People are telling us that we are in a marathon that will be like a roller coaster with ups and downs, highs and lows, twists and turns. Our roller coaster marathon started two weeks ago when our daughter began to experience labor contractions at 24 1/2 weeks into her pregnancy.
Confirming with her doctor that these were normal they continued for another 7 days until at 25 1/2 weeks they ramped up to too many contractions in too short of a time period, which sent us to the emergency room.
After the monitors were strapped on the nurses and doctors began to see that our sweet little granddaughter Brooklyn was going into a distressed state during the contractions and the decision was made to do an emergency C-Section.
Brooklyn was born shortly after we arrived and three hours later would be transported to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) unit 30 minutes away.
The Ups and Downs and Twists and Turns of our Roller Coaster
The up hill climb of our roller coaster marathon feels like a steep trek that requires our constant energy and attention. The twists and turns include all the NICU machines that beep signaling the attention of the nurses and respiratory therapists alerting them to make some sort of minor change on any or all of the machines that are helping Brooklyn grow.
The constant beeping of the machines is not for the faint of heart as we find our adrenals in a constant state of fight or flight until the beeps are silenced by skilled hands that remain calm and we see the numbers on the screen return to normal.
Our eyes are glued to the monitors even when they cease beeping as an assurance that good is happening and our adrenals seem to be able to break from the vicious flight or fight cycle for the moment until the beeping returns, and it does. Definitely feels like the ups and downs and twists and turns of a roller coaster.
The Highs and Lows of our Roller Coaster Marathon
We’ve had many highs that fuel us emotionally and physically as we wait and watch for growth outside the womb. We feel blessed to get a front row seat seeing what is normally hidden in a mother’s womb. The lows of our roller coaster marathon take their toll emotionally and physically. The two steps forward and one step backward play out daily and contribute to our highs and lows.
What strengthens us for our roller coaster marathon are the many people who are praying for our sweet B, her parents and our family. #prayeristhework and is what upholds us spiritually, emotionally and physically.
Daily Reminder of our Roller Coaster Marathon
Daily trips to the NICU, sometimes twice a day are what remind us that our roller coaster marathon is just that, a marathon that will last at least another couple of months. What relieves us as we stay in the moment are the texts, notes, prayers, meals, love and support that we have received from all over the world. Without all of that, our roller coaster marathon would be unbearable.
This note from my sweet sis filled with the truth of God’s Word brings us peace daily as we set our hearts and minds on things above and not on “the black part of the rope” as our Pastor Drew Sodestrom teaches us each Sunday.
He uses this rope illustration originated by Francis Chan (click here to watch Francis Chan explain the rope) every Sunday using a rope with a tiny amount of black tape at one end of the rope (Chan uses red but you get the point) that represents our short time here on earth with the remainder of the rope that goes on and on into infinity symbolizing eternity.
His point is that as believers in Jesus Christ, we are to transform our hearts and minds to get our focus off of the temporal or the here and now (the black/red part of the rope) to focus on the remaining rope that goes on for eternity.
Centering our hearts and minds on the truth of God’s Word keeping our eternity focus to finish well, ending our marathon strong and pointing others to the only hope we have, which is in our relationship with Jesus Christ, is the only way to navigate the ups and downs, twists and turns and highs and lows of this here and now roller coaster marathon.
If you would like to read updates on our sweet B, you can click this link: Life Over Coffee Blog .
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