We'll All Be Fine

We're recovering well from our difficult birth. My docs want me on their monitors until they're sure my blood pressure won't spike again. The little guy's docs want him on their monitors until they're sure his breathing and blood sugar are stable. These reasonable medical demands would be a lot easier for me to live with if they didn't mean separation from my newborn.

I could try to articulate how much this separation sucks, but that wouldprobably b e gratuitous.

Instead, I will turn my attention to things that went right.

My kid and I survived, with sunny prognoses. Dan and I worked harmoniously as a team through some very hard hours, and everyone we have counted on for support has come through beautifully. My pain management regimen is working. The hospital staff really are trying to make our situation more humane. Dan's been able to spend a lot of time in the special care nursery, so our new little guy at least has one familiar voice for company.

We're lucky, dammit. Lucky.

I'd feel luckier if I could be with my baby for more than half an hour out of every five.