WE ARE HOME!!

Just wanted you all to know that we actually came home yesterday, Thursday May 21 st, in the afternoon. We had all of our family over for a celebration. We were in hospital for 42 days, Abigail was 6 wks old yesterday. What a beginning for her!
Everything is going well so far at home. Thanks for all your support and prayers, that's what got us home!! We still have a long road ahead, but we will do whatever it takes. Lots of doctors appts in the next week (Audiology, Hematology, Cardiology, and Pediatrician). I will keep you all up to date. Hopefully I will have a little more time on my hands and I will be able to update with some new pictures soon!

GOING HOME !

NO TUBES, NO WIRES, NO IV'S, NO MONITORS

DAY 41:

Weight 7 lbs. 13 oz.
Whoopie!! The docs came in today and said we could go home. YEAH! Only problem is they have poked around with setting up discharge stuff (CPR class, nutrition consult, medications). So we are all here hoping all the right things happen today and we will be headed home. We were hoping for friday, so a BIG surprise when they said today.

Won't Jackson be surprised when he gets home today!

As for Abigail.... no signs of infection and blood clot has remained the same size (will continue Lovenox at home for 4-6 wks and be followed by Hematologist). Mommy got to take out the NG tube on Monday. What a difference that made with her feedings. She has been eating 66-90's of milk with every feed!! Her PICC line was taken out today. All of her leads and wires are gone... I can walk around with her without restrictions. She is FREE!!!

Well, I will keep you all posted. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Weekend Update!!

Having a great weekend! Abigail ate 66 ml out of 66 ml at 3 AM today, 100%. On average she is eating in the 50's... We are so excited to report this news to you all. The doctors are very proud of her, they are actually talking about taking out her NG tube and possibly going home this week. I hate to get TOO excited, but we are very hopeful to have our WHOLE family together at home very soon.

5 wks old!

Abigail is 5 wks old... we are at day 36! Things are going well. We have reached a new record with feeding. She ate 57 ml of 66 ml today! Woo hoo! Making GREAT progress. Hoping to go home without any tubes. She will finish her course of antibiotics tomorrow and have a repeat ultrasound of blood clot on Monday. Hopefully they will take out her PICC line and NG tube on Monday if things continue to go well throughout the weekend. Today she weighs 8 lbs. 0 oz.


Sorry about the "Emergency Room" entry that was never quite explained. I tried a couple of times to write about it and then the computer battery would die, or the entry would not save.
So too add to the drama.... On Wednesday, I had a sudden onset of constant, severe pain in my sternum area radiating around my back. The pain reminded me of a previous gallbladder attack I had in '07. After suffering for 20 min or so, the nurses wheeled me to the ER at St. Lukes. They gave me Toradol and Morphine for pain after starting an IV and drawing labs. The morphine helped quite a bit. They sent me for a cat scan. In the end, couldn't find anything wrong with me. No explanation???? Well, after 4 hours, they discharged me. I was just glad to get back to Abigail. I just wish I had an explanation for the pain.

We have new visitors in today... Aunt Peggy and Uncle Dempsey have driven 850 miles from Missouri to come visit!

Hope you all have a GREAT weekend.

Hey everyone...Happy Monday, day 32 of our hospital stay. I am sitting in a waiting room while they try to get #3 PICC line in Abigail. Poor girl was probably stuck 20 times or more over the weekend for attempts at IV's or trying to draw a blood sample. Out of all those sticks, they had NO success, not even once!! She is bruised up everywhere, from head to toe! Let's hope that this PICC attempt is successful and that it doesn't cause another infection. They need the PICC to finish her 10 day course of antibiotics. She has started to eat better last couple of days.... remember goal is 60 ml, she drinking anywhere from 24-48 ml..
Well, I guess that's it for now. Have a great week! Yeah they got the PICC in!!

Happy Mothers Day

Happy Mothers Day

to you all!!!

I feel so lucky to have two beautiful children to love on every day...

I will really be able to celebrate Mothers Day when I have them both home together. I pray that this day will come soon!

