a life flight to phoenix ...Gabriel had double inguinal hernias which had to be repaired, but we were waiting for Gabe to get bigger, so surgery would be safer. But Gabe had other ideas.
The morning before discharging Gabe from Flagstaff Medical Center, we received the emergency phone call we had been dreading for 2 and a half months. The hernias were suddenly in a critical condition, and the paramedic air evac crew had already been called to fly Gabriel to Phoenix, so we had to hurry...
But the weather was terrible, with a tremendous snow storm, so we waited and worried at the hospital for a break in the storm. Finally they loaded Gabe into a transport isolette with tenderness and care (thank you, Jurgen!). We said goodbye to the NICU staff in a panic and rush instead of how we planned (but that is the preemie lesson, you know, that planning doesn't mean anything will be as you expect, so be adaptable!!), and off we went!
Gabe is lying down on his tummy, not caring what is going on!
Then we were turned right back around because the pilot refused to fly in the storm. So we waited some more, and finally left again, daddy alone on the long drive to Phoenix and St Josephs hospital, and mommy in the plane with Gabe ...
Despite only weighing 3 lbs, Gabe's surgery went smoothly, and all the DeGroffs came to the hospital to wait with Dave and Maren. We were there for only a few days, and they discharged Gabriel straight from St Jo's. As hard as it was to believe, we were walking out of the hospital with our son! No nurses or doctors, just a regular family at last!
Here is Gabe loaded into the car seat, his first ride! (can you feel the excitement???)Driving home from Phoenix we pulled off the road, daddy changed Gabe, 
and mommy nursed him in the car amongst the pinon and juniper trees of the Colorado Plateau... Gabriel's first field trip! back to home page diggerz3@earthlink.net
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