Life's Tornados

The day we received news that we might have longer with our little Kimber Jeanne than we originally thought, a day that brought relief and hope back into the picture, was a devastating day for people in Oklahoma.  As I am seeing pictures and reading about the school children who were killed in this horrible storm, my heart goes out to those parents.  I pray for those parents.  For some reason we have been spared (for now) the horrible pain of losing a child.  But having stared that horrible beast in the face, as I sit here holding my little girl I can't imagine the horrible pain they are going through.

I had an interesting conversation with Kimber's nurse last night that has been eating at me.  She was attempting to prep me for what may be a long hard first year for Kimber and our whole family for that matter.  Since they have no diagnosis and have run all the tests they could think of we are forced to just sit back and watch and wait to see if she gets better or worse.  Doctors appointments, appointments with specialists, therapy and even further testing are in our future as new clues emerge.  As we talked and she was able to answer some of my questions she gave me some wonderful advice.  "It's going to be easy to lose your whole lives in doctors appointments and therapy," she warned. "But don't forget to make memories with her.  Make memories as a family.  Each day is with her is a gift.  Don't forget it." 

As I walked back to the guesthouse for the night, Suzie's advice kept replaying.  "Each day with her is a gift."  Through the last couple weeks I've had people tell me how "lucky" we are to have a "heads up" of sorts.  And as horrible as it sounds I understand what they are attempting to say.  Unlike these parents of the school children in Oklahoma or the parents who lose their children suddenly to SIDS or a number of other tragedies, we do have a heads up.  We have been told that something with our angel isn't normal and while at the moment we are unable to pinpoint it, we now know that there is still that possibility that her visit may be brief.

"Make memories with her. Each day is a gift."  Why does it take a tragedy for these words of advice to be spoken? Why doesn't every nurse leave every parent with this thought as they discharge them from the hospital?  Why don't we treat everyone like each day with them is a special gift? 

So bend down right now and pick up that baby that just pooped in his freshly changed diaper. Or go find that teenager who just about ripped your head off when you woke her up this morning.  Call up the parent or grandparent you just figure will be around forever and just talk because the fact is they won't be.  Life changes in an instant and we don't always get a "heads up."

Just one of our many life lessons being taught from our corner of the NICU.