Camping Trips for the Medically Impaired

When Lauren left the NICU, we expected to receive a long list of do's and an even longer list of don't's. Thankfully, there weren't many rules at all. Give her all the medicines she needed. Feed her (and use the feeding tube overnight). Treat her like all your other babies.

Now that Lauren's thriving and we've moved nearly all the way across the country, maybe I can 'fess up to the way we interpreted their "treat her like the others" instructions.

Tim and I tried not to let Lauren's medical needs take over our lives. We had to work around busy appointment schedules and frequent hospital stays, but we didn't quit going places and doing things just because of Lauren.

I recently found a set of pictures from a camping trip we took when Lauren was about a year and a half old. It was just one of the times when we didn't let medical issues stand in the way of family fun.

I'm sure it wasn't comfortable crawling around in the woods, but she didn't seem to mind.

She helped the big kids pitch their tent since there wasn't any room left in ours after we set up the pack-and-play and a couple of oxygen tanks.

Off road stroller for the family hike:

Have feeding tube, will travel!

"God made the dirt, and dirt don't hurt."

Safety first -- her pediatricians would be proud!

I'm sure that I grumbled at all the extra work it took to take care of all of Lauren's medical needs on the road (or in this case, off road). It was definitely worth it in terms of the fun memories we all have to cherish!

I'm sharing a "years ago" story corresponding to each letter of the alphabet for the Blogging through the Alphabet challenge hosted by Marcy at Ben and Me. I often tell my children stories of things that have happened in our past, and now I'm taking the time to write down those treasured stories.

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