Finally!!!

Age: 27 days
Gestational Age: 27w4d
Weight: 1lb 6oz

I finally got to hold my daughter today!!  What a great feeling!  Thursday we can start Kangaroo Care, which is skin to skin!  They originally said it would be a few weeks before we could start K-Care but I guess since she's doing good they decided we could start sooner! 

She's also gained some weight!  She's up to 1lb 6oz!  They are decreasing her IV nutrition and increasing the amount of breastmilk she's getting.  Soon she'll be on breastmilk only and they can take out the IV!!!  They are giving her treatments to help her lungs; they said today they think they are working!  Apparently it works for some but not all.  They've talked about getting her off the ventilator, but I think that's going to take some time.  They say it's like taking 2 steps forward and 1 step back.

I know it's hard to see her in the picture; they wanted to make sure to bundle her up so she stayed warm. 

Friday she will be 1 month old!  I can't believe it!  I hope time keeps flying so I can bring her home!!

Surgery Update & Thank You's

Age: 16 days
Gestational Age: 26w
Weight: 1lb 2.5oz

Little Miss Ava had the surgery to close her PDA today and it went as planned!! No complications and she handled it very well. The doctors said she will get worse before she gets better; meaning her oxygen saturation levels will still go up and down and hopefully after a few days of recovery she will be more stable (holding at 93% or higher on a low ventilator setting). It all depends on how well her lungs have matured. Her doctor was aggressive in turning down the settings on her ventilator soon after the surgery. She went from 38% oxygen down to 25%. Normal room air is 21%. This doesn't mean she will be off the ventilator soon; it’s just a good start and again depends on her lungs.


I also want to say thank you to everyone for their care and concern! All your prayers and kind words mean so much!! Also, thank you to John and Abby...friends of friends who donated blood for Ava. They came by the hospital yesterday and it was a pleasure meeting them and their 5 week old son! It's so nice to know that even complete strangers are willing to help out! It restores some faith that people are by nature kind hearted. I know there are so many people who I've never met that are willing to help Ava, so please, if someone you know has donated blood or even just said a prayer for her, pass along the information to this blog. I would like everyone who has played a part in her life to be able to keep up with her progress. And I know there is no way I could keep up with them all, so this is the next best thing!

Patent Ductus Arteriosus
The ductus arteriosus is a short blood vessel that connects the main blood vessel supplying the lungs to the aorta, the main blood vessel that leaves the heart. Its function in the unborn baby is to allow blood to bypass the lungs, because oxygen for the blood comes from the mother and not from breathing air. In full-term babies, the ductus arteriosus closes shortly after birth, but it frequently stays open in premature babies. When this happens, excess blood flows into the lungs and can cause breathing difficulties and sometimes heart failure. Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is often treated with a medication called indomethacin or ibuprofen, which is successful in closing the ductus arteriosus in more than 80% of infants requiring these medications. However, if medical therapy fails, then surgery may be required to close the ductus.

2 Weeks Old & She Opened Her Eyes!!

Age: 2 weeks
Gestational Age: 25w5d
Weight:1lb 3oz

Today Ava is 2 weeks old!  During the morning hands-on with her nurse, she opened her eyes!!  She opened them again when I got there and the nurse was letting me help with the afternoon hands-on.  Yay for the little milestones!

They were able to turn her oxygen back down to 33%.  Surgery for the PDA will either be Friday or Monday...waiting for the surgeon to confirm the date.  She was being a little diva today...didn't want anyone messing with her. Everytime we opened the bed her oxygen would drop.  She was able to recover on her own, but it's still an uneasy feeling. She had to receive blood yesterday and today.  They had to do a lot of tests (labs) yesterday so they were replacing what they took.  Other than that, we're just waiting for the surgery.

PDA Update

Age: 12 days
Gestational Age: 25w3d
Weight: 1lb

Well the PDA did not close. The doctor said they will do surgery at the end of this week or early next. They are waiting to make sure she doesn't have an infection. There is a chance it may close on it's on own, but it's not likely. Other than that, she had a pretty good day.  They did have to turn up her oxygen to 43%, but that could be from the PDA being open.

Will update again when I know more about the surgery.

Ava's Birth Story

Well as most of you know by now, I was diagnosed with severe Preeclampsia which turned into HELLP.  When I went to the hospital they told me I would deliver within a week...well I made it a day and a half.  The doctor and nurse woke me up at 1 AM on Wednesday (9/16) for an emergency c-section.  I was shocked and scared as I knew it was too early to have Ava.  But they insisted that I was in danger if I didn't deliver. So at 2:19 AM Ava Rene' was born (23w5d).  She weighed 445 g and measured only 10.75 in.  She is tiny but she is a fighter!  It's been 10 days and so far she has remained strong! 

Will has been great...he drops off breastmilk every morning on his way to work and then goes back after work to sit and talk to her.  I go to the hospital and sit with her in the morning and leave late afternoon.  We have a routine that seems to be working so far!

I will post updates on her progress. 

As of yesterday...9/26
Weight: 451 g (was up to 470, may have decreased due to stopped feedings)
Length: 11 in
Oxygen Level: 28-30%
PDA: open, ibuprofen administred (Thurs, Fri & Sat) - results Monday
Brain Bleed: was a level 1, but improving
Apena: receiving caffine
Anemia: receiving blood transfusions a few times a week
RDS: surfactant
Infection: culture on 9/22 was negative...another culture on 9/26
Feeding: they stopped the breastmilk while she is getting ibuprofen

She Finally Kicked Me!

So for the last couple of weeks I've thought I've felt little Ava moving but wasn't sure. It just felt like she was taking her little finger and running it across my belly right under my belly button. Well last night after dinner, I had some ice cream and laid on the couch with my hands on my belly. And sure enough I swear I felt her kick!! It was like I could feel her little foot and toes in the palm of my hand!! It only lasted about a minute. Will tried to feel her but he couldn't. Now when people ask if I've felt her I can finally say "yes" without the "at least I think it was her" after it!! I felt her today too...just a little while ago she kicked me again!

It's a GIRL!!!

Here is a quick (3 sec) video of our little girl!!! Enjoy!