NICU Nights

"Everyone scrubs for five minutes before entering this room, no jewelry at all it spreads germs, keep your nails short and gloves at all times," ordered Dr. Mill the head NICU doctor to a group of younger students walking around the room. Greg looked at the group of students who looked around the room terrified. To be honest, he was scared of this room too and he had only been here for a few hours. The room was huge but it was filled with parents and tiny babies in incubators attached to various machines that beeped, hummed and flashed constantly and all the parents were focused on the machines that helped keep their babies going.

Katie was attached to a breathing tube, a heart monitor, and an IV in her arm. Jenna reached into the bed carefully and brushed back the baby's hair.

"I hate not being able to really touch her," muttered Jenna. All parents had to wear gloves and gowns too. The nurses had taken his watch and Jenna's necklace before being let in to see Katie. Because of Katie's condition they couldn't take her out of the bed to hold her, the only contact they could have is by touching her through the incubator. Greg reached in and rubbed her arm, Katie let out a sigh and stayed asleep.

"Laura Webber, ex 30 weeker, 20 hours old, weak heartbeat, O2 levels are low and mummer in the chest. Chest echo shows blockage in the heart, a stint has been ordered and we're waiting for her labs," said one of the students' three beds down from them.

"Shouldn't we keep our voices down?" asked the intern who had been in Katie's room.

"Our patients are only hours old, they don't get privacy and the quieter we talk the harder the family listens," said Mill. Janet the nurse Greg had met earlier came up to the group.

"You name her yet?" she ripped off a piece of tape and pulled out a marker.

"Meet Janet Lowery, a twenty five year NICU nurse who's job is to keep the babies safe from you," said Dr. Mill

"Haven't had a Hera in a long time," said Janet placing the name on the bed and walking away.

"We give all the babies here tough guy names hard to fight with a name like Laura," said the doctor and the students walked over to them. Jenna looked at Greg and took his free hand in hers. Desert Palms was a teaching hospital and while it was one of the best he could tell she was still worried about letting a newbie care for their baby. A tech handed the doctor a report and she skimmed it quickly.

"Her white count is up and she's running a low fever. Who picked her up…Downing she's your patient report," ordered Mill and the tall blonde who had been with Minhi took the labs and went over to Katie.

"Katie Sanders, ex 36 weeker, 10 hours old. Presented with respiratory distress after birth, labs came back normal after steroid and breathing treatment. About an hour ago she was brought back to the NICU for respiratory distress. Chest x-ray shows no blockage or abnormities. The distress could be caused by apnea or an infection that we missed the first time we ran her labs," said Downing. The doctor gave her nod.

"Start her on a board spectrum antibiotic and draw some more blood for cultures to see what she has and hope it's not apnea," said Mill.

"Wait…what…you want her to have an infection?" asked Jenna.

"I assure you an infection would be better than apnea. An infection we can treat within seven to fourteen days, apnea means a whole lifetime of treatment," said Downing.

"An infection could kill her though," said Greg trying to wrap his head around what they were telling them.

"Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, Katie is a very sick little girl however with apnea she could also be suffering from intracranial bleeds, seizures or anemia. Trust me an infection is better than apnea, with an infection it's one cause and one treatment. With premature apnea it's one big guessing game," said Mill and she turned to Downing. "Order a head x-ray, see if she has brain bleed, watch her for seizures and she needs a name." Downing looked down at Katie and shrugged.

"How about Athena sounds tough to me," said Downing. Mill scoffed.

"We have a Hera, Zeus, Ares and now Athena…let me know when Aphrodite pops in." Mill walked on with the other students and Downing shook her head.

"I love it when they tell you do something and than mock you. I'm Kelly Downing one of Minhi's interns. I'm gonna take Katie down to x-ray before we start her on the antibiotics. But first I have to wake her up for her cultures." Jenna looked up Kelly.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Kelly sighed and pulled up a chair.

