" where you show what you're made of.

On "the floor" I get to care for Finn -- diaper changes, clothing changes, sponge baths, breast feeding attempts. In the PICU the medical team did most of the care taking while Kyle and I stood by to support our boy.

Another big change as we moved from PICU to "the floor" is our co-parenting arrangement. Kyle is back at the house caring for Everett. Our 24/7 home support ends tomorrow, at least for a few days. So, Kyle and I are splitting shifts. We'll be "high fiving" on the 295 as we trade posts. We are so grateful that we were able to spend so much time together, often in each other's arms, these last few weeks.