Long Awaited

 9/1/22

The Past Two Weeks

We know, we know...everyone's been waiting for a blog update! We have sat down a couple times to write one these past two weeks, and so has gone this journey, things just kept changing.

A week ago Cory arrived in Iowa City to be with Mack after a week of work. Mack had been moved from Bay 1 (most critical) to Bay 2 during the week as he had been recovering well from surgery. After sitting down for cuddles, the Resident walked into the room and announced to Cory that they were sending Macklin home on Monday (which would have been 8/29). We were stunned; so much so that we told them they were crazy and that wasn't happening.

The rest of the weekend (8/27 - 8/28) was spent pushing back against the Bay 2 doctor that wanted to send Mack home on Monday. We had tons of unanswered questions, continuation of care wasn't all set up, and Mack hadn't even had a follow-up ECHO a week out from his surgery yet to confirm everything was actually ok.

In the meantime, Mack was making big strides. They quickly moved him from Ram ventilation to a nose cannula, to nothing! Within a few days of moving to Bay 2 he was tube free in his nose, and all of a sudden we were holding a tube-free baby in our arms.

The only tube left in Macklin was his NG tube through his nose for feedings he didn't complete. Over the weekend Macklin hit his feeding goals and they took this tube out as well.

Friends -- a tube-free baby -- it's a miracle.

Mack should need a lot of tubes to go home. The odds, the potential issues, the could-bes should all take tubes. We were so prepared for this, yet God has heard our prayers, he has continued to answer them, and we have a tube-free baby in our hands.

A Dangling Carrot

Obviously, Macklin didn't go home on Monday (8/29). The nurses and his parents knew he wouldn't :) but we did begin to move into all things "going home". As Cory and Keira were in Des Moines, Courtney was all hands on deck with Macklin to prepare him to go home. 

Macklin was moved to L6, which is a NICU level in Stead Family Hospital where patients usually go right before discharge. It also overlooks the Kinnick so be sure to wave at us if you're supporting the Hawkeyes this weekend! Unlike the Bay 1 and 2 rooms, these rooms are huge and have all the amenities. Courtney started staying with Macklin 24/7 to learn how to care for him at home and get trained on all the "things" that go with taking Macklin home.

We had a discharge date dangled in front us like a hanging carrot a few times. At first, we thought it was going to be Wednesday (8/31), then it was going to be today, and then it was going to be tomorrow. We just couldn't quite reach the carrot.

There's only been a couple minor things holding Macklin up. His blood pressures have been higher than they should be, so they started doing some kidney ultrasounds and testing to be sure everything is ok in that world. Then, they wanted to do a follow-up ECHO, and now they want to start him on some blood pressure medications.

With new medications comes a little more wait time. The other small barrier in the way is getting all of Macklin's medications ordered and delivered to our house. Insurance hasn't quite figured that out yet, but once they do, meds will be ordered and we can go home.

But Seriously...

For many of you, this is the first time you're reading the words "Mack is heading home soon." I'm not sure how it feels for you to read, but Courtney and I are speechless. Having been on this journey for 85 days, we're used to the roller coaster ride and accepted that we're probably going to be in the NICU for 100+ days. But God has been up to something (as he always has been)-- we're actually in the process of going home.

But seriously...home. We don't even know what home is any more or how to do home. These past two weeks having our family split and living in two different places have been torture. Our hearts are crushed, affected, daunted, tired, empty, and uncomfortable. Living in Iowa City for the summer with Mack was hard, but living apart has been worse. We are so ready to be home.

So here we are, humbled people, desperately clinging to prayer through teary eyes. We have wrestled with the Lord on so many nights. We have lost hope and found it again, we have been shaken and grown deeper roots, we have been lost in the darkness and we have found safety in the light-- oh how the Lord has been so near and so good and so faithful through this all.

We're not home yet, but you better believe we are praying for it. We know God is up for another miracle and we're here for it. And home will just be a chapter in the next part of Macklin's journey. We know we still have milestones to hit and surgeries to undertake in the future. But home will be a great start to Mack Attack's next adventure.

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10, "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Specific Prayer Requests

• For a miracle, that Macklin's body would continue to heal itself and God's hand would guide his healing into complete perfection.
• For Macklin's blood pressure, that they would drop, that whatever is ailing it in his body would be healed, and that he wouldn't need any long term meds for his BP.
• For Macklin's development, that he would continue to thrive, develop like a "normal" almost three-month-old would, that he'd gain strength and accelerate his growth and movement that he's missed over the past few months while confined to a hospital bed.
• For our family's hearts -- that God would fill our hearts with peace, love, and joy and sustain us in a time we have to be apart.
• For Macklin to go home -- that all the medications, appointments, follow-ups, and details would be perfectly put into place that Macklin's continuation of care would be able to go on without an issue.