This COVID thing has been disruptive, to say the least. I haven’t found myself with massive amounts of extra time, working on overdue project lists around the house or chilling in front of the TV.
My whole transition to Lafayette has been a bit of a routine roadblock, meaning I haven’t really found my normal, yet. And that’s okay. My family is healthy. My home is cozy. My “day job” is secure and my creativity has plenty of shelf life.
Do you know what inspired me most last year? The selfless and genuine kindness shown to us in Lafayette General’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. From the moment my daughter arrived in premature labor all alone, to the first time we got to meet Isaac, we listened. Having never chartered the waters we were navigating, we listened to both the sobering and comforting words from the doctors and nurses about what possibly lie ahead. Their wisdom, expertise, comfort and care continued until the day Isaac was released. On the other side of this, I believe being employed in neonatal ICU is more than a job, it is a calling and a life purpose and I’m so grateful. I feel like everyone there gave their best, everyday with compassion and purpose. Each staff member was exceptional and genuine; many shared their own stories along the way, encouraging us as we witnessed Isaac’s strong will to fight and live and breathe.
The days turned into months for us (four and a half of them to be exact). I remain so thankful for the way the NICU staff explained every new change to my daughter in clear, candid and calm communication.
To date, I still haven’t found a normal routine - thanks, Corona, but I’ve found gratitude. Our greatest human fear is that of the unknown. This COVID thing is complex and new. We do not know what the future holds or how it will play out, but we know we are resilient and strong. We know God sends us what we need to be vigilant, or to rest, or navigate new and sometimes hard things. Isaac’s life is a miracle testament to that.
If I can encourage you, take whatever fortitude you need today; tomorrow will work itself out too and all the tomorrow’s after that. May we look back on however many months we are in this phase with gratitude for all the things we learned that we didn’t know before, for the wisdom we’re gaining now, for the compassion we can show this week in our own homes that is making a difference to help our families feel safe.
Isaac celebrated his one year birthday last month and I’ve been too busy to tell you about it until now. Stories are told best in pictures. These are mostly for you, NICU!
Stay well.
My thumbs up - Goose & Maverick kind of baby from the beginning.
When quarantine creations turn a recycled frozen pizza box into a birthday hat…
Isaac Lucien, you have Hunny’s heart forever!
Thank you, Alexandra Rodriguez of Alexandra’s Cakes & Cupcakes in Youngsville for helping me do something special!