Moving Forward

It seems like so long since I've written.  Sometimes it just feels like you're going along fine and life just rips the rug from underneath you.  Lily ended up having to have surgery after all and it was one of the scariest things I have ever been through.  Life in the NICU brings a lot of ups and downs and after Lily had been doing so well, she began spitting up and no longer tolerating her feeds.  They did another upper GI and quickly found a blockage.  The very next morning she went in for surgery.  It all happened so fast.  We had the very best surgeons, but it was still so scary. 

Lily held Brice's finger in her tiny little hand just a few days before surgery.

 My heart was in my throat as the transport nurse prepared Lily to move to the operating room.  I just kept thinking, "Why does she have to go through this?  Why can't I take her place?"

Lily just after surgery.

The surgery took about 1 1/2 hours and what they found when they operated was not what they were expecting.  Her pancreas were wrapped around her duodenum, causing very little food to flow through her intestines.  She recovered quickly and no longer needed pain meds after three days.  I think Lily is one of the strongest young ladies I know and I can't wait to finally bring her home and see her true personality.

Lily just five days after surgery, completely alert and clasping her little hands together.

Having a child go into surgery was one of the scariest things I have ever been through.  When those doors closed behind her and all I could do was sit in the waiting room, all I could do was pray.  And yes, I cried.  I tried really hard to be strong, but I was so exhausted.  In the end, it was such a huge relief to know that the problem was fixed and we could all move forward.  Getting here was just part of the journey.