Dalley's Dialogue - Coming Home

I'M OUTA HERE!!!!

My sentence has been served. My goals have been reached. The boxes have been checked. Good-byes have been said. Tears have been shed.

The time came to say good-bye to the NICU. 

I got released on Saturday, May 27. I am not sure which day will be more celebrated in the future. My birthday, December 20? Or my release date, May 27? Maybe I'll make mom throw me two birthday parties.

My real birthday was not a happy day. But my second birthday is!

I was sad to say good-bye to all of my friends in the NICU. I asked everyone to come get a picture of me on my last day. .... but some of them refused to come in on their day off. Can you believe that?? I even begged.... but most declined my request.

It really hurt my feelings.

But I got my picture with a few of them......

My "NICU aunt" Hollie came to say good-bye to me.

This is Alisa and Tammie. They were the very first nurses I ever had. They took care of me the second I was born. 

This is my nurse Lisa. I will miss charting with her. I really got to read up on some top secret information when we worked together.

This is nurse Shanda. She helped keep my mom calm the night that I got really sick.... You remember the night? I refer to it as...."the night that the lights almost went out in Georgia".....

Good-bye nurse Jane. Thanks for teaching me about "Somewhere Over the Rainbow"... and I can't wait to go shoe shopping!

Good-bye Lori, the RT.

Good-bye Erika the NNP. She introduced mom to the most DELICIOUS cookies... that I got to indulge in second hand.

Nurse Lisa again!

Rebecca the RT. She reminded mom of my grandma that is in Heaven.

Nurse Libby said good-bye to me too. I like nurse Libby... even though she spells my name wrong... ahem.... ahem.... Dalley Raye.... not Dalley Rae..... ahem ahem...

Good-bye nurse ....soon to be NNP, Dallin!

Good-bye Nurse Jeanette! She is actually an NNP now. I was her last primary baby! Score! And.... She's the only one that came in on her day off to say good-bye to me.

I had to say goodbye to Amy the day before. Good-bye nurse Amy!

Good -bye NNP Mindy!

These pictures don't even cover half of the awesome people that helped me while I was growing in the NICU. If mom would have been thinking about it... she would have gotten a picture with every single one of them. They're the best... and I miss them. 

I also said good-bye to my personal trainer, Beatrice. 

But after a while... the good-byes became lengthy.

I was ready to go... so I threw a major tantrum... I screamed.... "COME ON! LET'S GO!"

.... They put me into my chair...

And the long drive home began.

On our drive.. another stranger showed up... and stared at me. ......JUST LIKE BEATRICE DID!!!!

I said.. "Hey! Who are you? What do you want? Who sent you? Who you been talkin' to?"

Again... they just stared. They said nothing....

I think it might be another spy.. or another trainer... perhaps they work with Beatrice and they're going to make sure I keep up on my training since Beatrice stayed behind at the NICU to train other babies......

I think I'll let them stay. .....But I'm still keeping my eye on them!

The ride home was very STRESSFUL! You people drive like maniacs!



And....Dad's kind of a crazy driver........

At one point, it just became too scary to even look. I had to cover my eyes.

Finally..... we got home!

Things WERE going so great!

I was snuggling a lot with dad....

Snuggling with mom......

Eating our first family meal together....

Taking naps with dad......

(check it out... me and dad sleep the same.)

Snuggling as a family....

Taking baths.....

Playing with all of my toys.....

I even went on my first walk outside!... Which I liked for approximately 7 minutes. 

And then I was ready to go back home. But I did see some cool stuff on my first trip outside. 

(The running stream made me wet my diaper.)

Like I said.... Things WERE awesome!

But 2 days after I got released.... Mom got a cold.... and then 3 days after that...mom gave ME her cold....

And it turns out.... I am too fragile for even a tiny little cold.

My tiny cold landed me back on the inside. 

A 3 AM trip to the emergency room is not my idea of a good time!

I thought it was just going to be a quick trip... but they tried to lock me up...AGAIN!

But I raised my first of defiance and I refused. 

I declared... "YOU WILL NEVER TAKE MY FREEDOM!" 

"AT DAWN I RIDE!"

They finally listened to me and I was only in the Emergency room for a few days. The Emergency room is a lot different than the NICU.

They let me have visitors that were kids. So I got to meet my first cousin in person. I can't wait to meet the rest of my cousins in person! 

They also gave me a big bed fit for a queen!

They even let mom and dad sleep over with me. I thought it was funny because the bed mom and dad had to share was the same size as my bed that I got to myself! heh heh heh.

They finally let me go home, but sometimes I still can't breathe so mom has to take me to the hospital and they put a stupid vacuum up to my nose and suck it out so I can breathe. 

This really makes me mad.

No more! Please! .....

Me getting sick has really been stressful for me and my mom and dad.

So... we surrender.

We've had to swallow our pride and accept the offer when people asked if they could help.

I have a feeling life is going to be full of all sorts of moments that I have to learn to "swallow my pride". 

Some really nice friends have brought us food.... 

My aunt Rachelle even came and stayed with us for tons of days! It was awesome!

We snuggled....

Bounced on my ball....

She even helped mom give me a bath. I use the term "help" loosely.... as she mostly took pictures of me in all my glory. 

I said... "Excuse me....! Don't you know it's illegal to take pictures of people while they're in the bathtub?!"

I gave her my stern "disappointed" look..

I shook my head in haughty derision....

But eventually.....

They started brushing my hair and I forgot all about my grievances. 

This is my favorite part....

So... right now... I'm working really hard at getting better... again....

And tonight...I'm sayin' a little prayer. I looked up to the sky and said "Thanks"... 

Thanks for letting me live.

Thanks for letting me come home.

Thanks for all of the people that have prayed and cheered me on in their own way.

Good-night world. You've all helped save me.