Within a few months of getting married, Alex and I conceived Wolfgang. Wolfgang was born at 35 weeks very unexpectedly due to a serious bacterial infection.
It was clear when he was born that he was severely compromised. His little body was grey and limp. He took a very long time to resuscitate and then spent several days on ventilation until he was strong enough to breathe on his own.
This was entirely different from what we had been planning. We had been planning a homebirth and had no indication that anything was wrong with him until he quit moving on Wednesday, which I didn't really notice until late Wednesday night. Then, I woke up early Thursday in advanced stages of labor and he was born quickly within a couple hours.
Wolfgang's illness was the first challenge Alex and I had had to face as a couple. We felt strong together and I appreciated Alex's confidence that Wolf would pull through and that he was being strong enough for both of us. I know this time with Wolf in the NICU was one of the hardest times of Alex's life. This was his first child whom he loved fiercely, yet the hospital staff was very protective as well and wouldn't let us hold him until he had stabilized, which took days.
I'm not sure there is anything more rugged and sexy than a man fighting for his tiny infant. I fell in love with him and Wolfgang a thousand times all over again during those 11 days.
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