Yesterday at 9:05AM Reagan Jean Hulsebus got her wings. She was beautiful and perfect but when she got sick with an infection it was just too much for her tiny body to overcome. Somewhere around 8:30AM Reagan's vitals became unstable and despite the doctors' amazing efforts and Reagan's fighting spirit, Reagan's tiny heart had endured too much and she could not be revived.
We spent the day quietly with our baby girl. Matt and I got to hold her and kiss her and share her with our families. We gave her a bath and swaddled her in her favorite pink blankie. We left the hospital around 4PM and we took our baby girl home where we each spent some time quietly rocking her in her nursery. We told her all about her family, and the plans we had for her, and then we asked her to give Rhett & Jonathan each a hug for us and to let her Great Grandma Nedra & Great Great Grandma Stella take care of her until we get to see her again. To let all of her Grandparents up in heaven spoil her for us and to look in on us from time to time. We thanked her for fighting, she did such a great job, we told her it was okay that she had to leave and that we were happy for her and that she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Then we asked her to help us out just a little, she had already been so strong and brave. We asked that when she meets God, to ask him to help us understand why she had to go so soon.
And then it was time to say goodbye and that was the hardest part of all...
Reagan Jean will be layed to rest on Saturday in the quiet country cemetary at Primrose. From 12:30-1:30 PM we will meet family and friends at the funeral home in Donnellson. Father Hoffman will preside over a service for Reagan at 1:30. Our family will then go to Primrose to say our last goodbye.
We want to take this time to thank all of the Doctor's, Residents, Fellows, Nurses, & the entire Care Team at the University of Iowa NICU. We sincerely appreciate all of your efforts to help our tiny baby girl. We know how hard you worked, and though we had planned for a much different outcome, as I think all of you did until 8:30 Thursday morning, we will forever be indebitted to you all for the precious gift you gave us and we know that you did everything in your power to save Reagan. Thank you, for giving us 22 days with our little angel! Without each and every one of you we would have undoubtedly known the pain of loosing a child all too soon, but we would never have known the joy of watching her grow, changing her diaper, holding her hand, giving her kisses, and watching her little facial expressions, & her tiny little arms and legs squirming. You gave us the gift of joy and the gift of parenthood where most other hospitals in Iowa would have just let us hold her in the delivery room until she was gone. She showed us a brand new kind of love that we didn't even know that we were capable of. She taught us to love her, to love eachother more deeply, and to take care of one another. There are not enough words to express our gratitude to each of you for caring for her, and for your patience, and compassion for us. We will always consider each of you a part of our extended family.
Love always,
Matt & Emily Hulsebus
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