Happy Thanksgiving

Today is Thanksgiving. A day that really never had all that much meaning for me.

Yeah, yeah, I’m thankful for this and that and that I’m healthy and happy but those were always big, abstract things to give thanks for.

This year is different. I have lots to be thankful this year.

A new baby. Have you seen my girl? I’m biased, but man what a great baby, short gut and all.

A spectacular wife. Who else would I have in this foxhole with me? She is fantastic, beautiful, and smart. And she makes me laugh every day. What more could I ask for?

Our family. We have learned not to talk too much around our families because anything that we need gets taken care of. From clothing with snaps to trashy magazines for the waiting room, to mindless talks about boats with my brother when things start to suck, to a place to stay for 5 months, they have been there. I don’t know how we would have gotten this far without them. We are very thankful for that.

Children’s Hospital. Children’s hospital was always an abstract thing to me growing up in New England. I always knew it was there, but never knew what it was or what it did that separated it from other hospitals that treat kids. Well I know now that it is a truly special place for little kids and their families. I wish that they would toot their horn a little bit more so people would know what it was before they need it.

Nurses. I am convinced that they love her as much as we do. We couldn’t ask for a better group of dedicated talented people than the nurses here on the floor. They have moved on from being Ellie’s caregivers and have become our friends, as well.

Omegaven. The thing that we are most thankful for, Omegaven has changed the rules for how Ellie has been treated. If Ellie were very sick with liver failure right now we would be in a much different situation than we are right now.

Doctors. We are very thankful for Ellie’s great doctors. Sometimes we feel sorry for their families when they spend so much time caring for our family. Weekends, holidays, it doesn’t matter. Ellie’s surgeon was visiting last night at 8 PM, the night before Thanksgiving. We love the attention, but feel guilty at the same time.

My bosses. Throughout our time with Ellie, my bosses have been incredibly understanding. All they ask is how Ellie is and what they can do besides sending good healing karma our way. I am very thankful for this as we see the many families that juggle work and baby here in the hospital. Working from the hospital has been a real help for us.

Short Gut Parents. When we learned of Ellie’s condition, we felt alone and like lightning struck. Come to find out that there are lots of families out there with babies like Ellie. They have shared ideas with us along the way that have helped immensely and let us know that we are not alone with this Short gut thing. The communications with parents whose babies are further along in the process is especially comforting. Seeing light at the end of the tunnel makes the bumps in the tunnel no so bad.

Blue Cross. Not one medical bill so far. Not one argument. It’s like they saw the TV commercial that says ‘they are the insurance company, it’s their job to pay the bills.”

Comments on a blog. This blog experiment that started as a way to avoid having to attach pictures to emails has turned into an entirely different thing since April. We have met people and their babies and even shared information that has gotten two babies onto Omegaven. The comments from friends and family have been great and have picked us up in bad times and made us laugh all the way along.