etc.

i guess i wasn't done! the amount of information i've received in the last three days, along with the pain medication i've been on has made my mind very fuzzy. 

i forgot to mention how happy i was to meet Raef's doctor today. the weekend shifts were so wacky, that we weren't able to get a very consistent status of our little one because of the constant change in doctors' rotations in the unit.

to speak with our son's doctor today provided me some much needed comfort. don't get me wrong, it wasn't all comforting information but he was realistic with us, and optimistic. he says that for a child born with this condition (posterior urethral valve obstruction) at this early in gestation, Raef is doing very well. he's requiring much less ventilator support than they would have expected, and although his kidneys aren't totally out of the water, they're functioning much better than they thought they would.

we were presented with the knowledge today that Raef will need surgeries. some sooner than later, and we're  not sure what those surgeries are exactly but at least we know to be prepared for something like a surgery.

right now, Reid is down in the NICU reading Raef a bedtime story. i was able to have, for the first time, some QT with Raef. just my little angel and me. the nurses say that when we touch him, his vital signs improve slightly. that just goes to show how important it is for parents to bond with their children.

i can't wait for the day that they let us hold him against our own skin. i want to see his face, and kiss his sweet head. i want him to hear my voice, and to know me, and to know that i'd give anything for him. i'm so terrified to know that i'm getting discharged tomorrow. i almost have to go home to gather some items, and get a breast pump so that i don't have any problems associated with not being able to pump. i have to pick that up from WIC, so i hope that it's not an arduous task, and they make it easy on us.

i realized today that i have to call our insurance company to let them know that Raef was born. how else are they going to know to cover his medical expenses? how are people supposed to manage all of this information when something like this happens?

we did find out today that there is some financial assistance available to us while Raef is here in Peoria, and then even more so when he comes home to Bloomington. what a relief. i can't tell you how much i've been stressed out about our finances lately. we just bought a house, and it's amazing. i don't regret it, but it serves to remind us of our fiscal responsibilities. 

i'm not sure that in my previous blog posting i mentioned the fact that my parents and sister, Allicia were here this weekend. my Mom and Dad and Carol came right down here when they found out what was happening on Friday. thank God. even though it was nice to have some time to myself today, i truly missed my family. i know that i'll probably be seeing a lot of them in the weeks and months to come. that does comfort me.