Pray for Abby

Abby was doing so good and I thought just maybe that we might have made it through the woods.  Yesterday Abby started having trouble breathing and was dropping her heart rate again.  The blood gas was terrible, so they had to put her back on CPAP.   The Dr. called to inform that they would try CPAP again and if that did not work she would be put back on the ventilator.  She is now on droplet precautions to rule out RSV and the flu.   Just the other day I was holding and kissing her.  They are also sending more blood and sputum cultures for an infection work up.  During all this, she won't be able to get fed.  It feels like we take one step forward and then ten steps back.  My faith is wearing thin at this point.  Not sure why God won't give us a break.  Its been almost eleven weeks of constant uncertainty and worrying.  Im getting to the point where Im just angry.

ABBY breathing on her own !!

Abby is almost 11 weeks old.  She is doing great today.  She was taken off CPAP and placed on a nasal cannula, basically breathing on her own with a little help.  She is free of infection and weighs 3 pounds 11.5 oz today.  I went to see her and got to hold her for almost two hours.  She looks and smells so good.  I got to see her beautiful grin.  She definitely looks like her Dad except she has my nose and my personality.   Cute and feisty.  We are going to have our hands full with her and Ethan.  I am happy to say that though.  She should come home in four to six weeks.  Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers, they have been heard and I am so grateful for this.  Even though I'm not pregnant with her, I am still going through the nesting phase and wanting to clean every little thing.  I think I may driving Chad nuts with this, but oh well.  We have a baby shower coming up and have decided to do Abby's room in lady bugs.  She is our little lady bug.  Can't wait for everyone to meet her.

Abby Update

 " Abby come home so you can take bubble baths with me"

Tomorrow Abby will be 10 weeks old.  She weighs 3 pounds 8.4 oz today.  She remains on the ventilator.  Abby was doing great and they thought they were going to be able to put her back on CPAP but then she got another immunization yesterday morning.  Abby has had several episodes where she stops breathing and they have to give her manual breaths.  The Dr. told me yesterday that we would reevaluate the situation today.  Chad went to visit her during the night when she was getting a bath.  He said she was wide awake looking all around.  He said he did not stop smiling the whole time he was looking at her.  When I look at her I feel the same way.  She is so beautiful and perfect to me.  Her nurse today, told me she did not think Abby was ready to be taken off the ventilator yet.  She has a lot of secretions in her lungs so they have started on breathing treatments called albuterol and atrovent.  I got in touch with another mother who went through a very similar experience three years ago.  Her son was a 23 week preemie and now he is a happy and healthy three year old.   This gives me hope.  Please keep Abby in your prayers.

Abby is almost 10 wks old

Abby remains on the ventilator ,but is requiring less support.  She weighs 3 pounds today.  The swelling in her neck is also going down some.  She had a renal sonogram yesterday and the Dr. said her kidneys looked normal.  Her urine came back positive for a bacteria named Klebsiella.  She is being treated with strong antibiotics for that.  Monday she will have another eye exam and get another immunization.  We aren't so sure that this last episode wasn't related to a reaction from the previous immunizations.  If she continues to do well with her breathing, they will put her back on CPAP.  Her color is pink again and she is back to her feisty self.  I'm thinking she is going to give her big brother a run for his money.

Abby 9 weeks old

Today Abby is 9 weeks old.  Yesterday we had some setbacks.  I was at work when the Dr. called and said Abby was dropping her heart rate and her oxygen.  They think it might be an infection or a reaction to some immunizations that she received.   When I went to see her she was pale and not as active as her usual self.  She received a blood transfusion and had a lot of tests done.  I was a mess.  Later on, Chad was at work and went to check on her.  When he arrived outside her door there were lab techs, EKG techs and xray techs.  The Dr. was intubating Abby ( putting her back on the ventilator).  I called to check on her in the middle of night and they she said she was still dropping her heart rate and they were having to go up on her ventilator support.   We thought we were out of the woods, but obviously we aren't.  I know that God is taking care of her and the nurses and Dr's are doing the best they can.

ABBY is 8 wks old Today

Today Abby is 8 wks old.  She weighs 2 pound 11oz.   The Dr's say she is doing very well.  Their concern right now is that she is not gaining enough weight.  They are going to start adding preemie formula to her diet because it has more calories than breast milk.  She is still on CPAP but doing most of the breathing on her own.  They moved her to a different nursery in the NICU yesterday for staffing reasons.  Her new room is more private.  I got to take a picture of her yesterday without all of the equipment on her while the Respiratory therapist was changing it out.  We probably have 6 to 8 more weeks to go.    It's time to start getting things ready for her at home.   Keep her in your prayers

ABBY

Abby is almost 8 wks old.  She weighs 2 pound 9 oz now.  Abby was taken off the ventilator 3 days ago and is doing well on CPAP.  Today was a big day for her.  She had a neuro sonogram which showed that the previous small bleed on the left has resolved.  She also had an eye exam to test for retinal prematurity and hemorrhages.  The eye exam showed prematurity but the dr. said it looked normal.  She looks really good to me.  Today when I went to see her she was sucking on a pacifier and was loving it.  Chad and I got to have a date night last night and both of us remembered why it is that we don't drink that much.  Little slow moving today, but we had a good time.  We are half way there to bringing our angel home.  We can't wait.   I told chad we need to get our rest in now, before long we won't be doing much of that.

ABBY is 7 wks old Today

 " Abby Did it Mom"

Today Abby is 7 wks old.  She weighs 2 pounds 7oz.  Abby remains on the ventilator but is requiring less support.  They may take her off the ventilator and place her on CPAP soon.  The nurse told me the other day that she thought Abby was beginning to look more like Chad.  I said " just as long as she has my brains".   Can't wait until May gets here and I can bring her home safely.  Her brother is already starting to blame things that he does wrong on her.  Keep her in your prayers.