Journal entry by Katy Kelch —
Hi Everyone,
What a crazy crazy couple weeks it has been. We are officially HOME! YAY!! We got discharged on July 6th and it has been crazy ever since! I have a little snapshot of how it went our last few days at the hospital.
We got moved over to L6 on June 28th and they let us know that discharge was soon on the horizon. So soon they were thinking that Monday. There was a lot to get in order before we left and we did end up pushing it out to July 6th. There was a lot of paperwork, training and trying to find a Minnesota oxygen company to work with. That week was very bittersweet for us. We really gained a wonderful family down in Iowa and saying goodbye to everyone was so incredibly hard. On July 6th we said our final goodbyes and headed home to Minnesota. My parents came down to help us with the move back home. It was the weirdest feeling walking our baby girl out of the hospital after 114 days. It was the longest car ride of our lives. It took us roughly 7 hours from discharge to get home. It is about a 4 hour drive normally. Once we got home we had oxygen training and then it was just us three. The first night was pretty scary. It was hard not having our wonderful nurses and doctors there if we needed them. We now were at home, which was in no way shape or form ready for a baby, and trying to figure out how to be parents at a home setting not hospital. We are still trying to figure it out and each day gets easier and easier. We have a home nurse that comes out a few times a week to check on her. We also have some resources from the local school district that will come out and help with her milestones and any therapy that she needs. We are still going through the house and getting it ready for a baby, even though she is here and just figuring out how to be parents. Fritz is happy to be home as well and has been quiet the snuggle bug. He isn't so sure about McKinley but I think once she can drop food on the floor they will be best friends.
We can't thank everyone enough for everything you all have done for us. The meal train, gofundme, gifts, cards and prayers that were sent. We are so happy to finally be home.
We do have to keep McKinley safe and healthy and really can't have visitors. Her immune system is weak and our main focus is to keep her healthy. We are hoping next spring/summer we can start bringing her out and about and that people will finally get to meet her.
Thank you again for all the love and prayers! We still need them as we navigate these next couple months. We can't thank you enough!
With lots of love,
Katy, Nick, McKinley and Fritz
What a crazy crazy couple weeks it has been. We are officially HOME! YAY!! We got discharged on July 6th and it has been crazy ever since! I have a little snapshot of how it went our last few days at the hospital.
We got moved over to L6 on June 28th and they let us know that discharge was soon on the horizon. So soon they were thinking that Monday. There was a lot to get in order before we left and we did end up pushing it out to July 6th. There was a lot of paperwork, training and trying to find a Minnesota oxygen company to work with. That week was very bittersweet for us. We really gained a wonderful family down in Iowa and saying goodbye to everyone was so incredibly hard. On July 6th we said our final goodbyes and headed home to Minnesota. My parents came down to help us with the move back home. It was the weirdest feeling walking our baby girl out of the hospital after 114 days. It was the longest car ride of our lives. It took us roughly 7 hours from discharge to get home. It is about a 4 hour drive normally. Once we got home we had oxygen training and then it was just us three. The first night was pretty scary. It was hard not having our wonderful nurses and doctors there if we needed them. We now were at home, which was in no way shape or form ready for a baby, and trying to figure out how to be parents at a home setting not hospital. We are still trying to figure it out and each day gets easier and easier. We have a home nurse that comes out a few times a week to check on her. We also have some resources from the local school district that will come out and help with her milestones and any therapy that she needs. We are still going through the house and getting it ready for a baby, even though she is here and just figuring out how to be parents. Fritz is happy to be home as well and has been quiet the snuggle bug. He isn't so sure about McKinley but I think once she can drop food on the floor they will be best friends.
We can't thank everyone enough for everything you all have done for us. The meal train, gofundme, gifts, cards and prayers that were sent. We are so happy to finally be home.
We do have to keep McKinley safe and healthy and really can't have visitors. Her immune system is weak and our main focus is to keep her healthy. We are hoping next spring/summer we can start bringing her out and about and that people will finally get to meet her.
Thank you again for all the love and prayers! We still need them as we navigate these next couple months. We can't thank you enough!
With lots of love,
Katy, Nick, McKinley and Fritz
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