LIFE AT HOME

We took our baby home on February 8th 2018, exactly 80 days after she was born or 11 and half weeks.

The ambulance crew made sure we were all set in her bedroom with her equipment, and the nursing company was also there, helping setting up everything, and we had a nurse ready to start with us.

She woke up the next day with a smile.

 

Resting on the couch

 

Her First Valentine's Day, with a visit at the Pediatrician.

Our first outing was quite hectic and required 3 people to put Melody in the car with her equipment.

I eventually became more proficient with going out. I got really organized, and also planned for a lot of what ifs.

On top of taking everything with us, I also have a box in the car with everything in it, just in case.

 

March 1st 2018

March 16th 2018

 

March 31st 2018

RECOVERY and GOING HOME

Now that Melody has had her surgeries, we are going to classes to learn for her care.

They taught us the vent settings, how to change some settings, how to change the circuits, and how to care for her trach.
Everyday we will have to remove the trach ties, clean her neck, clean around her stoma, put new trach ties and a new guard. And once a week we will have to remove the cannula and replace it. This was a little harder, but eventually, this too became our new normal.

As for the G-tube, we only have to clean around it daily and turn it. The g-button is easy. And we are supposed to change it every 6 months. Not bad at all.

We started the classes at Children's hospital, and then we got transferred to a step down unit down the road for 3 weeks, to finish learning for her care.

I have hated every minute of her being at that rehab hospital. She did not get as much care, they were not coming when her alarms would go off. It was a nightmare for me and I could not wait to go home.

We completed each class we had to do as soon as possible and we got to go home on February 8th 2018.

 Ready to go home.

Getting out of the ambulance.

And finally in her own bed.