The Priors... EPISODE TWENTY

5.27 am 14th February

 The nurse arrives at Sarah's room and Neal helps Sarah into a wheelchair.  He can't help but laugh at Sarah's sexy socks!

 Then they make there way up to SCBU.

 As they approached SCBU the nurse explains that the baby will have a lot of machines around her and these are mostly just a precaution

When they arrive at the door to SCBU they are met by Dr Peter's. The nurse introduces him "This Dr Peter's he will be looking after your daughter, now if I can leave you in his safe hands I will see you later"

 On entering the room they are still a little taken aback by the amount of machines and the bleep, bleep bleeps all around there little girl.

 "If you can just put on these gowns and wash your hands...It's for the babies safety, to keep as many germs as we can away!" As the doctor is talking he puts on a gown and hands two to Neal and Sarah

There in her incubator covered in bubble wrap with tubes from every orifice is there daughter. Sarah's hand finds itself being clasped tightly by Neal's. Both are lost for words. In the end Neal manages to ask...

 "Bubble wrap? Can't the hospital afford blankets?"
(OK, so he's a man, not the sharpest tool in the box)

The doctor smiles " We find it keeps the babies warmer and when they are this small they don't have a lot of fat on them, plus quite often the have not developed the ability to shiver!"

 "Oh!" Neal looks more confused."And the blue light? And why are her eyes covered????
"She will be linked to monitors to continuously check her condition and given oxygen or light therapy as needed exposure to blue light breaks down bilirubin in the blood, which causes jaundice!" The doctor replies
They move in closer and Sarah turns to the doctor "Can we touch her?"

 "Yes, of course it's very important that she knows you are here." The doctor opens a little flap at the side of the incubator and Sarah hesitantly puts her hand in.
She places it gently on her daughters hand. Sarah looks up first at Neal who is looking totally gob smacked and then at the doctor "She's so very tiny? I don't even know her weight? Can to tell us more about what's happening? How long she will be in here? When can I pick her up? What about breast feeding?" Sarah's questions come tumbling out

"Well she weighs 4lb 10oz which is about 2.25kg so while a little under the 5lb rule she is doing well. As I said we are monitoring her heart and breathing so far she is doing very well. Try to express breast milk so that she receives her nutrients and protective antibodies and you can establish your milk supply, we can arrange for you to have a breast pump for now."

 Looking at the heart monitor "I seams very fast?" says Sarah 
"Yes, babies heart rates are faster but she is doing fine" Dr Peters says reassuringly
"What about picking her up? When will she be out of here and how long does she need all this for?" Neal motions around the room

 "Well, we hope you will be able to hold her tomorrow. As I said, contact is important so as soon as possible. We don't know how long exactly, it all depends on how she progresses!"
They all stand there for a while then Neal asks how often they can visit?
"Oh, you are welcome any time we have no time limits in here! I'll leave you for now and let you get to know your daughter, by the way do you have a name for her?"
They look at each other "No, not yet!"
The doctor looks at Sarah who is now looking totally exhausted "May I suggest that you get some sleep soon Mrs Hage?"

 "Yes, come on Sarah lets get you back to your room we can come back later!" Neal can see how exhausted Sarah looks too! Sarah smiles and nods her head

As they are leaving the room they look out of the window. It's dawn and the sun is just rising the dawn chorus can just be heard through the triple glazed window

 They both look at each other big cheesy grins on there faces
"I've thought of a name!"
"So have I!"

"Dawn!" they say together....... "a new day... a new beginning.....a new life" Sarah says turning to Neal
(very profound for someone who's just gone through the weirdest 12 hours of her life)