Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Day by day

Tonight we went to a NICU parent support group meeting. The topic of discussion was infant safety seats and how to install them correctly in your car. Since we have car seats for the babies already we wanted to go to this meeting to learn how to correctly install them in the car. I know this isn't something we needed to know right away since our girls will be in the NICU for quite some time, but we were interested in learning for when the time does come when they will come home. I learned quite a bit on how to properly install an infant car seat. I look forward to when we will be installing 3 car seats in the car and bringing them home. Well we still don't know when that will be. None of their doctor's have given us an idea of when they will be able to come home. We are hoping to bring at least one of them home before Christmas, but that is just our desire. It would be a wonderful Christmas gift.

Baby update...
Rachel is doing well after the surgery she had this afternoon to put in the PICC line. They were able to successfully place it without any problems. She was sleeping when we saw her due to all the sedatives from the surgery. Ashlyn was just hanging out as usual. Nothing really new going on with her. Ashlyn will be getting another spinal tap soon. Haley continues on the oscillator vent, but her oxygen needs on the vent have come down. Still don't know for sure if she has pneumonia. She doesn't seem sick at all. None of the girls are getting breast milk feeds right now. Rachel will be restarted on them tomorrow. Not sure when they will restart Haley and Ashlyn on the feeds. They are waiting for their belly's to not be distended. The doctor's are keeping a close watch out for NEC. They have gotten X-rays of their belly's and all looks good and they don't suspect NEC. So all in all they girls are doing good.

Here are pictures of the babies covered up in their isolates:

ASHLYN


HALEY


RACHEL

16 comments:

  1. Amanda and Thomas, thank you for the update. It's good that you went to the meeting and learned about the car seats. The more you learn, the better. Even if you don't need it right now, you will need it soon. The pictures are great! I can imagine the cute little girls under those covers. I'm glad you are keeping them from the media. Both of you are looking wonderful, and soon we will be able to see the pictures of them in your arms. Amanda, you don't look like you had babies! You look awsome!

    Tomorrow they will be one month old! One month down, and the time to bring them home is getting closer. Christmas is a special time, and probably you will have the Christmas present you deserve. Let's continue to pray for that day to arrive. Hang in there, you are doing a great job as parents! Love, Claudia

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  2. It's 11pm in Australia and I'm just on my way to bed. But I thought I'd check in to see if there was an update and to my delight, there was.

    Thank you for taking the time to keep us 'prayer warriors' updated.

    One of my friends had a 1lb 1ozs baby boy born at 24 weeks gestation. He's nearly 4 now. He was in hospital for 5-1/2 months after his birth and came home without needing an oxygen tank. So if that time frame were to be followed by your trio, you could come very, very close to having them home for Christmas. But no doubt God will reveal all in the fullness of time. God Bless to you all.

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  3. Amanda and Thomas...

    I dont' think I have posted before.. but my name is Michelle, I live in perth WA and am a mom to two beautiful children...
    I have been following your blog since the babies were born... its been a rollercoaster ride for you both. But your faith in the Lord shows forth in all you do for your children.
    Wishing you all the Lords blessings and praying your children stay strong! Can't wait to see photos of your little ones!!

    Michelle
    mjvanderven@gmail.com

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  4. Thanks for the update I wish we could move the blankets, but I understand. I too hope that they can come home for Christmas AT LEAST. When my cousin was in the NICU my Aunt and Uncle wanted her home by Thanksgiving so they kept telling her how good turkey is. Maybe they need some "yummy" encouragement too. try gingerbread men ;) LOL

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  5. Thanks for the update! Glad the babies are doing well! Prayers are being sent daily! God Bless!

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  6. Thanks for the update! I love that you went to the support group - the day will come when you need that info, you are right! Our doctors refused to talk about coming home until something like the week before she did. I guess they don't want to make promises or anything. Often, preemies come home around their due date, but with Becca's size (13 oz), she needed an extra 5 weeks. It gets long, especially as your neighbors get to go home and new ones are born, but the NICU isn't a sprint for special families like yours! I know you know that it is all worth it, though! Those pictures give me flashbacks - we had the same isolette and the same cover. Eventually, I took a new blanket in to decorate - I just put it over the good cover. We made a home there!

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  7. My prayers are still with you all. I remember the stress of the NICU and my baby was one of the most well babies and we only had to stay a week. My heart went out to those who had been there a long time and still had time to wait after we left. So although I have no idea exactly what you're going through, I have a notion.

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  8. LOVE the pictures! Amanda you look wonderful! We are praying for Christmas!!

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  9. try to find a support group for people with micro preemies, like yourselves. you will have alot in common and a shoulder to cry on (from others who completely understand). They will have many many ups and downs and it can change an hour from now. Take the challenges as they come, slowly. Good to not post pics yet..unless someone is a medical professional or has had a baby as small as your girls, they would be in for a huge surprise. Keep this time to yourself.

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  10. I forgot about that the incubators are covered with blankets. They must be making progress if they are in incubators and not on warming trays anymore. Next it will be open cribs and then home!!!!

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  11. The incubators are warmers that turn into incubators. Technology at it's best!! All babies can be in these beds from day one, no matter what gestation and no matter if they are on a vent or not.

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  12. Christmas is always so wonderful, but hopefully it will be especially so this year! if not then, maybe Groundhog's Day! exciting to think of it... love to you all.
    Erma

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  13. Your babies seem like they are suffering so much. I pray that they continue to have the strength you profess over them, and I pray that they carry out whatever plan God has for them. I also pray that soon, high order multiples will be a thing of the past.

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  14. They usually say around your due date is around the time you can expect them to come home. My triplets came home a few days before my due date. It was weeks of the same things. I felt like for the longest time we were not getting any where. We were in the NICU 14 and 15 weeks. They were born at 24 weeks. I remember thinking we were never going to come home. Then the next thing I know the doctor was saying ok it is time to take the babies home. I have been praying for you guys and will continue to do so.

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  15. Kelsey
    Thanks for update on incubators. I am sure preemies feel secure in them.My preemies were born 21 and 16 years ago, so warming trays were big back then. They were 30 and 25 weeks early. The 30 weeker did fine (girl- now in college)but the 26 weeker (boy) did not so so well. He has severe C.P. as a result of suffering from prematurity, RSV and sepsis. He changed our lives forever He can not sit and walk, but he does talk. He is dependent on us for everything however he brings us so much happiness and joy that it is well worth the sacrifices we make. Amanda and Thomas' babies have a good chance since they are girls.

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