Everly Lou Nelson

First post: Mar 9, 2017 Latest post: May 19, 2017
     Callie & Shane Nelson were very excited to add to their family.  They were expecting their third child, a daughter, the end of May.  Mid February, Callie began spotting and experiencing contractions, was admitted to the hospital and stayed there for 8 days.  While in the hospital, they learned that Callie had a blood clot in her placenta.  She was sent home with strict instructions to stay in bed and limit lifting.  (That's not very easy to do when you already have a 2 year old & 9 year old!)  After a few days back home, the contractions began again and she was re-admitted. 

      On Thursday, March 2nd, Everly Lou Nelson decided to enter the world via an emergency C-section at 28 weeks old.  She weighed 2lbs., 7 oz. and was 15 1/2" long.  Everly is doing amazingly well and is surprising everyone.  


    " Everly's entrance into this world was a wild one! It's a hard thing to wrap your head around...what is she going to look like?  How small will she be?  Will she have all her parts?  Is she healthy at such an early age?!  Meeting your brand-new, very tiny baby for the first time in an isolette AKA incubator, all you want to do is hold her.  In reality, you can't hold her & all you can do is try not to completely break down.  You're beyond grateful she's made it this far, amazed by her strength in such a small package & immediately fall madly in love!  On the other hand, you're terrified, confused by all the tubes, IV's & breathing devices, medical words that you've never heard of before...again all in or on this tiny little person!

     Since the initial shock of her early arrival, we're now trying to navigate how to "do" this!?!  We, as her parents are allowed to visit 24/7.  With that being said, we have 2 other children to raise & hopefully not continue to disrupt their lives like we've had to do for almost 3 weeks now.  Trying to juggle visits w Everly, skin on skin cuddle time, pumping to get some of Mama's milk for our wonder baby, Charley's nap times/eating, a possible tantrum here or there, how to stand up & sit down w a fresh wound from an emergency c-section (you're supposed to rest...really, how?) back to our house, back to the hospital...has been tricky at best.  By the end of the day Shane & I sit & recap.  What did we even get done?!  How did I only hold her once ALL day?!  Did we make that one appointment?!  Do the kids at home have clean underwear washed?!  We leave each day feeling like we've run a marathon & with such heavy hearts knowing Everly is there with out her Mama & Daddy:( 

     On the up side(which we really keep trying to find!!!), we live 5-10 minutes from Abbott which is a HUGE help!  So we get up & do it again!  Some families live hours away & need to figure out lodging ON TOP of quitting their jobs & trying to juggle all the madness. We've learned of the Ronald McDonald House which is located in the hospital & has bedrooms for naps, overnight stays, a living room w toys & 3 meals available for free everyday!  That place is a game changer for this new hospital life of ours!  The BEST & BIGGEST highlight has been our little Miss Everly Lou💓!  She continues to surprise the Dr's & nurses daily!  They keep saying that she's doesn't realize she's such a micro primie;). The breathing tube was removed her 2nd day of life, that's a big deal!  Next day her C-PAP breathing device was removed, another big deal!  She has had a bit of jaundice off & on which has required bilirubin lights, now mostly off.  She also had 2 IV's (one was a PICC which ran from her forearm all the way to being right near her heart)in her arm which looked awfully uncomfortable!  Did you know a 28 wk old baby has veins the size of a piece of hair?!  They've since taken those out with in the past few days too!  The only "tube" in her body right now is her feeding tube!🙌.  She basically keeps doubling the amount of milk intake every other day! She's truly amazing!!!  

     At the end of the day I feel a bit like she's leading the way for us!  She's brave & so strong!  She just keeps fighting to get bigger & better, so how can we not try to follow her 2lb lead?!  Everyday this week has been something new to understand, something to new to accept, something new to let go of.  She's teaching us a lot!  I've never tried harder in my life to practice being in this very moment, realizing I'm not in charge of anything but how I decide to react & to literally savor each moment I get w Everly, Rocco, Charley & everyone else I love!!!  We've had great support from wonderful friends & family as well:) We will do our best to keep this CaringBridge site updated with Everly's daily miracles:).  I am one proud Mama & Shane's one proud Daddy, so I'm guessing we'll have to share & brag a bit;)

    Thank you to all that have reached out, visited & prayed for our family!  Please keep Everly in your thoughts❤️🙏❤️! "
               
            Our Sincere  Love & Appreciation,
                                Callie & Shane

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