friends' baby is critically ill

[sphinxster]

Our friends' baby was born at 32 weeks with a kidney problem. Discharged from hospital at 37 weeks and has been doing well. Yesterday he was readmitted to hospital with a bacterial infection (39 weeks) and has multiple organ failure.

I'm with them (they came home for a few hours because they're not allowed in the icu atm) and are awaiting test results and progress reports. It's not looking good.

I know all I can do is be here for them but does anyone have words of wisdom or advice?

What a dreadful time for them.

My suggestion is if you are able to go to the medical meetings with them and take notes it might help. They might not remember everything that is told to them at such an emotional time.

Thank you, Tpel. The hospital will only allow the parents to attend meetings with the medical team and will only allow the mother to stay on the ward (we're residing overseas).

The baby is still critical and the parents want to exhaust all options.

We were in this position once, our lovely friends looked after our dog, made sure we had food in the fridge and kept our house ticking over which I am still grateful for. They were fab tbh, always there for us to talk to.

I wish them all the luck in the world, I can't imagine much worse for them.

i think all you can do is be there for them now, listen to them, encourage them to eat and drink, drive them back and forth to hospital, take them things to hospital as and when they need things taking in. But the main thing is being there and being a good friend. As you've posted this it shows you a thoughtful and supportive friend.
I hope their little one is strong enough- thinking of them.

We recently came home with our very prem DD after a tough 21 weeks in hospital. We were so grateful for the friends that filled our freezer, did our laundry, organised and paid for our hospital parking pass, and bought us cups of coffee from the rip off Costa downstairs. I would guess that anything you could do to free them up to just focus on baby would be much appreciated. Bless you for being there for them. What an awesome friend.

How are things?