What Sara's road to recovery might look like

The past week has been a blur. It's hard to believe last Monday Graeme was still inside Sara and both of us were at work. Sara's medical team is so impressed with her progress, but we still have a long road to recovery. The gap between her darkest hours and normal health is large, but we're making giant steps.

What will Sara's road to recovery look like?

Sara is eating solid foods again and all of her bodily functions are functioning again. We were going to breastfeed, but after the trauma Sara experienced her milk has not come in. It may never come in. Her doctors say Sara may come home by Friday, but her nurses in the mother-baby unit at Mercy think it may be sooner. We're in no rush.

The support team has already sprung to action, bringing meals, doing yardwork, cleaning dishes, taking care of other needs around the house, and making other donations. It is so much easier to give than to receive. Your support and generosity overwhelms us. We look forward to paying it forward.

Bringing Graeme to Sara

Saturday morning I drove home to Grinnell to pick up Graeme and bring him to Sara. After saying hello to my dad and the girls, my brother and I drove to the hospital to get Graeme. Sara's anesthesiologist, Alex, happened to be in the OB unit. We hugged and cried. She was so glad to hear Sara was doing so well. I was so thankful she did so much to save Sara's life.

After many thank yous and goodbyes to the OB nurses in Grinnell and a car seat check, Uncle Chris drove Graeme and me to Des Moines. When we presented Graeme, Sara beamed.

The first night away from Grinnell Regional was a little rough, just as it was with our two girls, but we found our rhythm yesterday. We can't wait to be a family of five, home together.

meeting Graeme, basic needs, overwhelming gratefulness

Yesterday, as I was finishing lunch, a special little guy knocked  on my door.  I was so excited to see him that I cried.  I held Graeme for some time, and loved every second of it.  Pictures are great, facetime is wonderful, but holding my little guy, who I only met in passing?  Wow.

His Uncle Chris (and Dave and the ob department in Grinnell) did such an awesome job loving on him this week that I didn't ask to hold him a lot yesterday, because I think Chris needed to do that.  In fact, I think Graeme may have had some withdrawal last night.  I am so glad that Chris could do that, so our little guy would not be alone.  

The hospital has been great, but the differences between a city hospital and Grinnell are noticeable.  There is no massage therapist here, and I was lamenting that, and we didn't get our "Special" steak dinner, so the Grinnell team sent gift certificates for each of those.  We got a card from one of our ultrasound techs with cash in it to help with whatever we need.  So sweet.  They also sent a CD with pictures of Graeme's first few days, and sent a list of all his visitors.  My Grandma said she got to hold him for 45 minutes and they were so nice to her during that time.  The staff here at Mercy is great.  They get what I need, respond quickly when I call, and are thorough.  I feel very well cared for.

Apparently things are doing okay at home.  I knew I had some vegetables ready to process and wasn't sure if that had happened, when we got a call yesterday from the person dropping off our first meal.  She noticed there were vegetables that needed to be taken care of and asked if that would be okay.  

Dan's parents and the girls came last night.  They seemed to be okay.  Slane was a bit hyper and Hanna was very sleepy, but it was still good to see my girls.  I think if they come again we need to remember to have toys on hand.  Mike and Debbie kind of had to just figure things out and I think they have done a good job with that.  

I am still overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers.  Dan had befriended a sweet Amish lady when I was in the ICU and she stopped by yesterday to check on me.  Cash is coming in from people we barely know.  Things are being taken care of and I am not stressed about much except getting better.  A doctor from my OB team was here earlier and projects that I will be send home mid to late next week.  It sounds like it is really up to the ICU team, but that makes sense.  I am planning to take more leave than I thought, because I really need to feel good to go back to taking care of my three kiddos and teaching my 500 kiddos.  For now, I'm thrilled to be able to nap as needed, get out of the bed by myself, and play with my breathing machine.

- Sara

Sara progresses, Graeme goes to Des Moines!

Today was a great day. Sara walked, moved out of ICU to the Mother-Baby Unit at Mercy (room 2033), and started eating liquids. The best news of all is that they will let Graeme stay with Sara and me at the hospital.

We've already had a few visitors here. We will be here at least through the weekend. Visitors are welcome. Sara's condition continues to improve, but her energy and stamina are still weak. Though we can't wait to hold Graeme (Facetime is amazing, but no substitute for real cuddles), we still have a very long road to recovery. We also have to find our rhythm together as a family of five.

Sara's recovery has been so rapid it seems hard to believe that just Tuesday we experienced the joys and terrors of childbirth. Life is so fragile. The ability of the human body to stretch its limits amazes me.

Your prayers, thoughts, and encouragement carried us through our darkest hours on Tuesday. They continue to sustain us. Thank you so much.

