NICU (Part One)

Roman was admitted to the NICU just a few hours after he was born. The whole first day in the hospital is kind of hazy for me... I blame the drugs, who knows how many I was even on! Vong was able to spend some time with Roman in the regular nursery before he was taken to the NICU. Before Roman was born I always told Vong how excited I was to get to hold Roman right after delivery... Obviously things hadn't gone as planned so I hadn't even seen him since my c-section, or held him. (Vong always joked and said he was going to grab him and run with him so he could hold him first, haha) My nurse took Vong down to the nursery to visit him and when the nurse came back I asked him if Vong was so excited to hold him... He told me that he refused to hold him because he promised me I would get to hold him first... Seriously?! Vong is such a sweet man.. You know I just started bawling when my nurse told me that... Then I felt like an idiot for crying, dang hormones. I immediately text Vong and told him to pick up that babe right now... He needed loves from one of his parents. 

This is the photo Vong sent me, his first time holding him. I still can't believe how tiny he was.

Later that night both of our families came to visit, I still hadn't gotten to see Roman in the NICU yet and I was starting to get kind of agitated. I felt like no one had really told me when I would be able to go see him. Finally they told me they would be taking my catheter out around 7:30 and if I was feeling up to it after that I could go see him.... Ummm I didn't care if I had to crawl to the NICU, I would be going to see my baby. While Vong's family was visiting they wanted to go see Roman... I said they could but I was really  bummed that other people were going to see my baby before me (maybe that's selfish but I don't care haha) well a little tender mercy happened. They went down to the NICU and the room Roman was in happened to be on lock down because there was a new baby admitted to the NICU in critical condition... So no one could go in. Then about an hour later they tried again and it happened to be shift change so only the parents could be in there during that time... They decided to just go get some food after that. During this time they had taken my catheter out and I was doing pretty well! I was able to get out of bed. Which I'll be honest hurt like a mother haha but I was determined to get up and get walking right away so my body could start healing properly. Literally 5 minutes after Vong and his family went to eat, the NICU called and said we could come see Roman. Guys I cried a little, I know my Heavenly Father knew how much I wanted to see my baby before anyone else and I don't think that it was a coincidence at all. I called Vong and told him, and he said you go ahead Mama, spend as much time as you want with him and then let us know when we can come up. I had my Nurse walk me down to the NICU.. She was shocked I could walk and didn't need a wheel chair. 

It was extremely overwhelming walking into the NICU and seeing tons of babies hooked up to all sorts of monitors :( broke my heart. I couldn't believe how many cords Roman had coming out of his little body. 

Can you believe how small he looks compared to my hand! He was hooked up to a heart monitor, had oxygen flowing, body temp probes, an IV in his hand, a blood pressure cuff on his hand and foot, and an oximeter on his other foot measuring oxygen levels. Basically his whole body seemed to be covered by something. :( 

I think that this was the point that I realized his condition was much more serious than I thought and that we would not be bringing him home with us when we left the hospital.

I spent some time with him and then I called Vong and told him he could bring his family up! They only allow 2 people in at a time so it took quite a while to let everyone see him. 

Vong's cute Mom, just so ecstatic! 

Ned! 

I just have to give a shout out to Vong's parents, they have been absolutely amazing through this whole process! Constantly asking if there is anything we need and never hesitating to get or do anything for us. Roman is so lucky to have both of our Families' love. Being the first grand baby on both sides, he is so spoiled already. 

More to come on the rest of his NICU stay. This post turned out to be way longer than I thought haha!