Homecoming

Now that Logan was found to be stable and overall quite healthy his last goal to leave the hospital was to eat.  The eating requirements to leave the NICU were understandably pretty steep.  We were both determined to do this one thing for Logan and we worked very hard to get him home.  This meant pumping milk for half an hour then working hard to learn and feed him with the special bottle, sleeping for about two hours and waking up to do it again. 

Seth feeding Logan with a Haberman bottle.  In the end the
Mead-Johnson Cleft Lip/Palate Nurser worked best for Logan.

Throughout Logan’s stay we were graciously given a boarding room at the hospital.  In the beginning Seth and I took turns being home with Reyna and being at the hospital but it was too challenging to get enough milk ready to leave behind for a whole night without me.  Also in the beginning Logan was eating much better for me than Seth and not at all for the nurses.  It became up to me to get him home.  Seth would bring Reyna each day for a visit and would spend time with Logan as I treasured a bit of time with her.  We were also determined to do our best to avoid a surgically placed feeding tube for Logan.  With all he was dealing with already, we wanted to make the things we could as “typical” as possible for Logan.  We also knew with blindness food can be a wonderful sensory experience.  After 11 days Logan came home from the NICU.  He came home on the very first day of 2011.  Having our whole family home together was an incredible way to start the new year. 

Packing up to leave

Logan's last day in the NICU (for now) January 1st

Home!!