Elliot Nelson Bell

Elliot Nelson Bell joined our family Thursday November 3, 2011 at 1:01 pm. He was 3 lbs 12 oz and extremely adorable. Even though he sounds really tiny and he is, he really doesn't look too small. (probably just prespective) He looks a lot like Liberty did when she was born. He definitely has the Bell nose and mouth, but his eyes look like they are more shaped like mine, plus he has a my earlobes (Richards are attached). Most important though, He is doing GREAT! He is totally off oxygen and breathing on his own, and just has an IV in and is being closely monitored in the NICU. We get to go see him a few times a day (whenever we want really). We like to go see him when the nurses feed and change him and we usually get to hold him and help with those things. The doctors and nurses tell me he is a little fighter and keep telling me how well he is doing. His billirubin was up, so in some of the pictures it's bluish, which is just a special light that helps him get better. He sucks on a pacifier really well which surprised me and is really adorable too. It will help when he starts eating without help (he has a little feeding tube that goes up his nose down to his little tummy). It's interesting learning about the differences in preemie babies. Some of the things that feel natural to do with a newborn aren't recommended with preemies since they need to use all their energy to grow. Rocking them and stroking and rubbing aren't recommended and its hard not to do those things. Holding him and touching him without stroking and talking to him are good though, so it's not as if we there isn't any interaction.

I am doing really well NOW. It has certainly been an interesting and hard week in every way. I get to go home tomorrow though. It's amazing how my body seemed to get better just by getting little Elliot out of me. I was diagnosed with severe preclampisa before Elliot was born and then it changed to another severe form of preclampsia called HELLP after I delivered because my liver enzymes went really high and my blood platelets went really low combined with the high blood pressure. They did transfusions on me that came from Salt Lake. It was pretty crazy and horrible and I am soooooooooooo glad that everything is pretty much back to normal now. The doctors are pretty confused at why this happened to me since really there was no warning signs or risk factors. I guess I am just special and now I will be at higher risk for any future pregnancies (which will probably be a long way away after this ordeal, as much as I love this little guy it has been the hardest thing in the world). I also have decided that nurses are the closest thing on earth to angels. I don't know how they do it and how they can seem so happy and calm and helpful all the time when the things they are dealing with would both stress me out and gross me out. I love them and am serious about how angelic they are.

Liberty has been doing well in spite of all the craziness. I can tell she misses me and I miss her so much. A few hours a day in a weird room mostly sitting in a hospital bed is not enough time for me. I know it's been good for my body and stress level to be here recovering but it is also really hard to be away from home and to try to let her know why I am here. My mom and Richard and the Andrus/Higginsons has all been great help.