This was not what I had in mind (sorry long...) FINAL UPDATE

I have been looking forward to my first hatching for 3 weeks... lovingly tending to my eggs each day in anticipation of that first little pip. Thankfully I was able to see my first baby emerge (day 20) yesterday morning, healthy and robust! Then disaster hit...

My 2 yr old Aydan, got his finger caught in the sliding glass door to my deck 6 days ago. The first couple of days it just looked like a "finger smashed in a door". By day 3, it was apparent something wasn't right. It was swollen and red. My hubby and I thought maybe the finger was broken and took Aydan to the doc. No broken bone, but doc said it did appear to be infected. Antibiotics were started.

Day 5, the finger is turning black, the swelling undescribable, and now... there is pus and blood pouring out of the side of his finger. Aydan is screaming in pain. I call his doc who is out of town- he sends me to Urgent Care. Doctor at Urgent Care took one look at it and told me to find a hospital. There are three hospitals within 1- 1 1/2 hr. drive. I chose the closest. Upon entering that Emergency Room, the doctor informed me that Aydan needed to be sent to the Children's Hospital in Little Rock. It's after midnight and Aydan and I are both exhausted. It's raining and Little Rock is still a 2 hour drive away. I begged for another option. After several phone calls, a local pediatrican and orthopedic surgeon agree to take the case.

My husband and I were in a state of shock when informed about 3 a.m. that Aydan was going to surgery. I can't believe this is happening. At the same time... I had chicks hatching, an hour away and nobody home! My 11-yr-old had spent the night at a friend's house and it took several attempts to contact her and have her taken home. By this time my 17-yr-old was also at home. Phone instructions were given to both children on how to turn the eggs, tend to the babies in the incubator, etc. Talk about STRESS!!

Aydan came through surgery without losing his finger (or part of it) as we had feared. But he's not through the woods yet. It's going to be a long week as we are struggling with staph infection and tissue damage and we are told to expect him to have to return to surgery in the next day or two.

In the meantime, the kids at home have done a great job! I now have 5 out of 7 eggs hatched (MF and Cochins). #6 has pipped. I think #7 quit developing during week 2, but never threw it out. My other incubator has 41 eggs in it which have to be hand turned, a dozen turkey eggs due to arrive at the PO in the morning, and silkie eggs due to arrive in the next day or two. I can only hope the new baby chicks are tough... they're being tended to by two children who have no idea what they're doing. Mom's instructions? "Don't touch... call Mom before you do anything I haven't told you to do!"

My little Aydan could use some prayers! We have a long week ahead of us and like I said, he isn't out of the woods yet, but he's a little fighter! I have my computer with me at the hospital, so I can keep up with BYC and what's going on... it's just like having you guys here with me