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I got released from the hospital on Saturday afternoon.  I had been there for 9 days.  It was good to feel the sun.  It was a weird feeling though to leave the hospital.  Room 473 had been my "safe zone" for over a week and it was nice to have a place to stay just a few minutes from Lorena.  My nurse Mary told me that those feelings were normal.  Mary said that one woman was there for 3 months on bedrest and they practically had to force her to leave her room everyday.  Bedrest can definitely play mind tricks on you!

Dan and I spent the night at home on Saturday night and went to see Lorena today.  She has had stable days on Saturday and Sunday.  She still is slightly jaundice (even though I don't think she looks yellow at all) but is only under one light instead of two lights like she was on Friday.  She is still breathing on her own but is receiving air constantly and oxygen periodically through her nostrils.  She does not like keeping the tubes in her nostrils so they had to put a headband on her to keep them in place.  With the headband, goggles to protect her from the bilirubin light, and cap, you can barely see her face.  I don't like not being able to see her face but I know this is what she needs now.  She now has an IV in her arm instead of the IV in her belly button.  She also is still receiving antibiotics for her infection.  Also, they started feeding her today.  She will get 3 milliliters of milk twice a day for now.  She has lost some weight in the last few days (which is normal) and is down to around 2 pounds 4 ounces.

4 days old

Lorena has had several visitors.  Aunt Laura and Uncle Kevin (Dan's sister and her husband) were there on Saturday and brought her a stuffed baby doll.  Joel and Kjersty Christy (Joel is Dan's friend from college) came today and brought some adorable pink camo bibs.  Cousin Heather Hiesterman also dropped by to meet her, as she was on her way home from her road trip across the US.

One of the nurses told me that most 28 week preemies are on ventilators and tubes to help them breathe.  She told me that Lorena's lungs are way beyond 28 weeks!  I know that part of her lung development is due to the steroids and medicine given to me when I got to the hospital on September 29.  However, prayers are the main reason she is doing so well.  God has been with us this whole journey and He will guide us in the days ahead. ~ Lydia