Almost Done With House Arrest

Starting Friday I can start to bring Brandon out to places. I will have to be careful about not bringing him into large crowds since he might be overwhelmed in the beginning since he has not been out of the house except for doctors appointments, a few trips to my friend Becky's house, his grandparents houses, and for walks. It is also important that we still try to keep Brandon healthy.

Dr. Sembrano, Brandon's pulminologist, gave us some guidelines for "our new life" and we also have some rules. These are in place to assure that Brandon continues to stay healthy - which is our TOP priority. He is doing very well and he is healthy, but we must not forget that he was NOT a full term baby and he still does have a fragile immune system. And while his lungs have grown and begun to heal we want them to continue to do so, therefore, he does NOT need to get sick. His lungs are still smaller and a lot less developed than a baby born at term. Please know that we love each and everyone one of you and we can't wait to share Brandon with all of you, but these rules have to be followed. No ifs, ands, or buts.

1. If you or anybody in your household is sick, Brandon can not be around you. If you have been sick you must be symptom free for at least five days before visiting with Brandon. If there is a family function, please let us know of any illness, so that we can know not to attend.


2. Please do not touch Brandon's hands or face. His hands are constantly in his mouth and on his face.


3. It is still imperative that you wash/sanitize your hands thoroughly before touching Brandon or any of his toys. We will have hand sanitizer at all times if needed. Please do not hesitate to ask for it.


4. Do not smoke around or near Brandon If you have smoked please change clothes before visiting.

5. We are going to be very cautious about holding Brandon. We aren't just going to let him be passed from person to person. We will let you hold him, as long as you are healthy, and have sanitized your hands. But in large gatherings, we will limit how many times he gets passed around- it can be very overwhelming for him. And we agree that it is not a good idea for children to hold him at all right now. Unfortunately, children are full of germs and you never know what he can pick up.

Again, we aren't saying this to be mean or to keep Brandon hidden. We will be attending family and friend functions (as long as no one is sick) and we will be going for walks in the park, etc. But we need you to understand that Brandon is still a preemie and is still VERY small for his age. Although, the risk of RSV has fallen, any kind of sickness could land him in the hospital.I know that not everyone fully 'gets' what having a premature baby means and what their limits are- I know that both Stu and I had absolutely NO idea before Brandon was here. It has been a long educational journey for us and we continue to learn new things every day. So, we do understand that this is hard for all of you and you may think we are being silly, especially if you've never known a preemie. But Brandon's health is our #1 priority, and we will do everything to continue to keep him well.