We love our NURSES!

I started this post a few days ago, so the date is wrong, but I am posting Day 89 (Saturday 6/23)update: Before I do the rest of the post, I'll update you real quick. We are 5 lbs. 9.1 oz! He is doing better on his bottles. His head scan Friday showed that his head stayed about the same. Obviously we are wanting it to shrink, but we are thankful that it was not worse. We'll just keep praying! Thanks so much for your prayers. We really feel like GOD will heal his head. We know he has the power, we are just asking him to use his power for this healing. Ok, I'll continue with my nurses blog.

Before I was a parent, I remember hearing people talk about how much it meant when other people loved their children. This experience has given us a chance to experience that in a major way. Not only have we learned how much it means for people to love our babies, but we also have learned the love we have for the people who have taken care of our babies. The kicker here is that these people don't HAVE to love our babies. Their job is to take Dr's orders and meet the basic physical needs of our children. These people have gone far beyond the call of duty. Not only have they taken care of our babies, but they have taken care of all of us grown ups too! They have chosen to give more than is asked of them and truly love our babies. I find comfort in knowing that Jayde felt so much love from her nurses while she was here and I know without a doubt that the love these people have shown Kanyon has given him strength to keep going! So...this blog is my poor and futile attempt at thanking these people--Our nurses and Doctor. I want everyone to see this because I want everyone to know how thankful we are and I want you to thank GOD for these people. Now, before I continue, I will say...I don't have a picture of all of them. It is almost impossible to get pictures and now that we've moved to IMC there are new nurses I need to get pictures of. So, this is not a complete "album" but if I waited until I got everyone, I may never do this.





Terry! Terry has been with us a lot. She knows "micro Kanyon" and just the other night got to take care of 5 pound Kanyon. She is calm and informative and has answered LOTS of our questions. For some reason, I remember that Terry is who explained to me the progression of poop. She told me all the different stages to expect to see. Ha! Ha! Terry is a traveling nurse, so she is about to be done here in Longview and go somewhere else. We will miss her!


Melissa has managed to make it on lots of blogs! This is her putting Kanyon back in bed after my mom held him. She has also been with us from the beginning. I remember her having Kanyon a lot that first week. She knows Kanyon very well and that makes her very valuable! We needed her in Dallas! She is so sweet and gentle with all of us. She loves Kanyon and has gone the extra mile over and over with him. When our babies were born, she had just found out she was having a baby, so we're sharing a fun time with her. She is responsible for giving Kanyon his first bottle!!! She was there the day we left for Dallas and was so good. I am so thankful for her and how good she's been to ALL of us. She will be a great Mom!

Shelbi is one of the ladies that got Kanyon through the nights. She was always very attentive and talked so sweet to him! She always kept his womb sounds bear on to help him breathe.

THIS is THE MAN!! Dr. Chris!!! Or "Daddy Chris" as the nurses call him. He is amazingly gifted with knowledge and wisdom, but he is also gifted with compassion, patience, the ability to teach, and the capacity to love so many children at once. We are so very thankful for him and we know that GOD has worked through him as he's taken care of Kanyon and so many other babies. I remember when I was in the delivery room and things were crazy to say the least. I remember everyone asking "Where's Chris??!" over and over and as soon as I had Jayde I heard someone say "There he is..good timing Chris!" I remember thinking, "Who is Chris and why does he need to be here so bad!?" Now I know and I am so very thankful that he was there as soon as the babies were born. He spent countless extra hours at the hospital those first days with Jayde and Kanyon. Around the clock he was there taking care of them and keeping us posted. He worked so hard to save our babies. For that we are forever grateful. We love to hear Dr. Chris talk...we think Kanyon might pick up his Nigerian accent and we love to hear Dr. Chris laugh. He is a very kind and generous man. THANK YOU!

Peggy and Louis- Peggy had the babies at first quite a bit and hasn't had Kanyon in a long time, but she's been there watching cheering him on. Louis on the other hand didn't have Kanyon at all until the last month or so and she has been with him quite often. She put him in his open crib for the first time!! That was a big move!

This is Tracey..funny thing is I don't think she's ever technically had Kanyon, but she's has been very good to him and we enjoy her so much. Even though she hasn't officially taken care of him, she has taken good care of him UNofficially!
Lisa is so very nice, but our time with her was short...She had him for a few days, and then she hasn't had him since. She was wonderful.
Good ol' Jim. For some reason, anytime I refer to Jim, I call him Jim the Nurse. Jim the nurse has been with us from the start and has been very wise. He has not only taken an interest in Kanyon's health, but in mine and Kory's "health" too. That means so much to us to have someone looking out for us as we're riding this crazy roller coaster. Kanyon particularly is thankful for Jim because it gives him a break from all the WOMEN!!! Jim and Kanyon-- Man to Man! I'm sure it is refreshing for Kanyon! :) As if all of those things weren't good enough, Jim is responsible for those priceless first family pictures of me holding Kanyon. When he realized I hadn't held him yet, he got everything ready and insisted upon that!! That day was UNFORGETTABLE and we thank Jim for making that memory for us! Today Jim came to visit Kanyon in IMC and Kanyon was responding to Jim SO much. He was grabbing his finger and looking when he was talking to him. It was crazy! He knew his buddy Jim.

This is Wendi..she had Kanyon for several nights just before he moved to IMC. She is so gentle and sweet. Just the other night Wendi came over to IMC and kept him. It was so fun! Kanyon is excited for her since she's getting married in October!

This is Kathy. Kathy is very special. She was Kanyon's very first nurse. She was right there in the OR when he was born and has been with him through the ups and downs that have come since that night. She is SO smart and has been one that we have asked LOTS of questions. She is a little silly and has shared her spunk with Kanyon. She got him his very first teeny tiny thumby. I changed my first diaper with her, She moved him to his isolette, she turned off his oxygen (that was a good thing), she let Kory hold Kanyon for the first time, she has taken so many fun pictures of all that goes on during those night shifts, the list goes on and on. Kathy has been irreplaceable! Kanyon is working extra hard so that he can RUN to her at our NICU reunions. If Kathy is reading this, she knows what I'm talking about. We can't wait for that day!

This is Amanda. Another special friend. She was Jayde's very first nurse. She was there in the OR too and worked so hard with Jayde and Kanyon. She is so peppy and smart. She too works nights, so we've enjoyed visiting with her and we've been so thankful for her warmth and love for our babies. I think Kathy and Amanda have the ability to truly appreciate the progress that has been made over the last 3 months since they were there that very first second. I am so thankful for Amanda and I look forward to her being Kanyon's practitioner when he's a big boy.

This is Jody. She has been a night nurse until recently. Now she works days and confuses me! She is so gentle and patient. She was there the night we lost Jayde and that makes her very special to us. She has been very loving and helpful to all of us. Her experience is amazing! We always felt very comfortable when Jody had Kanyon at night. He was in good hands!
This is Debbie. Debbie has had Kanyon off and on the whole time. And the great thing is she's one nurse that has "gone with him" to IMC!! She's had him lots and lots lately and Kanyon is pretty fond of her! She has the sweetest voice and works so hard helping him learn to eat (and helping mom learn to feed). We love Debbie!!!

Like I said before, this is not everyone! There are others that have been so great! Helen, Ellen, Kim, Stephanie, Taz,...oh I'm afraid I'm forgetting people...I know I am. But, we just wanted to say thank you to all of them. GOD has given us grace and mercy through these hard times. We know these people are mercies sent from GOD to help us through this. Thank you girls!!! (and Jim and Dr. Chris!)