Sara speaks, leaves ICU

Sara here. (Dan is my typist.) I'm transferring from ICU to the Mother-Baby Unit on the 2nd floor, east wing at Mercy in Des Moines. It's okay to come and visit me, though I may be napping. Bring toenail polish - my toes are a mess and I have to wear hospital socks.

I walked all the way to the end of the hallway and back. It felt good. Really good.

I am eating. It's all liquid, and that's okay. It's been a while since I've been this excited about jello. Maybe first grade.

They removed my catheter and I peed on my own this morning. I had a bath (sort of). It's a container of heated baby wipes marked "bath".

I did Facetime with Graeme this morning. He was cute and cuddly, making little baby faces in his sleep. His Uncle Chris does such a good job with him.

All your prayers and messages have been incredibly humbling. They are obviously working because ...here we are. Thank you.

My goodness, we're going to be blown away with so much help and support with Graeme and the girls. I don't know how we're going to show people how we appreciate it as much as we do.

 - Sara

How to help

Many people have asked how they can help us. Gracious friends are coordinating support for us, led by Chris Day. Details are on the Help MamaCue Facebook group. Please join it if you are interested in helping out. In addition:

• If you attend First Presbyterian Church, talk with Marlene Peak.
• If you work with Dan or Sara, talk with their supervisors.
• If you are an Eveland (or associate with one), talk with Shelli Eveland.
• If you are a Hoksbergen (or associate with one), talk with Carol Hoksbergen.
• if you attend Bethel CRC, talk with Shelli Eveland.

If you are none of the above, join the Help MamaCue Facebook group or contact David Eberbach.

How is Sara?

Sara's status and outlook has improved dramatically over the past 48 hours. She remains in ICU at Mercy in Des Moines. Her medical team has removed her drainage tube and she has started eating ice chips, the first things she has taken orally since a glass of milk Monday night. Her vitals are normal and her doctors are quite pleased with her progress. She may begin taking liquids and her first post-surgery walk tomorrow.

She stood up and sat in a chair twice today. Her nurses (Melissa, Nikki, Linda, and Tabitha), other medical staff and visitors (parents, siblings, in-laws, niece, nephew, friends, and the girls) have kept her spirits up.

How is Graeme?

Graeme is also doing well, receiving love, cuddles, and attention from his ob nurses and visitors. His big sisters met him for the first time last night. He and his Uncle Chris have video chatted with us several times. Graeme will come home Saturday. We will post more pictures soon!

Thank you.

Thank you for all your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. They have sustained us.

Sara doing better

 "You keep trying to pick a fight, but I'm still just happy you're alive." - Bob Parr (Mr. Incredible), The Incredibles, 

No, Sara has not tried to pick a fight, but I am still just happy she's alive. Her medical team is beginning to wean her off of oxygen and blood pressure medication. They are also giving her medication to manage her pain. Sara is resting frequently, but fully alert and communicating. She is able to move all her limbs.

We thank everyone who has said a prayer, lifted us up in their thoughts, and shared words of encouragement through a variety of communication channels. It has given us strength knowing so many care for Sara and Graeme's well-being. It's humbling, too. 

The four questions I hear most frequently are:

1. How are Graeme and Sara doing? They are doing well. 
2. How do you pronounce Graeme? Like the cracker (if you're a foodie) or the unit of measurement (if you're a geek).
3. What caused the bleeding? This is a question that Sara and I have given little thought to now. This was Sara's fourth pregnancy and third c-section. We knew that there would likely be bleeding following delivery. The uterine wall was so thin in places, I could Graeme in the womb. (I'm told this is not normal). Fortunately, her medical teams in Grinnell and Des Moines took actions that stopped the bleeding and saved her life. I have spoken with a few friends who have gone through this and they had the same experiences we had. 
4. When will Sara hold Graeme? Soon. The Ob department and family and friends in Grinnell are doing a great job lovin' on Graeme. The ICU at Mercy in Des Moines is doing a great job with Sara, but we don't know yet when she will come home.
5. What can I do to help? We are working on a support plan for when Sara and Graeme come home. We'll share details in a future post - stay tuned.

The recovery begins

Great news: Sara is awake, alert, and communicating. She is off of her ventilator and breathing on her own. Her blood pressure is holding stable without medication. She even stood up, though she said it was painful. She says she felt like she's been hit by a bus.

Before they removed the ventilator, she responded with nods, squeezes, and facial gestures. She also wrote three notes to me: "tube out", "choke", and "gag". That's when I spoke to her nurse, Melissa, about removing Sara's breathing tube.

Sara is recuperating at Mercy hospital in Des Moines. She's not ready to accept visitors just yet. Many thanks to Melissa and Nikki her nurses here. Thanks also to all the doctors, nurses, techs, and staff that have cared for her.

And thanks to you for your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement.