"Brought" Nathan home (from the hospital, that is)

Yesterday at around noon we arrived home from the hospital with Nathan and we're glad to report that he is continuing to recover well.  What a week it has been.

Keith and I would take turns on Tuesday (the day after the surgery) walking through the quiet halls and even had him play in the little play area they have for children.  When I mentioned that I didn't see other children, the nurse commented that most of the children are too sick to get up and play or walk in the halls.  It was a poignant reminder to me that amidst our challenges and the concerns we are feeling with Nathan, there are many parents dealing with much harder things.  May the Lord's grace and mercy be on the many children in our world who are hurting for so many reasons.

Another riveting thought I had in those two hospital nights was how grateful I was to be there to hold him and comfort him and love him (even if I didn't get much sleep).  How overwhelming to think of him NOT having a Mommy when he was in the hospital for Pneumonia at four months of age (on Christmas Day 2009) and also during his cleft lip surgery in March of 2010.  Babies SHOULD have mommies, especially when they are in hospitals or hurting.  I am so glad that I could be there and just have him sleeping in my arms.

I have to laugh when I think of the bag of "to do" things that I brought along to the hospital.  I guess I thought that Nathan would be sleeping a lot and that I'd just have oodles of time to do some overdue projects.  Oh well, I did the more important thing, yes?

As far as our life at home, Nathan is taking a little pain medicine still but the major changes for him are little pliable "braces" on his arms that are called "no-no's".  They are meant to keep him from bending his arms, which keeps him from placing his hands or anything in his hands in his mouth.  He's actually been pretty good about them, although I caught him pulling at the velcro at dinner and I'm guessing he's going to figure out how to get them off.

The other big change for him is a pureed diet only.  Basically he is relegated back to baby food.  He will only eat pureed food for about 3 weeks until the stitches in his mouth come out.  They will fall out on their own and so that is good.

THANKS to all of you who love us and Nathan and have been praying!  And before I sign off, I want send along an official Happy Chinese New Year.  Because of Nathan's food limitations, we've decided to celebrate it in a few weeks and we'll be sure to blog about it when we do!!!  But, Happy New Year!!