Battlestations!!

Here we go!  Delivery day!  Last day as a pregnant lady!  Yahoo!!!

Our time on denial island has come to an end.  The week of relaxation is over. The day we have been equally hoping for and dreading has arrived.  Today we find out which end of the "50-50 chance" little Parker will fall on.  He's in for the fight of his life.  Fight FOR his life.

I feel like there should be a montage here-- sweet little Parker drinking raw eggs, running up some courthouse stairs, and lifting barn beams with "Eye of the Tiger" blaring in the background.  Instead, this will have to do:

Might as well put that pouty face to good use!

It terrifies me to no end to know that, from the second he is pulled from my belly, his life will be about fighting the CDH Monster.  We're in for some ups and downs and a long journey.  But we're ready to do this thing.  We know we are covered in the prayers of many, and that makes it so much easier.

Several people have asked what specifically they can pray for.  Rose, a fellow CDH mommy, is great about listing specific prayer requests, and I am going to try to follow her example.

1.  Safe delivery for me and Parker
2.  Strength and peace for Mike, as he will be running back and forth from Parker to me.  I have told him time and time again that Parker comes first, but he's a boy and doesn't always follow instructions.
3.  Wisdom and guidance for the enormous medical teams waiting at both Northside and Egleston
4.  Good news from Parker's first tests-- that his heart is developed and working appropriately, and that his lungs are well-formed and ready to oxygenate, and that his first x-rays will show an easily repairable hernia with minimal disruption to the rest of his organs
5. NO ECMO!  We will, of course, go down that road if we need to, but avoiding ECMO is a good thing.  If his early testing goes well, our chances of ECMO will go down.
6. Prayers for our little family, as we are scattered all through metro Atlanta.  I dropped off my furbaby and my first baby today, and my heart misses them. Please pray that Jeremiah remains blissfully ignorant of the stress we are under, and that he doesn't feel swept under the rug.

After a few days, we should know a lot more about what we're facing and the timeline for repair surgery.  In the meantime, we are so appreciative of any and all prayers, good thoughts, spirit sprinkles, etc. etc. etc. you can send our way.

SPEAKING OF WHICH---

Today was a good day. I dropped off Jeremiah at preschool, went to Krispy Kreme, and got Parker his last donut for a while.  He and I had a lengthy discussion about how there are infinite donuts awaiting him, plus a trip to Disney World, on the other side of the NICU,  but that he will have to behave nicely to get them.  I think he's upset about being cut-off with so little ceremony, but that's life.  Can you do me (and Parker) the most ridiculous of favors?

If you find yourself, tomorrow or at any point in the next few days, in the vicinity of a donut store, stop and get one.  Send some happy donut thoughts our way.  Parker and I both will be stuck in hospital beds, devoid of donuts, generally grouchy and trying to be on our best behavior.  It would tickle me to death to know that donuts are being consumed all over Atlanta in honor of Parker's birthday.  BETTER STILL, take a picture of your donut and send it to me.  Facebook it, text it, email it, whatever.  It will give me something to look at and smile about while I am trapped at Northside, away from my very sick little boy in his critical first few days of life.

I'll update as soon as I can-- see ya on the flipside!!  Much love to you all.