Melissa, Part 3

The drive home was only about an hour and a half, but it included a 2 lane mountain pass and our first try at feeding her with the g-tube!

We had shopped and shopped until we found a car seat with 2 sets of insertable pads to make it smaller and and still it seemed like she was too tiny for it. The clasps seemed way too big and she so tiny!

We stopped at a McDonalds to feed her (not a lot of choices, it was pretty much that or Carl's Jr. and the McDonalds had better lighting) The really weird thing was that Sean's Dad and step Mom were there! At the time I am sure they just thought we were totally crazy. They left after getting their food and we returned to the task at hand. It took both of us and a lot of worried effort but we managed to drip in the 2 oz she was supposed to eat. Thus beginning the ritual for every two hours for the next year.

It was an adventure, she had to eat every two hours, had Doctors appointments almost as often and she projectile vomited at nearly every feeding. At night she would sometimes stop breathing and during the day when she threw up she would aspirate the formula into her lungs and need those upside-down baby back thrusts. Sean and I used that infant CPR training almost daily. More than once we were insure she was really going to breathe again and twice we called 911. Anna was only 2 but she remembers me giving chest thrusts and breathing for her baby sister.

It was an isolating experience and there is no question why I had not noticed it had been an awful long time since my last cycle. I was feeling exhausted and nauseous and assuming it was due to the months since I last slept a whole night. But three positive pregnancy tests in a row were all it took to convince Sean we were about to be a family of 5.

Melissa's feedings got worse. I had run out of the donated breastmilk and we were feeding her a $60 per can prescription formula. My kitchen became a full hospital-grade sterilization center. We had given up on the advice of dozens of doctors and began turning away her therapists. We made a video of the whole feeding experience that was shown to a judge who granted us full authority over her care.

It was Anna's 3rd birthday, Melissa was just past her 8th month and weighed all of 11 pounds when a round cherubic girl named Zaia was born in my living room. She was just over 9 1/2 pounds. It was Wednesday at 8:00 AM. Melissa's had court the next morning at 8.00.

We contacted our social worker but were told that our presence in court was mandatory if we were to be named as her permanent placement. So, at 8:00 AM, almost exactly 24 hours after Zaia's birth we packed our bags with all of Melissa's feeding supplies, diapers for both girls, cord care supplies for Zaia and postpartum stuff for Mom and went to court. Sean asked if we could be shown some favor but was told we would have to wait to be called in order. At 4:45 we were called in. The last case of the day. It was all going to be worth it because today we would call her ours forever.

The judge stood and then sat. He read a motion by the mother for a new attorney and a new petition for her and the father to regain custody. He granted them 6 months and twice a week visitation.

Part 4...soon!