Pagan Parenting in the NICU

By Janet Callahan

Published by Spiral Oak Press

Smashwords Edition, January 2012

copyright 2012

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An Epic Journey

June 2011

This morning, I got up far earlier than my body was happy with. I spent quality time with my breast pump, had a shower, got dressed, and grabbed some breakfast for the road.

I drove to the hospital. I walked past waiting areas and clinics, up the elevator, and down more hallways to the reception desk, where I signed in and then scrubbed (here it's fingers to elbows, for 3 minutes). Then down another hallway, past large nursery rooms full of medical equipment and infants, and finally down a side hall to our little group of critical care rooms, to the one with my daughter's name on the door, so that I can cuddle with our now 2 ½ pound miracle.

I've made this journey every day for the last month (though not always so early), and will continue to do so for much of the summer – until she comes home, or I go back to work...and even if I go back to work first, either my husband or I will walk these halls every day.

This isn't our first stay in the NICU – our son, born 3 years ago, spent 291 days in the same NICU (in fact, more than half of that stay was just 2 rooms over from where our daughter is now). We are very much at home here, which makes some aspects of this stay easier...but not all of them.