Chisum’s Story {Part 4} The NICU & Healing

Read {Part 1} Patience
Read {Part 2} Strength & Miracles
Read {Part 3} Meeting Chisum

Chisum spent five days in the NICU. Each day we were there, the doctors said they wanted to keep him another day to observe him and run some more tests. This was unnerving and scary at the same time. What were they concerned about? What tests would they need to run? Was he going to be healthy?

So many questions rolled through my mind, but I was still in shock from Monday’s event that I wasn’t sure how to communicate these to the doctors as they whisked in and out. Thankfully, Ronny was there to step in and get more details from them. And the nurses were incredible to answer everything. I really felt like I was in a fog that week. Each day I felt better than the first – but looking back now, I was so weak and frail then. I was putting up a huge front.

Unfortunately, that is one of my weaknesses. I don’t accept help from others very easily and I try to act stronger than I really am. I needed so much help during those days. And Ronny, my parents and Ronny’s parents were my rock during that week.

The other people that were on our side were the NICU nurses. The Lord blessed these ladies with special gifts to not only take care of sick, little people, but also to comfort nervous, scared and hard-to-admit, weak parents.

The concerns the doctors had for Chisum were the unknowns from the tragic birth. They were specifically concerned with any blood infection, issues with his kidneys and liver, and most importantly – if he had any brain injuries. Test-after-test, we held our breath and prayed like never before. And God answered our prayers. Despite the odds, Chisum passed every test. When our Pastor came to visit on Wednesday, the nurse came in while he was there to give Chisum his hearing test. The testing machine she used wasn’t working properly at first. I kept thinking, “Lord, you brought Pastor Curt here at this time to be with us when we find out Chisum is deaf!”. I know Pastor Curt, Ronny and I were all praying during those few minutes and when the nurse said, “Oh, the machine just wasn’t working. He passed the test fine.”, we all could breathe again.

The power of prayer is simply incredible. During the quick events on Monday, there wasn’t time to ask anyone for prayers. But in those five days in the NICU, we felt overwhelmed with the peace that God gave us – and we know that is because so many of our family, friends, friends-of-friends and complete strangers were praying for us. Your prayers were felt and we thank you so much for them.

Looking back, I’m grateful for our NICU experience. Being first-time parents, we had no clue what we were doing despite the classes we took and books we read. We had a nurse in our room or right outside the hall 24/7. We received one-on-one help caring for Chisum, learning to take his temperature, what the monitors were doing and what the beeping meant, and how to feed him. I don’t doubt we wouldn’t have been taken care of on the post-partum floor, but the particular care and concern of the NICU nurses put Ronny and I at ease.

The struggle with this though, was being on different floors and having to take care of myself, along with our baby. As soon as I was done feeding Chisum, I’d have to go back up to the fifth floor to get my blood draw, vitals taken and pain meds. I’d have about 30 minutes for some rest before getting a call from the NICU nurse that Chisum was hungry. Down I’d go again, and then I’d have to go back up. It left little time for cuddling and bonding with my new little one!

I got discharged from my floor on Thursday afternoon. We were hopeful that Chisum might be as well – but they wanted to do an MRI on his brain that got moved to Thursday afternoon, which meant keeping him one more night for observation. Whatever it took to mean that our baby was ok and healthy was fine by me. So Ronny and I spent our first night as a family of three in the NICU room. I actually got more sleep there than in my room on the fifth floor. I believe the peace my heart felt had something to do with that.

Chisum was discharged the following afternoon after hearing that all of the tests were fine. Praise the Lord! We were so excited to get to come home and have a chance to heal.

How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. {Psalm 31:19}

Through all of our experiences, God provided for us. I really believe that He put us through this for a reason. And while that reason was not apparent at the time, we’ve been able to share our story many times – even in front of over 400 people at our church – to show that God’s providence is Sovereign and that only through Him can we expect miracles. If our story can change one person’s heart, then it was all worth it.

God taught Ronny and I so much during that week – and in the weeks since. He is our Provider and Sustainer. We were so weak, yet we sought Him and took refuge in Him and he provided for us. We have a healthy, miracle baby because God provided. Not because science said we proved the odds.

Only by of the Grace of God. Amen.