We're movin on up!

To the TOP! To a deeee-luxe apartment in the sky!

So maybe it's a big bed in Three West, one floor up from the ICU, but it's a big move up.  I think I could have chronicled most of this experience with quotations from 70's pop culture, the 70's had its share of adversity and struggle and joy and hope. For those of you who don't understand the title of this post or the first few lines try researching Lenny Kravitz' mother (the apostrophe police {I know who you are} would come down on me whether I added the "s" or not).

 Losing the wrist IV!

 Wrapped and prepped for the big move upstairs.

 Big bed, itty bitty baby.

 Where are we goin'?

"It was sooo much work getting here Mom, two floors, long hallways...

 I need some rest.

 but I finally triumphed!"

 What the?  Car seat study. Gabriel will probably start school in Junior High rather than kindergarten after all the Stanford studies he's completed prior to 1 month of age.

 Removing the picc line from his ankle. Last of the IV's!

 Mom had to dress him up!

 Getting strapped in for a "swallow study."  He's given a bottle of barium to drink while being x-rayed, the occupational therapist can then watch exactly where the barium goes, either esophagus (stomach=good) or trachea (lungs=bad).

 Tough to photograph an x-ray screen.

Mouth and throat parts. He passed! Stuff went down the right pipe.

Gabriel's "zipper" the only stitches left are a few where the chest tubes were. Those will be removed on Monday.  Beth looks at the stitches and gets sad, her baby that started life looking so perfect is all marred up. I try and remind her that without those marks this little baby wouldn't be here. He should not have lived, those are beauty marks that remind us how lucky we are he completed so many studies at Stanford and how fortunate we are to be here at this fabulous hospital where they do leave little beauty marks on his body. Originally we were supposed to be discharged today (Saturday) but Gabriel lost a little weight Thursday night so we've been extended to Monday (they want to show 3 days of weight gain). Beth and I are splitting bedside duties. I pull 8pm to 4am, she wakes early and relieves me so I can go home and sleep to about 10am. We're looking forward to bringing Gabriel home for many reasons. We are also looking forward to seeing the kids tomorrow! Grandpa and Grandma will stop in Palo Alto on their way home to the beautiful gem state so we can say goodbye to our two other kids. Keep them all in your prayers and thoughts as they travel home.