Welcome Ben Michael Clarke - The birth, the hospital and the first few wonderful days

 

 Welcome Ben. 

Marguerite and Jude's beautiful son Ben Michael Clarke was born on Friday 26th October 2012 at 11.45am in Brigham and Women's hospital Brookline. 

Ben is a just joy and he has brought total happiness to Marguerite and Jude's lives.  This is the story of his arrival.















  


So here is Marguerite as she waited in the reception area of the maternity admittance department of Brigham and Women's hospital. The time was 6.55 am and the excitement was building.  A lady who was admitted at this time in labour gave Marguerite and Jude plenty to ponder and think about for the day that lay ahead.









Meanwhile Jude is giving it the auld 'thumbs up' number as he waited for Marguerite to be called.












  

Brigham and Women's hospital felt more like a 5 star hotel. This was the case even when you would walk into it for a visit, and it certainly felt that like a 5 star hotel based on how Marguerite and Ben were treated and cared for.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is Jude all suited up in his 'spacesuit'.  This is of course the suit one wears when entering surgery or theatre.  Normally you would feel like a geek wearing something like this but on this occasion Jude was only too happy to look like a geek but not feel like one.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

An emergency Caesarian section for another lady had delayed Marguerite's surgery a little. So while family and friends were freaking out with concern .....  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

....... Jude and Marguerite tried to relax by taking some pics.  They also sent some e-mails to those concerned relatives and friends informing them of the delays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the big moment neared Marguerite and Jude managed to break the nervousness and tension with this funny face pic ......... 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

............ and this one too. 

 

2 minutes later and Marguerite was called in.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So now all eyes were on Brigham and Women's hospital and a prayer or two were being said as folk sat watching their ipods, ipads, iphones, work computers or whatever else they use to communicate on in this modern world.  

 

And so .....  45 minutes later at 11.45am .....

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

........... Marguerite and Jude's beautiful wee son Ben was born.  Here he is getting cleaned and checked out moments after being born.  What a wonderful private experience the birth was.  You'll have to take these words for it but neither Marguerite or Jude had ever experienced anything quite like the experience they had when Dr Pettyjohn announced, 'and we have a beautiful little boy'.  The next 5 minutes were the most emotional, exhilerating and joy filled minutes of a lifetime.   

 

 

 

 

 

Moments later and here is a pic of the scales as Ben was weighed.  Ben was 6lbs 3 onces.  As he was born 3 weeks before his due date. He was a few onces lighter than he would have been had he gone full term, but 6lbs 3 onces was still a good weight.  A planned Caesarian was performed because there was a potential complication with a natural delivery, so of course no chances were taken.   

 

    

 

 

 

This is Ben just a few minutes after being born.  Jude had wondered if Ben would come out with football boots on, skis maybe, swinging golf clubs or tennis bats, or maybe with a hurl in his hand.  But no ... he didn't .... there will be time enough for all that ..... but for now he was just as perfect as perfect could be.  To the utter delight of Marguerite and Jude, Ben had arrived just like this.













So as his breathing was not going as it should have been little Ben was immediately transferred to the Intensive Care for Newborns. 

















Here is Ben with wires and pipes coming out of him as he tries his very best to build strength in his wee lungs.  Doing a good job watching over him here is Ben's mate, Ted the teddy.  Ted had been sent by Marguerite's Mum, Dad and Emma.

















Also watching over Ben at this stage was his Dad.  This is Ben just one hour after being born.  He is in the triage intensive care unit first so Jude has scooted off there with him while Mum is back in theatre recovering.











And just as soon as she was allowed (about 3 hours after the birth) Marguerite was taken up to see Ben in intensive care triage. This was a thrilling moment because it was here that Marguerite and Jude were told that, although Ben had his wee breathing difficulties, these difficulties would right themselves within a matter of days.  There were tears of joy all round at this stage as this was a huge relief.  Thank God.













Ben loves his auld Da!!

  













Here is a first glimpse of Ben's beautiful eyes.  Who do you think he looks like, this one maybe, that one maybe, or maybe he just looks like Ben.

















While in intensive care Ben still needed his nappy changed of course and there was no better time for Jude to change his first ever real nappy (the practice nappy change on Max a few weeks earlier does not count folks).

















He was shown exactly what to do by Gabby who was one of the many extraordinary nurses in the intensive care unit who were devoting their time to caring for Ben and all the other little boys and girls.










And before you knew it ....... Jude had changed his first proper nappy .... with real poop in it!!!















For two days Ben worked on his breathing in the intensive care unit ........














...... and for those two days Marguerite and Jude watched over him before.....


















.... on Sunday morning at 3.00am the nurse walked into Marguerite's room and announced, 'Marguerite - Ben's breathing has fixed itself, he is now in the nursery, we'll bring him to you at 6.00am'. 

Marguerite and Jude were over the moon and spent the day quickly getting used to having Ben with them all the time. 








And here he was ........ all fixed up and raring to go ...... build for action ..... ready to rock n roll ..... whatever way you want to put it ....


















....... Ben Michael Clarke was now restored to health and ready for life.













On Ben's birthday these two bunches of flowers were delivered to Marguerite's room.  The bunch on the right were delivered from Marguerite's Mum, Dad and sister Emma, and the bunch on the left were delivered from Jude's colleagues at work, Ann Marie, Kim, Megan, Tom and Erika.  These were very beautiful and very much appeciated.








So, for those who do not know, Brigham and Women's is ranked in the top 10 in seven different categories, which is amazing really considering how many hospitals there are in the whole of the United States.  Well this quality even extended to the food.  Marguerite tried her best to eat as much as she could but with her appetite not been quite back up to scratch yet ........















....... it was often left to Jude to polish things off.  Yum, yum, fill yer tum!!













As you can see here from the pile of food on the tray Marguerite was not eating much this day at all, but have no fear, Jude is here!!

















Ben didn't take long to settle in and before long he was wearing all sorts of nice hats and stuff, like this cool one here. 

 















Not even the approaching Hurricane Sandy could spoil the fun at this stage ......


















....... as Ben got a wee bed bath .....














..... a new outfit ......



















...... with a nice new hat .....



















..... and a hug from another nurse, this time it was nurse Serene. All the nurses loved Ben and they made Marguerite and Jude feel at ease all through the 5 days they were in hospital. They really are the most wonderful group of people ever and they are doing amazing work.  Marguerite and Jude always felt that this work was so much more than a job to these nurses and doctors at Brighams, they all showed a genuine love for what they do, and this shone through at all times.  Well done and thanks a million for all you did for Ben. 
 



 Soon thankfully Ben and Marguerite were fit to return home.  Here is the new Clarke family leaving the hospital and heading home to Winchester St.












Marguerite and Ben waiting on the taxi home.

 







Ben loves his auld Ma!!



















The first family portrait.  This picture was taken 23 hours after Ben was born, while he was still in intensive care.  So now there are three.

Thanks to everyone for their good wishes, their prayers, their kind words and gifts.  Marguerite and Jude are just so happy to have Ben and can't wait to share him with the world.