How old were you when you got married?

Thanks for asking. Fiona will be three in March, and is thriving.

She passed a swallow study in early September, which meant she was no longer aspirating when she drank water. So, she can take all of her liquids by mouth now, and we haven't had to use her feeding tube at all for several months now. A couple more months and we can remove it. She's also off of all oh her heartburn medication.

She's smart and funny. She loves to read books, do puzzles, play the matching/memory game, and play with her stuffed animals and dolls.

As for your friend, it's tough. Fiona was in the hospital for the first 10 weeks of her life, and for a couple of other shorter stays that first year. It's exhausting. But, we always knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel. She was never in any danger, and was basically the healthiest kid in the NICU. We were mostly waiting for her to grow, and they were trying to manually stretch her esophagus (they would literally stick a tube down her throat a couple of times a day to try and stretch it out), before they attempted the surgery she needed.

I can't imagine doing 8 months, or not having a happy ending to look forward too.

We befriended a couple of families during our time there. One has a daughter who was in the hospital for over a year after her birth. Was there so long she graduated form NICU to the PICU. (neonatal intensive care unit to pediatric intensive care unit.) That's not a graduation you want to celebrate.

Her daughter is home now, but still has -- and will always -- a number of major health issues. I honestly don't know how she does it. You have to be string for your child, and as a husband, you want to be strong for your wife, but I don't know how it wouldn't break me.

 

Bonus points to anyone who can recognize the setting. I'm betting a lot of you have been there, if not to this particular setting within the larger venue.

 

Mandalay Bay Hotel.

 

You got it.

My use of "betting" was a subtle clue.

 

I was 25. She was 19.
Celebrate 20 years next May.

 

Both of us were 27 still going strong 11.5 years later. First kid at 30, second at 32, third at 37. There won't be a fourth.

 

We had our first and only. 18 year old freshman in college. Son of a bitch it goes fast.

 

We were both 26 and celebrate 20 years next week. Lived together for nearly seven years prior, so about 27 years living together. First kid at 28, second at 32 and third at 39.

Probably wouldn't do it that way if I could do it over -- wouldn't advise my own kids to cohabit, especially for that long -- but it's worked out. First two kids came along at about the right time. Definitely feel like the geezer dad with the final one, but he's a neat little guy.

 

I really hope to be able to answer this question at some point.

 

I was 22; she was 20.

That was 52.5 years ago.

Two kids ages 45 and 42.

 

Wow! Amazing.

 

Salute.