"Listen I'm not gonna lie…she's sick and if it is apnea caused by a brain bleed it could be bad but if it's just a run of the mill infection she's gonna be fine after we get some meds in her." Jenna nodded and moved out the way so Kelly could draw Katie's blood. Katie woke up and proceeded to cry and Greg reached into the bed and touched Katie's leg and tried to calm her down. You gotta fight baby girl…please.

"Ok, I'm gonna take her down to x-ray. If you would like to come with me you can," said Kelly.

"Do you wanna go with her? I'll wait here for my parents," said Greg. His parents were bringing them a few things so they could stay here in the NICU with Katie. Jenna nodded and followed Kelly and another nurse out of the NICU behind Katie's bed. Greg sighed and leaned back in the chair. I just want her to be ok, please let her be ok, I'll do anything just let her be ok.

"First kid?" asked a voice. Greg looked over at a man who was sitting by the bed next to Katie.

"Yeah." The guy nodded.

"When I had my oldest I had the same scared shitless look you got. It doesn't help when they bring them here. Dan Winters," he leaned over and offered Greg a hand to shake.

"Greg Sanders," he leaned over and shook it. "How many kids do you have?"

"Zachary or Hiro as the nurses call him is my second. My wife went home to be with our four year daughter," said Dan.

"How long have you been here?" asked Greg.

"About three weeks, my wife and I trade who stays so our daughter has some sense of normal. Zach was fine when we took him home, but than he wouldn't eat, he had trouble breathing and than we found out he has narrow heart valves so at nine days old he had open heart surgery. What are you here for?" asked Dan.

"Six weeks premature with respiratory distress," said Greg and Dan nodded in understanding.

"I know it sucks being here but the doctors here are really good."

"I hope so," said Greg.

"Mill seems scary but she's a good doctor and the interns here are really good at what they do. I know it seems shitty now but Zach is going home in two days and trust me they'll have Athena out of here in a two weeks tops," said Dan. Greg laughed.

"Katie…her name is Katie," said Greg.

"Pretty name," said Dan turning back to the crib. Greg looked over and a baby dressed in a blue pj's was looking up and kicking his legs. Dan grinned at him and took him out of the bed and held him.

"For such a tiny people they can drive you crazy in a second yet you wouldn't trade them for anything in the world."

"I've only had mine for ten hours and I think I would kill for her."

"I felt the same way about my baby girl. It doesn't get better," said Dan. Greg sighed and leaned back in his chair. I want her to be ok she needs to ok.

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"We're gonna start her on a ten day antibiotic and were gonna watch her closely. We can take her off the breathing tube for now since she's doing ok. Her head x-ray didn't show any bleeds and her fever is down so two very good things," said Downing setting up a new IV for the antibiotics. Jenna gave Greg a tired smile and took his hand. Finally something good is happening, thought Jenna looking at their daughter.

"I'll be back in an hour to check up on her," said Kelly walking away. Jenna reached into the bed and adjusted the blanket around Katie. I love you so much and we're gonna take you home very soon.

"You never corrected the doctor," said Greg.

"What?" asked Jenna sitting down. He gave her a tried smile.

"When Dr. Mill talked to us, she called you Mrs. Sanders and you didn't correct her."

"Well if were gonna be married I may as well get used to being called Mrs. Sanders…right." Greg reached over and took her hand in his.

"I just didn't think I would like to hear the sound of it so much," admitted Greg.

"You are such a dork. I hope you don't end up a dork like your daddy," said Jenna rubbing Katie's arm

"Nothing wrong with being a dork."

"She's already white must you curse her even more? At least she didn't get your ears."

"What's wrong with my ears?" asked Greg.

"You have huge ears. Hopeful you'll have your mama's Latin attitude," said Jenna looking at Katie. The guy a few beds down started laughing and Greg looked over at him.

"I love her very much," said Greg. The guy shook his head.

"It shows."

