While I'm thinking about it, I thought this would be a perfect time to express our thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff at Cook Children's Hospital in Fort Worth, TX. It's kinda ironic that Wade had to be flown to this hospital from Baylor Irving Hospital where he was delivered. When Curtis and I were taking our hospital tour, we got to the doors leading to the surgical area, in front of one of the nurses stations. Our guide explained to us that if there was an emergency in which the hospital's NICU couldn't handle, the baby would have to be transported to another area hospital. The baby would have to go alone, and the father could follow. I remember so vividly telling Curtis that we didn't have to worry about that, and quite honestly, we were complaining about what a waste of time the tour was. So, we just half heartedly listened to what she had to say. After such a perfect pregnancy, who would've ever thought Wade would take his first helicopter ride within a couple hours of his birth!!
Thank goodness for Cook's! At the time--don't know if things have changed in a year--Cook's was the only hospital in our area that had the cooling blanket and technology to try to stop any further brain damage. (Parkland Hospital is also equipped, but they don't take transfers.) Thank goodness Wade qualified for this wonderful new technique. In fact, Wade is only the 300th and some baby to have the full body hypothermia treatment and only the 5th baby at Cook's!!!
The doctor's at Baylor tried to explain what was going to happen, but quite honestly no one was really too familiar with how the whole process worked. We were still very much on edge. Then Curtis was finally able to go over to Cook's. He talked to Dr. Nedrelow, Wade's NICU doctor, and he said he felt a lot better about what was going on. He was very confident in Dr. Nedrelow's ability, and he loved his bed side manner. Come to find out, he was also one of the doctor's who introduced the cooling blanket to the hospital. So, thank you Dr. Nedrelow for being such a compassionate, understanding, and knowledgeable doctor.
Besides Dr. Nedrelow, Wade had many nurses who took wonderful care of him during his stay. In fact one evening Curtis and I went up to the hospital, and he wasn't in his crib!!! One of the nurses had him on a "field trip"! Typically, most of the baby's in the NICU are premature, but Wade was full term, weighing in at 8lbs, 12oz! Since Wade was so big and, at the time, not hooked up to a bunch of tubes, they decided to let him out and play! Everyone was so good to him. I pray that no one reading this ever has to experience a NICU stay, but I was okay going home at night because I knew Wade was in such wonderful hands.
Dr. Nedrelow
Our favorite nurse, Kayla!
I got to touch Wade for just a moment before he left.
Being transported to the helicopter.
Take off!
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