It's time for the post that I have been dreading writing. It's a post in which I have to be mean, but for a VERY good reason.
Ruby is out of the hospital. She is stable and and pretty darn close to healthy. As close to healthy as baby who spent 26 days on ECMO can be. That being said we have to be careful about Ruby getting sick. We have to VERY careful. A simple cold could put her right back in the hospital. She does not have two full lungs and the lung tissue she has isn't as healthy as regular baby.
We want everyone to meet her. Just be prepared to not be able to touch her with out me squirting hand sanitizer all over you. That's if you are healthy, if you have been sick all bets are off. I might let you with in 50 feet of her. As for other children, it's a strict look but don't touch rule especially children who go to school or day care. I will ask if your child has been sick before we accept an invitation. This winter during cold and flu season Ruby won't be able to make too many public appearances. We've been told outside open air gathering and no touching. These are doctors orders.
We love our friends and family but we all want Ruby to grow up happy and healthy. This all might seem like we are being over protective or unreasonable. We don't want to be this way. We have to be this way.
We will hopefully be back in Austin late next week. We have a round of blood work and another check-up before we leave. We can't wait to see everyone. It's going to be so much fun showing Ruby off with out getting her sick.
I don't ever want to be told "Your baby is the sickest baby in the hospital" ever again. We need everyone's help and understanding in order to make that happen.
Holly - my son (chronic lung
Holly - my son (chronic lung disease since birth) is almost 9 and I STILL pass around the hand sanitizer! My friends are used to it and just laugh. But they aren't the ones in the doctor's office hearing the warnings. FYI - be vigilant in the grocery store, shopping, etc. You can't believe how many strangers will walk up and offer their fingers for your infant to grab. Of all crazy things!
No problem! :)
No problem! :)
I think Ruby's fans would
I think Ruby's fans would take this news better if it was accompanied by some pictures of her! (Not that anyone is taking it badly -- everyone understands the need to keep the McNugget healthy.)
You are not being mean at
You are not being mean at all...and everyone will understand. If they don't then they don't have her best interests in mind and don't deserve to be around her.
Flu season reportedly is going to be awful this fall and winter. I hope anyone who might be around her will strongly consider getting their flu shot - again, in her best interests.
Wish we were in Austin and could meet her, but we're happy to see the pictures and read updates and be McKee-Starling cheerleaders in StL.
Yay for heading home!
Tami, Chuck, Aisling, and William
I am so excited you are
I am so excited you are planning for a return to Austin next week. Oh, I wish I was there to greet you, with clean hands of course :) Ruby looks great, and so do you!
Natalie
Wow, I had a lot of catching
Wow, I had a lot of catching up to do over the past few months. I don't envy your crash course in medicine one bit, but you seem to be doing a great job weathering the storms. The pictures of Ruby Hope (and parents :) are adorable! She's looking very good these days. I'm so happy for all three of you that you're coming back to Texas soon. Hope the weather improves here first, though, or else you'll have a lot of anxious fully-sanitized people standing outside in the heat! ;)
Absolutely...I think we all
Absolutely...I think we all want to make sure we are doing what is best for Ruby. Plus, babies are more fun to watch than hold in my book. :)
You're not being mean at
You're not being mean at all! People are sometimes a little thoughtless in their (understandable and pleasant) enthusiasm to greet your new offspring, though, so you do need to make everyone aware. I was firm with the 'no children' rule when I brought my premature son home and splashed anti-bacterial gel about freely on both hands and cheeks (which is where newborn heads naturally nestle!) of visitors - no-one complained, unless I got some in their eye...!
I know exactly what you are
I know exactly what you are going through. It is so hard but it's so necessary to tell ppl "back off"!! I am concerned about the winter myself for Kayla- during RSV season I'm soo nervous.. and it's such a long season!! What did your doctor say about the winter months? My docs and I didn't really get that far.. it will be something I bring up at her next appt but was wondering what your docs said about going outside and such.