"Ok people let's settle down for the night," said Dr. Mill. Jenna looked over at Greg and grinned.

"I love you even if you're genetically responsible for our daughter being white and nerdy."

"Gee thanks," said Greg. She kissed his cheek and settled into the chair to try to sleep. Greg sighed and settled in his chair to go to sleep.

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"What's going on?!" cried a male voice. Greg and Jenna both woke up and looked over. The guy who was a few beds down from them was standing up holding his baby. A doctor came over and took the baby from him.

"He just started seizing!" The doctor injected something into the baby's arm and he stopped seizing.

"Mr. Winters were gonna run some test on Hiro and see what's going on with him."

"He's supposed to go home in two days!" cried Dan.

"I know and he could still go home we just need to run some test." Dan ran a hand through his hair.

"I don't know if I can go through this again," said Dan sitting down. The doctor took the baby and Dan followed her out.

"Mrs. Sanders, we need you to wake Athena up and feed her," said one of the nurses.

"Ok," said Jenna reaching into the bed and waking up the baby.

"Is Hiro gonna be ok?" asked Greg. The nurse gave him a look. "It's just a yes or no question."

"Around here we don't have yes or answers," said the nurse. Katie started to fuss about being woke up, but calmed down once she started being fed.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," said Jenna adjusting Katie. Greg looked out to the hall where Dan was on phone talking to someone.

"I hope so," said Greg.

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Jenna looked over at Kelly who wiped her eyes and careful wrapped the little boy in a blanket. Hiro was leaving the NICU today, he was going to go be with his parents and little sister out in the lobby. He hadn't recovered after his seizure that night, he had gone septic causing an infection and the infection hadn't improved and it had killed his internal organs. He wasn't going to last much longer and his family wanted to be with him.

The NICU was quite expect for the beeping of the machines. Greg had gone out in the hall to talk to Ecklie and sign his papers for FMLA. Jenna watched Kelly pick up the baby carefully and take him out into the lobby. Jenna looked at Katie who was having a breathing treatment. She looked back out in the hall where the Winters family sat holding their son for the last time. Jenna reached in and touched Katie's head.

"You keep fighting ok. Daddy and I wanna take you home and spoil you rotten. Not mention the grandparents and all the adopted aunts and uncles you have." She kissed Katie's head and held her daughter's hand.

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"Just sign here and down here," said Ecklie. Greg signed the paperwork that would give him medical leave so he could stay here with Jenna and Katie. After what happened with Zachary 'Hiro' Winters Greg wasn't leaving the NICU until Katie was clear to go home.

"Thanks," said Greg handing the paperwork back to Ecklie. Ecklie nodded and nodded in the direction on the NICU.

"My youngest spent nearly six weeks in there and she went to Prom last week. It's going to be alright," said Ecklie. Greg sighed and looked over Ecklie's shoulder to the Winters family holding Hiro and their four year daughter.

"I hope so."

"FMLA covers the time you'll be here in the NICU and I'll look into parental leave for you. You have about two weeks of time saved, you have to use that first before the FMLA will kick in. Between you and me take all the time you need to be with your daughter." Oh my god did Ecklie show human feeling. He handed Greg a card.

"I heard about the baby shower last week. Congratulations Sanders." Ecklie left with the papers and Greg headed back into the NICU. Jenna was talking to Katie and a nurse was cleaning out Hiro's bed and taking his personal effects: his blanket and stuffed animals into a basket to be taken out to the parents. Greg sat back down next to Jenna who was holding Katie.

"She finished her breathing treatment so we can hold her for a bit." Jenna handed Katie to Greg and he played with her hair.

"Some of these kids will end up sick for life, others will go on to dance at their weddings…we just never know which ones," said Mill to Downing who was still trying not to cry.

I want you to dance at your wedding, thought Greg kissing her forehead.

Notes-Sorry for another long delay. Wedding planning is more complex and stressful than you will ever imagine. I hope this is a good chapter and worth the wait.