Monday, March 30, 2009

Pray for the "E" pod

"Emma...you're only 5...and you're already an AUNT..."

Madeleine has been getting feedings...but every other time...half of it is still undigested in her system. The other ones go down just fine...her little system just isn't up to speed yet, which they say is normal since she really isn't "supposed" to be eating right now! They're letting her rest the night and in the morning, they'll do labs and hopefully restart the feeds if her body is up to it. She sleeps like a log after a feeding and then wakes up and makes "squishy" faces and moves her belly around...she's probably trying to make a pretty green diaper for the nurses but just doesn't have the UMPH to do it! They gave her a suppository once (oh man!) and they said they might do it again if she doesn't make poopy soon.

She had a head and belly scan this morning, all the same...the bleeding she had her first day of life is still in the healing process, they said it will take time. One good thing though, her kidneys which were previously echogenic, are now looking good and functioning. They said they're not going to do so many scans on her now because things are going unchanged for so long...they'll only do another one if her head circumference changes or her belly gets hard. But, she's been stable for over a week now so I'm keeping my hopes up that she is on the path to recovery.

It was LOUD in the NICU today, and I don't know how Madeleine felt about it, but it sure riled her mommy up. And the one peaceful place, the pump room, was just as bad. There was a MAN in there...I know husbands are allowed, but I think they should not be allowed to talk and use a cell phone! (Especially the kinds of things he was talking about...no thanks!) I did my business, then went over and cranked up the Christian radio station and split! I felt it was an "act of charity" to the other poor woman on the other side of the this couple...maybe the music would drown them out! Say some prayers that Madeleine gets moved to the "E pod"...it's quiet over there...and peaceful...which is what both of us girls need badly!


The March birthdays














OH the birthday girl! Look at this beautiful sign that the littlest girl had made for her. She's now part of a large group of family birthdays in March...yeah, she didn't really WANT to be born in early July like she was supposed to!!! I think we'll celebrate her birthday...then her "supposed to be birthday" and just for fun we'll make that the 4th of July. My little firecracker.














Uncle David won't get to really meet her for a few months...

Sunday, March 29, 2009

All kinds of fluids...

Some exciting things today...Madeleine just had her first helping of milk...they'll wait for 3 hours and check her stomach to see if she's digesting it or not. If so, they'll give her more...if not, they'll give her more time to digest it.

She's also starting to poop...who knew poop could make so many people so happy?! Her system is definitely starting to work...she soaks her diapers and now with "both sides" a'workin'...she's going to keep everyone busy since she starts to squirm a lot when she's got a dirty one!

Also, they've taken her off her "tanning bed" bilirubin lights...and they've got her isolette covered with blankets so it's nice and dark. They'll see if she can keep her levels up on her own, if not, they'll sun her a little more.

Sorry no picture updates...just the news. :)

So Teeny Tiny

They gave me the band that Madeleine had on her ankle at St. Luke's right after she was born...it fits on my thumb.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Wet Diapers

Daddy and I went to see the littlest girl late last night. I was afraid of this big huge snow storm they predicted...that I would be trapped at home and not get my hands on her for a day!

She was pretty squirmy by the time we went to leave at 3:30 am! It was just a wet diaper. :) Normal baby stuff. She was soaked. Her nurse changed the diaper and she calmed right down. Keep doing "normal" stuff Madeleine, we love it and we love YOU!!!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Food!

Today, the doctor came by and said that he thought Madeleine was doing well and she has been quite stable for some time. He seemed pleased, and didn't have any BAD news, which is good for my mental state! She got her blood pressure wire taken off today since that has been in there for 10 days...so they'll check that manually from now on.

The best news today was that they are going to start feeding her breast milk tomorrow...but they have to watch her carefully to make sure she can tolerate it. Her nurse said that the milk will awaken her system to process it since that what it does naturally. We're hoping that goes well because the milk will coat her stomach and it's the easiest thing for her to digest...way better than formula.

Tomorrow she also gets to lay on her belly for a little while...all these little things are so exciting (and nerve wracking at the same time). Her mom is a little exhausted today and fell asleep in the chair only to wake up to a doctor saying, "Mrs Walter?"

Rose Napkins

Martha Stewart is really hitting the nail on the head...the "craft of the day" email I got today was...
Rose Napkins!

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Peeking out...

On Wednesday, which was Madeleine's 1 week birthday...she opened her left eye and peeked at us! Of course, I jumped up an down and waved like a fool at her through the Plexiglass...yet I highly doubt she can see me with that 26 week old eye! Or she thought, "Who's that crazy lady waving at me and I hope she's not my nurse..." They did let me change her diaper today though, probably the cleanest, sweetest diaper I'll EVER change!!

Madeleine has been keeping her nurses busy the last few days by trying to fight the ventilator and breath on her own. One one hand it's a good thing because she's a strong girl, on the another hand...her breathing skills via her underdeveloped lungs cause her to be "not good at it yet" as the nurses say, so they keep having to adjust her oxygen levels. They're keeping her relaxed to let those lungs grow so she can be "good at it" soon.

Her heart looks good on the scans and she has been losing all that fluid build-up from her initial trauma of coming into this world earlier than most people should have too. The poor baby was denied 3 months of the dark, warm, solitary confinement that she deserved! We'll have to make her a special crib that's nice and warm with dark curtains and one of those heartbeat players to give some of that lost heavenly peace back to her!
Her daddy sure is happy to see her, he can't wait to teach her how to use a cordless drill...(or maybe that's me). I'm actually looking forward to her hands getting big and strong so I can stick some crayons in there and get tons of art to plaster onto the refrigerator. But for right now, sleeping , healing and growing are what we want her to do the most!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Chocolate Madeleines

Cookie of the day! I got this recipe in my inbox today from good ol' Martha Stewart. How perfect.
Chocolate Madeleines

The best feet EVER....


Tonight I opened up the little plastic access doors and just laid my hands on her. It was awesome. She likes it too because she gets really calm and her vitals start to look better, or so the nurse tells me!


Madeleine seems to be beating the odds...the news has been good every day...she's making slow, yet marked improvements and everyone is happy with her progress (doctors, nurses, mucky mucks at the hospital, etc...) With every bit of good news they always add, "But she's got a long road ahead of her"...which I've heard about 6 times now. I think they're keeping us prepared for the worst, even though she's doing so very well. But whenever they come to give us a report, I wait for that line..."a long road ahead".

I've found that that long, rough road ends in more beautiful places then the well-worn easy roads that seem appealing to travel. Every hardship that I've had, especially in the past 5 years...has yielded something incredible on the other side. The hard part is keeping your faith and hope while in the thick of it. Madeleine and her mommy and daddy have had a pretty rough start...but I'm hoping it's an indication that, with a lot of prayer, we will come out smelling like a ROSE on the other side!

The sign says it all, "Family Waiting"...can't wait to bring Madeleine home!!!

Monday, March 23, 2009

TEENY TINY FINGERS

MADELEINE GRABBING HER IV TUBE
AMAZING STUFF

MADELEINE MODELS


LISTEN TO THE WORDS OF THIS SONG.........


TINY FEET AT 25 WEEKS


WEDDING RINGS AND MADELEINE TOES
ELEVATOR RIDE "FULL OF LOVE"