Bringing Home Charlie
January 24 marks an excellent milestone on our journey, we finally get to bring Charlie home and be a family of four. He has progressed so much over the past two weeks it is hard to believe. Some things he learned:
- How to breathe on a microflow of oxygen
- How to breastfeed for full sessions with Mom
- How to eat from a bottle given by Dad
- How to not drop his oxygen levels while feeding
- How to burp and be held in new burping positions
- How to feed only by breast and bottle and have his feeding tube removed
- How to ride in a car seat
- How to take his daily vitamins and medicine
The past 62 days has been an adventure we never asked for nor did Charlie deserve. But we made it and we are stronger as a family because of it.
- 62 days of NICU
- 62 days of uncertainty
- 62 days full of darkness and light
- 62 days of sadness and laughter
- 62 days of being our son
- 62 days of being John and Sam's brother
- 62 days of Charlie
We are ecstatic and cannot wait to love Charlie with all of our hearts and minds. We have said it before and will say it again, the support of our family, friends and coworkers has helped guide us the past two months. We love all of you and cannot wait to introduce you to Charlie in the future.
Sam will be watching over Charlie and we know he is celebrating with all of us. In a way, Charlie is bringing the remainder of Sam's memories home as well.
Welcome home Charlie, welcome home.