Saturday, September 26, 2009

A strong will and a fighting spirit

Today has been a good day for Rachel and Haley. Those two girls are growing and looking cuter everyday. I changed Rachel's diaper this evening. I can actually say I like changing their diapers. I don't know if I will be saying this once they get home and have to do it all the time, but it gives me the opportunity as a mother to get to do something for them. Our Ashlyn just amazes me as she constantly fights no matter the illnesses and challenges she has been facing. Her fighting spirit just shows that she has a strong will to not give up. She has not gotten worse today, but she continues to have poor urine output. Her blood pressure seems to be getting a little higher which will help the perfusion to her kidneys and thus help her urinate better. The doctors are restricting how much fluid she gets to help keep her from getting more edematus. Ashlyn's primary nurse Kathleen talked to us tonight about a baby she took care of in the past who had illnesses and challenges similar to Ashlyn's. She told us that today the little boy is now healthy and growing. Kathleen is a wonderful nurse. She loves little Ashlyn and cares for her so well. We really like the nurses at Woman's hospital. They are all very caring and have been taking good care of our girls.

Kathleen taking care of Ashlyn



This weekend my parents (the girls grandparents) came to visit us and the girls. We had a good time together today. We went to Kemah Boardwalk and had dinner at Landry's in celebration of my upcoming birthday. My birthday is Tuesday September 29.

About a week ago we bought a freezer. We needed this freezer for all the breast milk I have been storing. I'm sure a lot of mom's out there have been in this similar situation. I'm glad I have been able to pump milk for my little girls. I know that my milk is the best for them. Thought I would share a picture of all the breast milk I have been storing.



13 comments:

  1. Ha! I love the freezer and milk pictures! We had a minor tragedy with my milk...we were storing it in the deep freezer at the church where my husband and I are pastors, and a kid accidentally unplugged it, so we lost 1.5 months of milk...ugh. Some families from church went in together and bought us a freezer like the one y'all bought, and it stayed safe in our kitchen. Believe it or not, someday your little girls will go through all that milk! Keep up the good work! I totally get the excitement over changing diapers. We took pictures the first time we were able to change them. When there is so little you can directly do, any chance to have to really "mother" is a big deal!
    I hope you have a great birthday!

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  2. Great news! I trust that little Ashlyn will continue to amaze all of us with her fighting spirit! I love the pictures! The freezer looks great with all that milk in it. The babies are blessed to have all that! I'm happy that you went to Kemah with your parents. I hope you enjoy your time with them! Your family is part of my prayers every day.
    Love, Claudia

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  3. Thanks for taking the time to update on your precious girls. We are so glad to get the daily report!

    I have a similar picture of a freezer we acquired when our daughter was born prematurely.

    I expressed for 3 months as she was unable to digest formula but expressed so much in that time that she was fully express fed for the first 6 months of her life :)

    I thought we had too much until she was about 5 months old, she had a growth spurt and started guzzling it down faster than I could pump it!

    Believe me, it will get used. And as the Mum of a former premmie, I knew it was the most precious thing I could do to help her get out of the hospital and home into our arms.

    Stay well, happy and as rested as you can.

    Good night from Australia.

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  4. We continue to pray. My daughter developed a septic staph infection 3 weeks after being born @ 25 weeks. She retianed so much fluid it was heart breaking...2lbs in 4 days. SHe stopped producing urine for 5 days. We were told twice she would not make it another 24 hours. At ope point we were told to consider having her baptised to which I replied..."Nope, she'll get baptized at church after she is discharged!" She was paraltzed & sedated and remained on the max dose of meds and 100% oxygen support for 2 weeks. She is now 14 months old! Please keep the faith! Ashlyn will recover and amaze her doctors just as my sweet little Tessa did!

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  5. Ah yes....the large supply of breast milk!!! Brings back SO many memories! LOL!!! I am so happy to hear the girls are doing good...all 3 are fighters! I continue to pray for your daughters as well as your angels!

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  6. Your girls are fighters!! I'm so glad to hear they are all doing good!!

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  7. I love the photo of your nurse :) It must be nice to know the girls are being cared for by so many loving people.

    Breast milk is magical! It's so great that you're able to continue to pump for the girls. I had trouble keeping up with one baby, I couldn't even imagine to amount needed for 3! Everyone is right though, the girls will use it up before you know it!

    We will keep extra thoughts and prayers in our hearts for little Ashlyn. She's a little fighter and she'll overcome this trial as she has all the others!

    Praying for you always,

    Christina McKinney

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  8. lucky little girls to have, as my Daddy would have said, a little Jersey for a momma. (he always teased me that way) Good milk production! :-) i truly hope Ashlyn keeps improving - bumps will turn into pebbles, and you'll sail over them. love and blessings, Erma, from Midvale, Utah

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  9. I had a baby almost two years ago at 23 weeks and so much of what you're going through is all too familiar. She did come home at five months after having what seemed like almost every possible complication and is doing well in many ways. The pumping was my one way to control part of the whole difficult experience--it was hard but I am so glad I stuck with it even though I didn't produce that much every day. Best wishes to you from Orem, Utah!

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  10. I had pictures like that of the freezer full of milk. It was funny every time my dad came to the hospital and went home or when my mom did they always had to take a cooler full of milk home with them. My kids had to have the breast milk added to formula so we could make it more calories to help them gain weight. So their bottles were half formula and half breast milk. I quit pumping for them in the begining of june knowing they were coming home that month. We had breast milk for the trio until the end of september. I knew I was going to be pretty busy once they came home so it was nice to have a good stock of milk waiting for them.

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  11. Hi, I came across your blog while reading the prayer request from KellysKorner blog, (Dwelling in the Land). I was touched by what your family is dealing with and how you have not lost faith in God. I am praying for your family.

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  12. Amanda, seen your post that you went to Kemeh over the weekend. I love to go there when I come to visit my parents in Boliver. How is it doing since the Hurricane? Sherri

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  13. WOW! You go girl! Store that milk! :)

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