Small Town Life

A lot of people complain about living in a small town. I used to be one of those people. But now, I can't wait to take sweet little Wendy back to Elberton. Yes, everyone always knows your business, but when you really need something, the people will get behind you and do what they can to help. Having a sick baby has proved that. I've had so many people give me well wishes and ask me what I need, even though we are 400 miles away in Nashville right now. We even had someone anonymously send us cash to help with food since we are staying in a hotel right now; the card was simply signed friends in Christ. I'm really glad we are stationed at Fort Campbell right now because Wendy is getting great care at Vanderbilt, but I definitely miss my little hometown. :)

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

The worst part about having a preemie with a chromosome abnormality is that things never seem stable. Wendy was able to maintain her body temp for a few days then her heat lamp had to be turned back on, and now today it's off again. Yesterday they said I couldn't try to breast or bottle feed and now today I can. Yesterday Wendy had a bit of a rough day, spitting up constantly, however I think it's either the vitamins they started her on or the Amoxicillin (because I'm allergic to that too) that's causing her tummy to be upset. Speech said yesterday they think she may have severe reflux but today she took 8mL for the speech therapist fine. The doctor still ordered a suck/swallow test for next week where they'll look and see if/how she is swallowing in an xray. Another problem is she's not growing as much as they'd like. I'm hoping things will even out soon so she will be closer to coming home. For now it's still just one day at a time.

Nursing

Today was my first attempt at actually breastfeeding Wendy. I've been pumping since the day she was born, but I would like to actually be able to nurse her. We brought in the lactation consultant and she showed me how to properly hold Wendy and how to position my nipple. Wendy never fully opened her mouth or latched on but she would suck on her lips some when she tasted my milk. They said that was a good sign. It was nice just being skin to skin with her and bonding some. We are going to start doing Kangaroo care since she has her picc line out now.

She is trying to maintain her own body temp now but she's been running a little low so they may have to turn the heat back on. Also because of the problems with her intestines she had to have surgery and get a Colostomy bag, not sure if I have mentioned that before. Well they are having problems finding an adhesive that will stick to her skin. Her bag has come off or leaked 4 times in 2 days, and it breaks my heart seeing them peel the adhesive off her akin while she screams and cries. I hope they can figure something out soon.

Doctors are still saying her discharge date will be around her due date and that if she can't learn to bottle or breast feed by then they'll send her home with a feeding tube. Gah, November 20 cannot get here fast enough!

So In Love

Zed and I just got back to the hotel (we are still trying to get in the Ronald McDonald or Hospitality House). When we got to the hospital earlier Zed got Wendy and held her for a while. She was so content laying in her daddy's arms. After a while I told him I wanted to hold her. He passed her off and went for a walk, leaving Wendy and me to have some mommy/daughter time. I read her two of the Little Golden Books, Baby Dear and Color Kittens (the ones that have been around forever). Once Zed got back we tucked Wendy back into her soft squishy bed and left. I could have stayed and stared at her for hours. I love all her wild curly hair, her crazy long eyelashes and the way she pouts her lips. I adore her big dark eyes and her long fingers and toes. I especially love the fact that she is a part of me and always will be my little girl. It's safe to say I'm so in love!

It's Been a While

I know it's been a while since I have posted anything. I honestly feel like all I do now is eat, sleep, pump, and visit Wendy. Wendy is tolerating my breast milk really well. They up it by 2cc everyday. She's still breathing on her own however, she had to have a feeding tube because she doesn't have the reflex to take a bottle. We are hoping she can learn that soon. She's had 2 sessions of phototherapy because she's a bit jaundiced, which is normal for preemies. She is down from 3lbs 15oz to 3lbs 10oz, which is again expected. Other than that, things are about the same. They said she would probably be home around Thanksgiving- which is close to her due date. We are taking it day by day and hopes she will get better soon. We are ready to have our tiny angel home!

One Week Old Today!

At 1501 Wendy will be a week old! Oh how fast she is growing up! I will be glad to get her home so I don't feel like I am missing out on her growing up. On the bright side, today is the first day we have really gotten good news. For her to be able to come home she has to be able to eat, maintain body temperature, and breath on her own. She has one down, two to go! They are going to try to feed her Pedialite today and if she does okay with that they will give her breast milk! That's so exciting to me! We are still not sure if she will be able to take a bottle or if she'll need a feeding tube, but we are taking it one day at a time and hoping for the best. They will check her other problems again before she goes home, but they shouldn't prolong her stay. Unfortunately we called the Ronal McDonald house and they are still completely full and have a very long waiting list. But as long as that's the only bad news we get, I'll take it!

Wendy's Progress

After being tested and evaluated they found a few problems with my sweet baby girl. There is a vein and a flap in her heart that should be closed but aren't. While they are in utero these two places have to be open and since she is a preemie and her gestational age is only 34 weeks we are hopeful they will close on their own. One of her kidneys is swollen. And they found a cyst in one part of her brain and her choroid plexus is swollen- which could be from where she had cysts that healed there before. They thought the main vein in her tummy that goes to heart was interrupted, but after a second look that found that it just flows a different way than normal, however it is still pumping blood to the correct places. Her eyes, her spine, and her limbs all look fine. She had her first surgery this morning to begin the process of fixing her intestines. It will be a 3 step surgery. Zed and I were called at 0630 and told they were taking her back. We went and saw her then Zed went back to the hotel while my mom and I waited for the surgery to be over. She did wonderfully and after an hour she was back in her room in the nicu and we were able to see her. She was still on a ventilator and paralyzed but they said they weren't rushing her off the anesthesia because she was so small. We decided to leave Wendy alone to rest and wake up and we will see her again in the morning. Hopefully she will be awake and breathing on her own sometime tomorrow. While we weren't doing anything today Momma, Grammy, Aunt Sherry and myself went to clean mine and Zed's house. That way when I go home its not messy and it'll smell nice. Zed spent the day with his daddy. I also bought Wendy a little pumpkin that lights up to go in her nicu room. That little girl is so loved its amazing. And its true what my Momma always told me, you never know love until you have a baby of your own. :)