Sweet Sixeen Birthday

Today, October 3, 2008, is Sarah Ann's 16th birthday.
How I wish we were there. She was going on a date to an October Fest. Tomorrow she will be going to her first Grown-up Dance wearing a beautiful black dress. Zack will be her date. There will be music by a DJ.

She's in my thoughts - This is a letter I wrote on October 5, 1992:

I so remember the tiny baby who arrived on a Saturday morning, October 3, 1992 at 2 a.m. She weighed 8 lbs. 3 ounces and was a beautiful little girl with lots and lots of dark brown hair. Only her Mommy and Daddy saw her eyes.
Mommy was in labor from Friday morning, but they did not go to the hospital until 7 p.m. Following the delivery the new parents were moved into a lovely room (similiar to a swanky hotel room with a double bed, rocker, recliner, television, and of course some of the necessary hospital furniture.)
Sarah Ann was moved in with them. Nurses kept a vigil, answering questions, demonstrating baby care and other procedures.
Becky tried valiantly to nurse, but the baby just didn't seem to be able to latch on. When she tried to pump out milk they didn't get much. The decision was made to try formula.
Sarah still didn't seem interested in eating - deep, deep asleep. Her weight began to drop, but that is natural with newborns, the doctor said. At 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon they were dismissed from the hospital and went home.
Charlie and I got there in the middle of the afternoon - from our home in Richmond. The new grandpa took videos for the Michigan City grandparents, Colorado, Minnesota and Rolling Prairie relatives.
We were going to leave after about an hour, but Becky asked us to stay. She was exhausted and looked it. Stayed on the couch resting. Tim and Julie came with photos Julie had taken on Saturday afternoon at the hospital. Those sweet darlings had copies made so the kids could send them to all.
Matthew ordered a pizza - we left, Tim and Julie left shortly thereafter.
Matt says the baby fussed and fussed. Becky tried to feed her, but like she did when we were there, she only took about a teaspoonful and then slept for a time. Matt said she bawled for one period of about forty-five minutes, finally filled her pants and when she was cleaned up slept again, but only for a short time.
The new parents never did get into bed. Took turns sleeping on the end of the couch while the other one cared for the baby.
Becky was trying to feed her again a little before 5 a.m. She had put Sarah on her shoulder to burp when she felt the baby's little body go limp. She screamed at Matthew who grabbed the baby and began CPR. Becky ran to call the ambulance. The baby stopped breathing a second time and Matt got her back, this time blowing into her mouth.
By the time the ambulance came, Sarah was breathing normally again. They put her on oxygen, Becky held her and got into the ambulance for the ride to the hospital with Matthew following in his car. He called us on the car phone. We both got on the phone and talked him down to some sense of calmness until he got to the hospital.
Charlie left for work and we waited for the telephone to ring.
At 7:15 a.m. Matthew called to say Sarah was in an incubator, hooked to monitors and stable.
He asked if I could go to Michigan City and get Becky's mother. Called my boss, Dr. Burnett, to say I had to go to Indy, called Charlie and asked if he approved of the trip. Then I asked if he thought he could get the day off - he left the phone and came back to say he'd be home shortly for the trip north. It was now about 8:30 a.m. I called Matthew to tell him we were on the road.
We got to Michigan City about 12:30. Charlie drove Bob's car and Linda rode with me. Bob had never driven outside Michigan City - they had a "new to them" car Matt and Becky had just helped them choose.
We hadn't known he was coming along, but I did ask him to take the car, explaining, "This baby won't be as portable as the kids thought, they won't be able to drive up to bring you down for visits and take you back over a weekend. You're going to have to drive down there." He looked at me steadily and after a moment, said, "I can do it."
We stopped for gasoline in Wanatah, but it was a non-stop trip otherwise. I had been to the hospital when Matthew broke his hand and had surgery - so I led the way through downtown Indianapolis to St. Francis Hospital in Beech Grove.
The four of us walked into the rear end of the hospital administrative offices. I walked into an office and announced, "We're Sarah Ann Porter's grandparents - she's in the intensive care neonatal unit and we need to know how to ge there."
The woman, I assume one of the Sisters, picked up her keys, locked her office, took my hand, and began praying. She took us to the neonatal intensive care unit, ordered us to scrub up, put on gowns, and took us clear into the room where the incubator held our new granddaughter.
Sarah was sleeping. She had a needle in her tiny head, a bright red light attached to her tiny toe and other wires and monitors on her little body. She was such a beautiful baby, so healthy looking with a full head of hair, tiny little nose and a sweet smile.
Charlie and Bob were both overcome about the needle in her tiny head. The intensive care nurse began explaining all of the instruments and wires. Sarah was getting antibiotics with the intravenous needle as a preventive measure, should they find she had some sort of infectious disease.
We stayed with her for about ten minutes and then went out. Matt and Becky had been sent home by the doctor to clean up and get some different clothes.
When they got back, Becky looked ghastly - but so relieved to see her parents. Matthew is holding up well, but so glad we were there.
We stayed upstairs until about seven and then went down to have dinner. Charlie and I came on home to Richmond - we were both so spent - but needed to be back in Richmond for morning work. We simply can't afford to lose our jobs.
Oh, that reminds me, Thursday will probably be my last day on the job. Doctor Burnett closed his medical practice in Richmond last week. He saw his last patient on October 1. I'm doing telephone calls to patients and taking flak from people coming in and over the phone. He really took me by surprise when he came out Wednesday afternoon to say he was closing and going to practice nephrology in Kentucky.
I was really sick last week, ended up in the emergency room Friday because of what we thought might be accidental poisoning with flea powder and Ceclor. Flea powder caused my usual respiratory infection/discomfort, but the Ceclor I've taken for so many years really went haywire. Came pretty close to just saying goodby. Can't believe how lethargic and just plain couldn't move I got.
Anyway, Saturday thing got a lot brighter, especially with news of our first grandchild's arrival.