A reason for hope

As I wrote here back in November last year, the 3 months when Eoin was in hospital were incredibly tough. I'll never forget the moment when a lifeless tiny grey lump fell onto the hospital bed. He was immediately whisked away by the NICU crash team (they had less than 20 minutes notice that a 26 weeker was on the way) with a GC score of just 3. He was incredibly poorly and it was 6 hours before we were even allowed to see him. Much of that day is now blanked forever. He was on a ventilator but I have no memory of seeing that. I remember going home and telling Eoin's siblings that he had been born. I have no idea when I went back to the hospital, who with and how long for. What followed was 3 months of daily commutes to the hospital. Bradys and desats became routine, the apneoa alarm going off commonplace and sleep something other people did!

This post though isn't intended to dwell on the past. Last week, and two days after I got back from Paris, Eoin was 3 years old. This is him:

Cutie, isn't he?! Not when he's fighting with his brother and sister he's not! The point though, is that despite everything we've been through, we have been incredibly lucky and have a 3 year old little boy to show for it. He had the terrible twos worse than his brother and sister. He's a tiny little fella (he's wearing some clothes that his brother wore at 12 months!). Overall though, he's doing pretty good considering the start he had in life. We know not all outcomes are as good as ours was (which is why we continue to raise awareness of neonatal issues) but hopefully this story will give hope to families out there who are going through something of what we experienced. It is hard not to, but don't dwell on what might have been, but thrive on what is.

Don't forget to check out my brand new blog Kill the Dragon!!