How Many?

Chapter 8

It’s been 4 days since the quads were born. I’m still in a lot of pain from the C-section. It was finally time for me to go home. I really didn’t want to leave them behind but I had to. They were progressing but slowly. Our beautiful Ainsley Lyric, who was 3lbs and 6 ounces at birth, is now 3lbs 10 ounces. She is expected to be getting off her ventilator very soon. She has had the least complications out of the four. She is still on her feeding tube but should be ready to start bottle feedings in a few days. Bryson James is gaining weight just like his sister. He weighed 3lbs 2ounces at birth and now weights 3lbs 7ounces. He is expected to stay on his ventilator a little longer than his sister. He has had a few episodes of Apnea (stopping breathing). Other than that he’s doing well. Carter Liam on the other hand, isn’t doing as well as Ainsley and Bryson. He has up to 10 Apnea episodes a day and needs surgery to drain some fluid in his brain. He was gaining weight slowly. He was 2lbs 10ounces at birth and he currently weighs 3pounds 1ounce. Jaelyn Melody is our tiny princess. She’s having the most problems out of the four. She is losing weight instead of gaining. She was 2lbs and 6ounces when she was born and now she weighs 2 pounds even. Niall and I are concerned with all her health problems that we could lose her. The doctors are taking very good care of her and are optimistic that she will survive. Niall and I were on our way home. I was quiet because I was concerned about Jaelyn. We walked into our house that had been decorated by our friends. They were supposed to be coming over for dinner. “Niall, I’m going to lie down. I’m in a lot of pain.” “Okay baby girl. Yell for me if you need me.” I couldn’t go up the stairs because of my incision so I went and layed down on the couch. I quickly fell asleep. I started dreaming about bringing my babies home when I noticed that something was wrong. Jaelyn wasn’t there. Where was she? I wondered. Niall came up to me crying and I didn’t know why. “Jaelyn is gone baby.” He wrapped me in a hug. I started bawling my eyes out. I guess that I actually was because Niall was shaking me gently to wake me up. “Princess, calm down. It’s okay, I’m here baby. What happened?” “I had a nightmare that we were gonna bring the babies home but Jaelyn wasn’t there and you came up to me saying that she was gone.” I said sobbing into his chest. He held me tight and ran his fingers through my hair. “Shhh baby girl its okay. She’ll be fine. She’s a fighter.  I promise you that we will be bringing her home.” I knew he was right. I just needed to be more optimistic of her coming home.