Random and barely coherent thoughts about the baby and being well

As things settle down a bit with our newborn grandson Clay, my thoughts still turn continuously to his healing.  While the doctors adjust medications and the ventilator, there really isn’t much they can do to make his lungs develop.  The rest of it is up to time and the Good Lord.

The next several weeks will be a season of waiting.  The doctor estimated today that the baby has ½ to 2/3 of normal lung capacity.  They think he’ll need a ventilator for a few months, at least. 

We naturally hope and pray that Clay’s healing will come quicker. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about healing in general the past few days and how it extends far beyond the physical body, to include our minds, our emotions, and our spirits. 

When one part of our lives becomes broken, ill, or out of balance, the rest of us suffer as well.

With daily schedules turned upside down, sleep schedules out of whack, and regular mealtimes disrupted, the whole family can begin to feel unwell.

 For Hannah, Eric and the rest of us, this has been a crazy time.

They’ve both been holding up very well under the circumstances, though.   I’ve been amazed by their strength, and my heart has been warmed by the closeness I see between them.  The strong bond between them seems to be growing stronger every day.

It’s not easy camping out in a hospital.  There’s little privacy, and it’s hard to get comfortable.

The cafeteria food is ok, but it’s not home-cookin,’ that’s for sure. 

Often it’s the little inconveniences like these that really test a marriage. 

The hubby and I have spent several hours a day at the hospital nearly every day since Clay’s birth, but we’ve had more opportunity to come home than the parents.    

How relaxing it is to walk around outside and breathe fresh air.  What a gift it is to get to kick up the leaves that are falling so fast. 

I went to the garden and cut a couple of heads of fresh broccoli this morning.  I made broccoli cheese soup, and took some to share with Hannah at the hospital. 

This simple act was nourishing not only to our bodies, but my spirits. 

Resuming the activities that we sometimes consider tedious, like cooking and laundry, is such a pleasure when previous days have been so tumultuous.  The rituals of nurturing bring healing to me. 

I’m so looking forward to the day Hannah can be home with her little family, going about the ordinary business of living.