The New Age of Dryden - Part IV

As China's economy was rock bottom for the past 70 years until very recently, so was our situation. And as China's situation improved by leaps and bounds, so did ours. Maybe not economically, but health-wise. Those medications I was taking were working wonders; my cough was improving dramatically just after one day. I was now able to drive, which was a major help. Dryden continued to improve day by day as well. He was tolerating bottle feeds, no issues with oxygen desats, he was doing well. I had spoken with the neonatologist and she told me he would be home by Friday if everything went well, which it looked like. I had spoken with Mom earlier that week and she was coming to Indy to help us out, so the calvalry was on its way, thank God.

The next few days came and went without further event. Everything was pretty much status quo: I was at home recovering (and getting quite far on GTA: Vice City), Richel went and visited Dryden, and Dryden was just hanging out in the NICU until they said it was okay for him to go home.

Mom finally arrived in Indy on Thursday night. Perfect timing as Dryden would be discharged on Friday. We would need help, mainly with carrying things as I had a 5 pound lifting restriction, Richel couldn't lift anything either having just given birth not one week ago, and the only thing Dryden could lift was maybe his arms. So Mom would have to be our beast of burden.

Friday finally arrived. This was the great day Dryden would finally come home. I called Richel on the cell phone around noontime and told her I was on my way to pick them up. She said she would be ready by that time and so off I went. While driving, however, I realized I had no idea where they were in the hospital. They were no longer in the NICU, as Dryden had been moved to a private room, and Richel stopped answering her cell phone. This would be interesting.

When I arrived at the hospital I went to the NICU, the last place I knew Dryden to be. Oddly enough, when I spoke with the unit clerk there she inquired as to why I was so interested. Well, I was wearing the Daddy bracelet from your hospital, so I thought that was quite apparent. But I guess it wasn't, as I had a bit of explaining to do. But eventually, I was led to Dryden's room where Richel, Mom, and Dryden were waiting.

Upon entering the room I felt a chill go up my spine. What is that horrible noise, cacophony enough to raise the dead?
The answer:





Hmm...for a kid who's respiratory status was tenuous it sure sounded like his lungs were well developed.

Anyway, that day we finally left the inpatient hospital for good, all of us.