I celebrated an anniversary this week.
The 12th year since my son came home from the hospital after nearly not surviving his first 24 hours.
His “Coming Home Day” from the NICU is my happiest anniversary.
It is a day that chokes me up every single year - even 12 yrs later.
1/
The 12th year since my son came home from the hospital after nearly not surviving his first 24 hours.
His “Coming Home Day” from the NICU is my happiest anniversary.
It is a day that chokes me up every single year - even 12 yrs later.
1/
I remember the entirety of the morning in the crispest of HD.
The temperature. The sky. The slow drive home careful to not bounce around my 5 pound 12 ounce peanut in his seat.
2/
The temperature. The sky. The slow drive home careful to not bounce around my 5 pound 12 ounce peanut in his seat.
2/
My son has two tiny scars on the side of his chest.
They are nearly invisible now. One is two tiny holes like needle marks.
One is a tiny line where they ran a tube through his tiny ribs to aspirate air in his chest from a lung that had torn and collapsed.
3/
They are nearly invisible now. One is two tiny holes like needle marks.
One is a tiny line where they ran a tube through his tiny ribs to aspirate air in his chest from a lung that had torn and collapsed.
3/
My son doesn’t notice them.
Me though... whenever I see them, almost unconsciously, I trace my fingers over them.
I don’t know why. I just do. They’re talismans of sorts. Tiny traces of great risk that resolved to the greatest of fortune.
4/
Me though... whenever I see them, almost unconsciously, I trace my fingers over them.
I don’t know why. I just do. They’re talismans of sorts. Tiny traces of great risk that resolved to the greatest of fortune.
4/
They remind me of my boundless thankfulness for the kindness and care of 28 doctors and nurses.
12 hours after my son was born, I stood at an elevator bank in the hospital shell-shocked by his crash.
I can see it so clearly even today, I can still FEEL it.
5/
12 hours after my son was born, I stood at an elevator bank in the hospital shell-shocked by his crash.
I can see it so clearly even today, I can still FEEL it.
5/
I stood there without even pressing a button thinking to myself “My god, what if he doesn’t make it?”
He did. And this week marked the anniversary of the day he came home.
It is my happiest anniversary. Every single year. My single happiest milestone. Every year.
6/6
He did. And this week marked the anniversary of the day he came home.
It is my happiest anniversary. Every single year. My single happiest milestone. Every year.
6/6
