Ponderings.....

Well, I'm back from the awesome Ladies Conference at Cornerstone Albany. It was a fun and relaxing time and I can't wait for next year! Of course, it is back to real life today and I am not liking that one bit - can I be honest here?

Today I went with my husband to see my niece's baby in the hospital. She was born early and small - just over 4 pounds - and she really hasn't gained much since. Right now at about 5 weeks old she is just over 5 pounds. She has a blockage near her kidney, she's not sucking right, she doesn't like the new formula and chokes on it, and she may have a heart problem. She is headed to Strong Memorial in Rochester sometime soon for surgery. I don't really have the whole story, no one ever really tells me it. My family is strange - but I won't go into that here - and I am sometimes the black sheep even though I am the one who is happy and living a healthy, "normal", and prosperous lifestyle. So we went to visit.

She was sooo small and the room they have her in is soooo hot. She was very sleepy and we could barely get here to wake up (the nurses wanted her to be awake for a bit). According to my niece, the baby (Taylor) usually is awake a lot of the time at home but she has been sleeping a lot in the hospital. It was my feeling that she is not doing well, but that's just my feeling. She is so thin and is not eating a lot. Supposedly, she has gained some weight in the hospital but that thought scares me when I look at how thin she actually is. My niece is young and while she has taken care of other people's kids, a baby is new for her. She's not married- not that marriage makes you a better parent - and has virtually no means of support. Her boyfriend has a job but not a good one and doesn't really support them. She has the baby under her name and she hasn't even applied for WIC yet. (In her defense - she had WIC before the baby and then they moved to another county so she has to reapply) I won't discuss that I think my niece is also having a problem with post-partum depression and no one will tackle this (I am only her aunt and I don't count).

So I am frustrated and I have homework to do. UGGHH!!