great expectations

sorry for the lag in posting. i guess you could say it hasn't been my top priority as we're learning to live in this new world we've been thrown into. i'm trying my best to stay positive and hopeful about the future. and to remember that we won't be given more than we can handle. i have to admit, i've already felt like it was more than i can handle. but then i try to stop, breath and put one foot in front of the other. sometimes it helps. sometimes, i continue to feel like we're living in an alternate universe. and sometimes i think i'll wake up from this horrible dream at any minute. but i know it's not a dream. and for the love of our sweet baby, we must march on. so with all these mixed emotions, it's been tough to wrangle a clear enough thought to write a simple blog post. but here goes anyway.

every day we get so many emails, calls and texts asking how emmy is, how we are, how everything is. i guess the universal answer is "ok". all is as good as can be expected considering the situation. emmy remains in the hospital. she is doing well, but our big hurdle continues to remain how she will develop over the long haul. keep in mind her brain was injured. the part that was injured controls her motor development. it's tough to say how much effect this will have on her when she is this young. currently, it's causing her problems with eating, sucking and swallowing to be specific. this is something she can learn, but it will take a great deal of work. she's been working on it every day. we have some good days and some bad days. in the meantime, she will be getting a feeding tube surgically inserted in her belly to ensure she continues to get proper nutrition. we pray this is not permanent, but rather just a stepping stone.

other developmental delays, if any, won't surface until down the road. so it's just a wait and see situation.

as for when she'll come home. we also don't know the answer to this question. her feeding tube surgery is planned for next thursday. provided that goes well and she recovers quickly, i'd guess she'd be home in the week or two following. but doctors really haven't given us a schedule. i guess there is no rush. although fearful of what it'll be like when she comes home, part of me can't wait to get her here. endless hours at the nicu have worn heavy on my heart and soul. and really, we are just ready to get her home and move forward with our lives, no matter how different that may be.

on a final note, words cannot express how grateful we are for the outpouring of love, support and donations that our friends, family and even complete strangers have showered us with. thank you doesn't seem like enough of a sentiment to convey how appreciative we truly are.