March 12, 2008

Another story about the inlaws

I've talked about how my MIL is an alcoholic in the past and how it's amazing that she can function. Here's another story. So Saturday, my MIL called and said one of my husbands cousins had delivered her baby 8 weeks early, gave us his weight and age, but didn't know details. I went to work and when my husband called to let the kids say good night to me, he said that his mom called back and the baby had died. I was pretty shocked. 32 weeks is early, lungs aren't mature, but most of the time they do okay after a few weeks in the hospital. So I thought I'd get a sympathy card and get it in the mail and start looking for a babysitter so we could go to the funeral without the kids. Monday, my MIL left me a message, wanting me to call her back. I assumed that she wanted to ask me questions about the baby, even though I wasn't there, I'm a labor nurse and not a NICU nurse, but it's all the same to her. So I call her back. At the same time, my husband decided to call and talk to his cousin and give him condolences. The first thing my MIL says to me is "So the baby is doing okay". I'm confused, obviously, because the last I heard was the baby was gone. At this point in time, my husband comes into the room and tells me the same thing. Husband had said sorry for what happened and his cousing said "Dude, he's not dead." Apparently, one of my MIL's sisters (an aunt to this baby) told her that they discharged her and sent the family home because there wasn't anything they could do at the hospital and my MIL took it to mean the baby was gone. She was drunk, of course so that's how the mistake was made. Luckily the family knows how she is, but come on. Have you ever heard of someone telling family that someone had died when they really hadn't? It's kinda sad because she's really sick, but you have to laugh. She was also very intoxicated when I was talking to her, and she didn't remember that she had told us that the baby had died, and I'm sure she doesn't remember the conversation I had with her on Monday. I guess the mom went to the hospital with a lot of bleeding. She went into labor and they couldn't stop it. They ahd done a sonogram and didn't see any issue, but after the delivery, they said that the placenta was slowly abrupting. The baby is doing well, by the way, he's off oxygen, is getting to eat some, but still has some issues with keeping his temperature regulated. Usual problems for a 32-weeker. A much happier ending to the story, and the family will have another laugh when they get the sympathy card I sent in the mail. So glad they have a sense of humor!

1 comment:

AwkwardMoments said...

Oh Wow! I am so sorry for hte 32 weeker and the family. Your MIL is a trip