Poem
I am a Heart Mother

One day my world came crashing down, I'll never be the same... They told me that my child was sick.. I thought, am I to blame? I don't think I can handle this...I'm really not that strong.. It seemed my heart was breaking..As, I'd loved her for so long. I will not give up on this child.. despite your best "advice".. I will give my child a chance.. No matter what the price.. And I will learn all that I need.. to help my child to thrive... I'll even use that feeding tube.. My child will survive! And she'll needs lots of therapy? And she just can't gain weight? Alright God I can do this.. I will not curse our fate. The feeding pump beeps,( at 3:00 a.m.) It serves as my reminder.. How many parents would welcome that sound? Tomorrow Lord, I will be kinder. Another angel earns their wings.. and I run to my sleeping child's bed.. I watch her then, for quite awhile.. (I bend down and kiss her head) Then I cry for the parent's whose lives have been broken.. And I look to You wondering why? Oh Lord, I just can't know your ways.. No matter how I try. And yet, I trust You hold her life..(and guide us through each day) My mind says savor each moment she's here...But my heart whispers,"Please let her stay". From... pacing the surgical waiting room... to sitting by her hospital bed... From... wishing for a good nights sleep.. to learning every med.. From... wondering will she be alright? to watching her reach out her hands.. with every smile, my heart just melts..(despite life's harsh demands) For all who see that faded line.. I look to them and smile.. You see my child is loved so much..I would face any trial... That same scar I trace with my finger.. (It's the door to her beautiful heart) You must have known how much I'd love her.. (Just as You loved her right from the start) A heart mom is always a heart mom.. (wise beyond all of her years) And for those who have angels in heaven.. Our hearts share in all of your tears.. On Mother's Day I will remember.. You chose me for her(and no other) And I will embrace that beautiful day.. When I became a "heart mother".

~Author Unknown~

One Month Old!

4 weeks today!!

So we have hit our 4 weeks mark today. Woo Hoo! We weigh 7lbs 11oz. Gaining weight... at least were doing something right! Abigail is doing pretty good overall. Sorry I haven't updated you all recently. I stay busy... our days revolve around eating.... which she is still having her eating issues. She is supposed to be eating 60cc every three hours and has only been eating 15- 25 cc. She starts off feeding orally by a bottle then whatever she doesn't eat they give her through the NG tube. The doctors said that if she doesn't start eating more, then they will discuss putting in a more permanent feeding tube (G tube, through abdomen into the stomach). Also, earlier this week she started spiking a temperature. Through blood cultures they determined the source of infection is enterococcus. They started her on high dose antibiotics for up to 2 weeks. The doctors say she is doing well so far with treatment. Her blood clot was re-evaluated on Wednesday by ultrasound, they said it has gotten bigger. They have increased her Lovenox dose, still getting shots twice a day. That about sums it up for our health concerns at this time. I guess we still have no plan on when we'll finally go home. I'll try to update yall more frequently with info and pictures.

Clothes!

Doing great today! Mommy is staying the night tonight... yeah, Girls night! They removed one of her PICC lines today and have stopped all IV fluids. Think she is only getting lasix now through the PICC once a day. This is great cause we can now play dress up. I bathed her today and dressed her twice! They stopped her heparin and started Lovenox, which is another blood thinner they give as a shot twice a day. Not too happy about that. She doesn't like it at all. Her legs are already bruised and knotted up. Poor girl... She'll be a tough one when this is all over. Watch out Jack! Yesterday her weight was 7# 4oz. Still struggling to eat all of her food by mouth, but think they are just overwhelming her with too much food too frequently.

What craziness going on here at TCH. "Swine Flu" chaos! Everyone talking about it. The entry way into building is also the waiting room for the ER. Everyone wearing masks. Let's just hope everyone is overreacting.

Thank you to all of her visitors: Meme & PawPaw, LeLe, Aunt Peggy, Aunt Patsy, Grandma & Grandpa Mike, Ackey & Uncle Frog, Aunt Lesli and Michael, G-Pa, Stacy, Michele, Becky, Theresa, Libra, Dr. Swaim, and whomever I might have left out.... We enjoy our visitors!