Emotional toll

Just got a call from Dad. He gave me more details. All along, Katie has put on such a brave face and finally broke down tonight before she was transferred to the other wing. The nurses took a risk bringing Melanie to her, but did so that Katie could have a few more moments with her before being away from her angel for 5-7 days. Once finished with the Heparin (which serves 2 purposes: to keep the clot from moving and breaks down the clot) she'll have to take Cumidin (another blood-thinner) for 6 months. You cannot breastfeed on this medication. So they returned the breast pump and this was another difficult moment.

Dad says Katie's been running on adrenaline and will soon pass out. I'm not certain about the discharge prerequisites, but assume there will be a follow-up CAT Scan to see if the clot is gone and her temp will still need to stabilize. Another stressor on Katie and Brian's mind is the financial ramifications. When I asked about Brian Dad used the word "overwhelmed". He sits quietly, just staring and thinking with a troubled expression.

But the good news in all of this is that Melanie is super-healthy, managing well on her own and damn good looking! Formula is jam-packed with vitamins and minerals and Brian and Katie may qualify for WIC. And Melanie is not at a loss for TLC: she's got family to hold her and love on her around the clock! :)