There was a reunion at the NICU today, and I was eager to go. I know that some parents can't stand to go near the place, but I am thankful for my healthy son, and they were an integral part in making that happen. While we were driving into the parking ramp, Pete experienced the same anxiety he experienced whenever we came to visit Finn, but I didn't have that. The place is still as familiar as it was last year, but it doesn't upset me. All I could think was that it was interesting to be bringing Finn into Childrens'.
There were a lot of people there. More than I expected. Families were milling about the entire second floor. It must have been weird to be coming to see your baby in the NICU with all the festivities going on outside the unit.
They had a short program with former patients, now going to college, as well as a musical act and characters dressed up in Wizard of Oz garb. We did not get our photo taken with them. It creeped me out a little bit.
There were craft areas with stickers and face painting, but Finn is a little young for that stuff. We only saw one nurse who had taken care of Finn and none of the doctors. I had been hoping for that, but, heck, they are probably working, and if you are not working, then you don't want to be at work. They are putting together an album for them, though, with current photos and updates, and I submitted one of those.
We ate some cheese and fruit, talked to a couple of soccer players from the Minnesota Thunder (the coach had a daughter in the NICU 5 years ago), and went into the gift shop for the first time, where Pete bought Finn a Grover stuffed doll. We never went into the gift shop while Finn was a patient. There did not seem to be a need. I got some information on volunteering, and I am thinking about doing that in my "spare time."
When I find some.
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