In response to at least one request, the Cerkas family has started a blog! Hopefully, this will help to keep all of our friends and family updated on the newest changes in our family!
The newest change happened on March 4, 2009 when Alena was born, officially making us a family! The birth was ok (as births go), but she had breathing problems immediately after she was born. She was whisked off to the nursery where she had a nurse watching over her for the next 24 hours. We didn't get much bonding time :(
The morning after she was born, her doctor decided that it was best for her to be transferred to the NICU at Aurora Baycare in Green Bay. A team of nurses came down to pick her up, and put her in an incubater "space capsule" after poking and proding her over and over! Luckily, Mommy was able to be discharged from the hospital within an hour of Alena leaving for GB!! So, we packed up quickly at home and drove to be with our new daughter.
We ended up staying at the hospital in a room in the hospital that was just like a hotel room, and very affordable!! Alena was on oxygen, IV fluids, and being monitored 24/7. The nurses would call our room every 3 hours or so for each time Alena seemed hungry, and we'd go to breastfeed. It was so hard to see this new baby hooked up to so many wires and knowing that what she needed more than anything was to go home for rest and recovery!
Eventually, she was weaned off of the oxygen before being allowed to go home on March 8! We had to hurry to get her out of the NICU because of an impending snowstorm (of course)! What a happy day for us all, even though Mommy cried!
The last week or so has been a challenge in and of itself! Alena doesn't really subscribe to any set schedule and sometimes wants to feed for 3 hours straight during the wee hours of the morning! Daddy went back to work Sunday night, but Grandma Hawkins came to stay that night to help Mommy out (and we thank the Lord that she did). Tonight will really be the test as we will have no visitors staying overnight and it will just be Mommy and Alena.
Anyway, that's a quick synapsis of the last 2 weeks. We'll be posting again soon and keeping everyone up to date :) It's naptime for now!
Congrats on Alena! Great pic of her. I'll be praying for her health, as well as your stamina to adjust to a completely crazy schedule.
ReplyDeleteHi Cerkas'!
ReplyDeleteI am really happy to read your blog. It is nice to hear more info about all that is going on. Just so you know, I am a blog stalker and love to read all my friends blogs, especially those who are a little further away like you guys. Love the name too - Family Cerkas - I remember the Family Circus comics. Anyway, know that you are in our thoughts and prayers as you start this new journey. May everything go well tonight as you are on your own Apryl!
Love,
Angie Hudy
We're so glad you started a blog! Keep the posts and pictures coming!! Hope tonight goes well for you alone with Alena. In the tough moments just remember that it WILL get better. She won't always want to stay up half the night and eat for hours on end. And you won't be completely exhausted forever. So happy for you guys!
ReplyDelete