Bittersweet

Happy Birthday William Joseph!!!

Today is a bittersweet day in our house. It is the birthday of our little boy William Joseph and the anniversary of his death. Every year this date is very hard for me especially. This year we add in Connor's last day of school and I am really a basket case. It is getting easier year after year, but I do still miss him. I know we wouldn't have Connor or probably Wyatt, but it is so hard to understand why...I guess that is the one question we will never know the answer to.

Anyway, I am asking for everyone's forgiveness, patience, and prayers to help get through today.

Heidi is HOME

The Pretty Pink Princess

Heidi is COMING HOME!!!!!

Good news! They are discussing discharge with me today, depending results of her eye exam. She was found to have level 1 stage ROP (the way the blood vessels form on the retina), so she will be sent home on oxygen. The eye exam will determine if her eyes are improving or getting worse. If getting worse she might be in the hospital a little longer.

Yesterday she failed her hearing test, but you talk to her she responds to your voice. The doctors think it was incorrect and she was picking up background noise from her oxygen, so they are going to try the test again today. She needs a Head ultrasound and an MRI to ensure everything is still good; her first test results were fine when taken at week 2.

She is off the feeding tube and is being fed when she wants as much as she wants. The little bugger took 2 oz's her first time off the schedule. That is up from the 1 and a third oz she took every three hours.

She is up to 5 lbs. 13ozs. So, if they can squeeze her ultrasound and MRI in today or tomorrow and she does well on her eye exam she might be home at Easter! If not sometime next week.

Her room is at least painted (pink of course), I have to quickly do the paint around the trim of her new windows and hang her shelves. Her rocking Chair should be in on the 11th, I'm hoping it is in before she comes home but I would be happy just to have her home.

I have to go and buy crib sheets this weekend and I am hoping Thor paints his cradle and fixes the bottom board, so I can set that up. I also have to get her a toy box so I can paint it; not a show stopper but I don't think I'll have time once she arrives to do it. My sister is coming in this weekend and we are having a marathon sewing session to get her crib bedding and drapes all finished. I also still have to shampoo the rest of the carpets in the house so they are nice and clean.

My shower was cancelled, so I have to scramble to get at least the basics to bring her home. So I really have to bear down and determine what I need, even though I really have no clue as to what is. My mom is getting my car seat on Friday and is going to bring her home in the van, since my Mini is still broken and is the only car we have that I feel comfortable putting a car seat in.

Katie

Heidi #4 update

We are at 4 lbs 10 ozs, we wore our first outfit and got our first soapy bath over the weekend. We went from 3 Liter high flow oxygen to 0.5 liter low flow oxygen. We are ready for a crib but we are on a waiting list to get one.

More Good Heidi News

Heidi has moved up a level again...she is now in level 3 nursery. She is almost 4 lbs and doing very well. They have checked her eyes and say that there should be no problems with them beyond what type of vision she inherits from her parents. Today is her mother's birthday, so she had better be a good girl today!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATIE!!!

Heidi Update

She was moved from the Level 1 NICU to the Level 2 NICU. She is now on high flow nasal oxygen which is taped to her face because she keeps pulling it out. She eats 28 cc's every 3-4 hours and really lets you know when she is hungry according to Katie. Katie is now able to hold her for about an hour each day and she sucked on her binky for like 15 minutes. She is making remarkable progress and it is all due to your kind thoughs and prayers. THANK YOU!!!

Pictures of Heidi!!!!

Update on Heidi

My god daughter Heidi is doing well. She is just over a week old and so far (knock on wood) has NOT been on a ventelator. She has also increased her feedings from 4 cc's to 7 cc's and is now taking them every 3 hours instead of every 4. Please continue to keep them in your thoughts and as soon as I can get a picture of her up here I will.

When it rains.....

My sister lost her job yesterday....we kind of expected it since she is low man on the totem pole and the school had to cut 4 jobs due to budget reasons, but Lord please help her (and us)

Also, this is from one of my good friends...

As most of you know, Mike's Grandma has dementia and was in the nursing home.
She got pneumonia on Sunday and is now in the hospital.
Well, she's now taking a turn for the worse.
They did not expect her to make her through the day yesterday, but she fought it.
They don't expect her to make it to the weekend.
Please keep Mike's family in your thoughts and prayers.

She's Here

Heidi Rose was born at 11:45 pm on 2/10 weighing 2 lbs 2.5 oz and was 14” long. Her cord prolapsed and there was no choice but to take her via C-section in 14 minutes as her life was in danger. She is currently breathing on her own with the C-Pap to inflate her lungs, but her eyes are open and she is kicking around.

Please pray that she continues to improve and that she does NOT need a ventilator to help breathe. She will stay in the hospital at least 1 ½ months. Katie will be in the hospital until Saturday.

Many thanks for the prayers and good thoughts.

Hannah

AGAIN

As you can see by my previous post, my best friend is in dire straights. It is like re-living my nephews birth at 31 weeks a little over a year ago all over again, but knowing that at 27 weeks things are so much more fragile and the outcomes are more work and sometimes not so good. I have this big knot in my stomach that is making me sick with worry. Why does it feel so much worse? Probably because she doesn't have much support in Iowa. Her mom has a new job and can't take time off. Her husband is in school and has to work to pay the bills. At least my sister had my mom, dad, and her MIL and FIL.

Connor had his first round of testing on Monday. The guy said that he wanted us to come back to repeat the testing. He also said that Connor was a busy boy (aren't all boys) and he could see why there might be a question/problem of distractability. What does that mean? Does it mean that he didn't score high enough on anything to pinpoint a cause? Does it mean, he scored super high in one area, but the guy doesn't believe it? If he comes back with an ADD or ADHD do I accept it even though my sister a teacher has told me that she don't believe he has it and she has worked with a lot of those kids or that I don't think he meets all the symptoms on-line? I know there is no use worrying, what will be will be, but....I can't help it.

We leave tomorrow for CO and I wish I was excited to go. My stomach is in knots and I am ready to puke. Off to do more packing. Hopefully I will have some nice pictures to share when we get back.

Please Pray...

For my sister's friends Dave and Heather and their unborn baby girl (Ella Grace).

During an ultrasound they discovered that she has a kidney defect that will require life long treatment.

10% of kids die in the womb

30% die within the first four weeks

Those that live will need to have dialysis and kidney transplants.