To My Boys Turning 6 {Your Birth Story Part 6}

  • {Part 1}
  • {Part 2}   
  • {Part 3}
  • {Part 4}
  • {Part 5}

     

    Your Daddy will have to fill in the details of those first couple of days.   I developed an internal infection along with other complications I was experiencing, so my memory is quite cloudy. I hadn’t had the opportunity to even meet you yet. Sunday afternoon I received a blood transfusion, which finally put me on the path of recovery.

    Meanwhile, your Daddy was trying to get to know you, introducing you to close family one at a time, and comforting you by holding your head and chest. And can you believe that on top of all the excitement, our beloved Colts won the Super Bowl?!!! {Your Daddy still blames me for the timing of your birth and the crazy aftermath conflicting with him taking in the Colt’s victory.}

    surviving the nicu

    While Brooks, Henry, and Isaac became more stable, on Sunday night Clark took a drastic turn for the worse. You {Clark} became critical to the point that the head nurse came to us saying that your meds were maxed out, you were fighting the high-frequency oscillating vent, and there was nothing else they could do but wait and see if you turned the corner. We called everyone we knew to pray, and then I was allowed to go up and meet you.  I was afraid I was saying hello and goodbye in the same sentence.

    However, I remember a calmness that overcame me that God had given us your life, and He held you in His hand. I knew you belonged to Him, and He would be glorified even if He decided to take you away from us. 

    Shortly after we returned from peaking at your tiny little body shake as a machine put breath into your underdeveloped lungs, the nurse rushed upstairs to tell us that your blood gas levels had for the first time in hours gotten better instead of worse.  You were still in respiratory distress and had a long way to go, but we rejoiced with the good news.

    Brooks Layton Murray (cq) opens his eyes and smiles while being held by his dad Brad Murray in the NICU at St. Vincent Women's Hospital, Friday, February 9, 2007.    Brooks was the second in a set of quadruplets born to Jen and Brad Murray last Friday, February 2, 2007.  He was 3 lbs at birth.    The four brothers are all in the NICU.  (Kelly Wilkinson / The Indianapolis Star)

    The other three of you were much more laid back and easier on our hearts. 😉

    Brooks – You quickly were weaned off the C-PAP and onto room air, and I was able to hold you first. You felt as light as the blanket you were swaddled in.

    NICU holding a preemie baby

    Isaac – You were able to be weaned off the ventilator, then to C-PAP, and then to room air in your first few days of life.  You looked like a giant compared to your brothers!

    Henry – we nicknamed you “King Henry” because you were small but mighty.  You didn’t need any breathing assistance, and you tried to escape your isolette by squirming to the arm holes you second day of life.

     mother kissing a preemie baby  

    You each had several obstacles to overcome in your first weeks of life. You had to learn to breath, swallow, and suck on your own, and we had to wait patiently while you grew. And Clark gave us a few more scares along the way. It was difficult to split time between each of your pods, and to go home without you, but you were in excellent hands. We weren’t quite sure how we would manage when you all would come home, but we wanted you there so badly. 

    Nataline Foskey RNC (cq, center) checks Isaac Edward Murray (cq) in his NICU crib at St. Vincent Women's Hospital, Friday, February 9, 2007, as Isaac's parents Jen Murray (cq, left) and Brad Murray (cq, right) look on.  Jen waits to hold her son, who with three brothers was born last Friday, February 2, 2007.  The quadruplets remain in the NICU.  (Kelly Wilkinson / The Indianapolis Star)

    Isaac and Brooks headed home first at three weeks old, followed by Henry a week later, and finally Clark the following week. We were in overwhelming amazement that we were able to take four healthy babies home.

    God truly had given us more than we could have asked or imagined!

    And so the story continues…

    Today is your day of birth and we continue to celebrate your miracle lives.  The Lord has “multiplied” our blessings and we are so grateful to Him as the author and sustainer of each of your lives!

    Happy Birthday, Henry, Brooks, Clark, and Isaac from your Mama and Daddy who have loved you from the very beginning and continue to love you more each day!