The Sunbird Has Landed

September 26, 2025

SUNNY'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last weekend was a BUSY one

but it was for a good cause.

Chris had saved his last two weeks of paternity leave, and began that two week stretch on Thursday of last week. That was INCREDIBLY helpful as we had discharge things to finish up, as well as running back & forth between our house and the Ronald McDonald House & hospital. We were moving our things out, meeting with people, getting boxes (& boxes) of supplies. Whosever idea it was to drop off the bulk of her supplies the day before.....I'd like a word with them.

Day of came and everything went smoothly! The transport team came and buckled Sunny into the stretcher, and we started down the hallway lined with so. many. friends.

We've worked for this for so long, I wish all of it could be easy and happy. But at the same time, it's such a blessing that it's hard to leave our team. If it was easy to leave, it would mean they were jerks haha, which they're not.

Those people mean so much to us, it was sad to leave them knowing we weren't going to get to see them everyday.

We love them a lot, and we wouldn't be here without them.

We know that Sunny will never be out of the hospital for good. She has a lot of follow-up appointments (after which we'll be going to visit our Cardiac Unit besties:), and then eventually she'll need an upgrade to her heart situation. Loving our friends there makes it easier knowing that we'll be back.

Night nurses besties Jordan & Alayna. They always hung out with Sunny, even if they weren't assigned to her.

Last PT session

PT Marcy♥️ the most gentle workout instructor. Always so encouraging, fun & we always enjoyed our sessions with her.

RT Linda usually made Sunny mad bc she we were always laughing & Sunny hates joy(when she's trying to nap;)

Environmental Services or self proclaimed "crazy Uncle" J.R.

He kept Sunny's room clean, gifted Sunny multiple bracelets, always greeted her & asked how she was doing.

PACU nurse Michelle took care of Sunny after her catheterization procedures. She used her own phone to put shows on to entertain Sunny while she was grumpy coming off of anesthesia, & gifted Sunny this sunshine stuffie before we left.

Last OT workout with Jackie♥️

Always so kind and full of energy - we often referenced her "permanent outside voice" that kept the Tiny-Tots crew awake and active. She's so helpful, joyful & fun.

CICU nurse Brady who we had on some of Sunny's roughest days - including Sunny's 2nd extubation attempt on Christmas Eve/Day. It was a stressful day, but Brady was so festive with reindeer antlers and Christmas colors.

Sunny's last night in the hospital

Bestie nurse Sarah who's usually part of the nighttime crew, and was the first to put Sunny in her cute overalls♥️

Bestie nurse Abby

One of the newer nurses who Sunny got to teach how to do trach things. She was always the sweetest & came in multiple times just to say "hi" to Sunny throughout the day.

RT Brie

Brie was in both CICU & 2B, and was always so informative, encouraging, fun to chat with, & generous with her artistic abilities ♥️

NP Sandy

She has been with Sunny in both CICU & 2B, and has worked many days & nights trying to understand Sunny better♥️

NP Elaine♥️ also worked hard to figure out how to best serve & advocate for Sunny. She wanted to hold Sunny before she left because she got to before.

Nurse Jess took such great care of us. She taught Sunny's parents so much about trach care & general care of Sunny.

Nurse Erin is always a calm & joyous way to spend the day. She's excellent at helping us process our thoughts, and try to best advocate for Sunny.

Nurse Jamie♥️ is always so patient and intentional in her duties. She was one that liked to give meds at about the same rate as Sunny was getting her feeds - and Sunny has a lot of meds, so we got to chat a lot!

Environmental Services Wayne☀️ He came every morning to check the sharps bin. He noticed Sunny while she was still in the CICU, and would look for her every time she moved rooms. He always was so encouraging to us and Sunny.

PT & OT bestiessss

Nurse Carleen took such great care of Sunny. She was very intentional at helping teach us about giving meds, and that really helped the transition of things♥️

Nurse Trish did such a good job with getting Sunny's urine the first time they did a Urine Analysis, that Sunny insisted she was the one to do it all 3 times;) She always talked to me about yard work things, and was very observant with changes in Sunny.

Child Life Kennedy! As the Child Life Specialist, Kennedy brought the cozy to the hospital. She did so many hand & footprint, played with us at Tiny-Tots, and lended Sunny her first fan, sound machine, and mirror☀️