Photo Hunt: String(s)

When Ian (my first) was born in 2004, they performed a standard Bilirubin test on him to check his jaundice levels – he was a touch yellow. The day he was born he was a 10 (normal is between 1-12), as time went on, the level escalated to 22 which is one point short of being hospitalised. To lower his levels we had to keep the machine pictured below in his cot/crib to lower it through phototherapy. He had to have the string cap on with the cotton pads covering his eyes.

At a time where I was elated we finally had our little baby after struggling so long with infertility, it was also heart wrenching and difficult. I couldn’t hold or be with him for longer than his feedings or to change his nappy/diaper; he had to go straight back in there. I can’t tell you how much that ached. I felt so helpless and worried all the time. That week dragged on and on. Through the treatment and multiple heel sticks his levels dropped and life suddenly resumed. He was 3 months old before the jaundice completely left, the white of his eyes being the last to recover. I have never been so grateful for the power of prayer and the blessing of having a second child with no jaundice issues.