Day 118 - Sunday, November 18

Well, are we excited at our house!! Today they bumped Kathryn to all feeds by bottle - yes that is 8 bottles a day. She is also up to 27 ccs of Enfamil and 5 ccs of Neocate - which means that they increased her total feed to 32 ccs now, plus the 2 ccs of coconut oil!!!


Also, when we went to visit after church, we found out that she had just moved to an open air crib!!! This was huge for her!! This means that now dad and I are not the only ones who can hold - yes, that means that Madelyn got to hold her little sister today for the very first time. She did wonderful and held her for almost 20 minutes. They looked so sweet together!! Check out the pictures in the next post.


This also means that Grandparents can now hold. My mom and stepdad are planning to hold this evening and Greg's parents will get to hold her on Thanksgiving day.


Wow, God is great!! Kathryn is an absolute miracle and now she acts like such a true baby!!!

Please keep praying for Kathryn.

Kelly

Saturday evening

I gave Kathryn a bottle tonight and she did wonderful - 15 minutes and then she fell straight asleep!

She is now up to 24 ccs of Enfamil and 6 of Neocate - almost there - almost through with the British formula. She is also up to bottle feeds at every other feed - 4 a day now!!

Kelly

Day 117 -Saturday November 17

Well last night's weigh in showed Kathryn at 1610 grams which is 3 pounds, 9 ounces!!!! (40 more grams to go until she is eligible for an open air crib!!!) She is up to 22 ccs of Enfamil and 8 of Neocate as of yesterday so hopefully that will swing by 2 more ccs today. In a few days, we may be off of Neocate completely - that would be so great!! She is also still getting 2 ccs of fattener, although it isn't microlipids anymore, it's coconut oil. That's right oil - Kathryn appears to be getting some Crisco in her feeds to help fatten her up and it seems to be finally working!! She is also up to 3 bottle feeds a day as of yesterday, so today we might increase to 4 - who knows?? She absolutely loves the bottle!! She also loves being swaddled now - even in her isolette!

Isn't it funny how this week she hit her due date and now she is doing things that she should be doing like bottles and being swaddled? It's as if she knows that she is now supposed to be here!!All part of God's wonderful plan for her!!

Please pray for Kathryn!!

Kelly

Day 115 - Thursday, November 15, 2007

Kathryn is up to 20 ccs of Enfamil and 10 ccs of Neocate. She seems to love her two bottles a day - I got to see them both today and they let us give her a bottle tonight!! Since Greg was generous enough to let me be the first one to hold her, I let him be the first to give a bottle. She took it in 20 minutes with Greg and very little spillage!! Great job for dad!! They also dropped her to 1 1/2 liters on her cannula instead of 2 liters. I don't know a lot about that, but it is a ween, so I assume a good step towards doing it by herself!!

Please continue to pray for Kathryn!

Kelly

Day 114 - Wednesday November 14

They upped Kathryn today to two bottles a day - one per shift!!! Wow that was fast. She is also getting 18 ccs of Enfamil and 12 of Neocate now. Watch out world, here comes my baby Kathryn!! I can not wait to see what special things this little lady is going to do in life!! God has certainly pulled her through this and I can only imagine what he has planned for her!!

Please keep praying for Kathryn!!

Kelly

Day 113 - November 13 - Kathryn is due today!!

Today is Kathryn's due date and it was a wonderful day. We finally had weight gain - she is up from 1390 grams to 1500 grams (which means 3 pounds, 5 ounces)!!!!! She is also up to 16 ccs of Enfamil and 14 ccs of Neocate. Wouldn't it be great to kick the Neocate!!

Well, here's another surprise!! On her due date, Kathryn got her first bottle!!!!!!

I am also attaching some pictures - she was so alert and she finished the entire bottle without dropping her sats!!!

Please continue to pray for Kathryn!! Maybe she really can be home for Christmas!!

Kelly

Kathryn's first bottle

First Bottle Picture #2

Ginny feeding Kathryn!

Dad and I help out!

Check out how alert I am for the big burp!

Kathryn and nurse Ginny!!

Boy that bottle wiped me out!

Here's a little smile for you!

Love, Kathryn!! (Thanks for welcoming me to the world today - "officially"!)

Day 111 - Monday, November 11

There are no big changes today, I just had to post since today is 111 days and is the 11th day of the 11th month (let's pretend as if I typed this at 1:11 too).

Kathryn gained 10 grams last night - a small amount but at least it is some forward movement. Hopefully tonight will be a little more!! She is now taking 16 ccs of Neocate and 14 of Enfamil. She is also still doing 2 ccs of microlipids and the munchkin can't seem to gain weight. I on the other hand can look at a piece of fruit and an individual serving of sugar free jello and pack on two pounds. Please pray for the pounds to pack on (well, I'll settle for ounces)!!

No bottle today, she's due tomorrow so maybe then. If not, then Wednesday is a definite!!

Please pray for Kathryn!

Kelly

Day 110 - Sunday, November 11

Well, Kathryn is due in two days. I can't believe that this is how long I would have carried her. How do people carry a baby this long?? (Honestly, I wish I could have found out!!)

Kathryn is doing great. She is doing well breathing on her own with a little support from the cannula. Her issue right now is eating. She can't seem to gain any weight and the doctors are trying all kinds of creative things with her. She is up to 18 ccs of Neocate and 10 of Enfamil 24 calorie plus 2 ccs of microlipids and still staying pretty stagnant. I say give her more food - she may using everything that they are giving her! Anyway, they decide the amount of food based on her weight so that is why they aren't changing the amount yet, because she can't seem to gain. Pray specifically that she can start to pack on some ounces!!

Other news at our house: Madelyn's long time Beta fish friend, Joe, passed away Friday morning. He had been a beloved family member for a little over two years and he was such a good fish. Friday was Madelyn's picture day at school so we didn't tell her that morning, but when she came home Friday afternoon, we told her what had happened. She wanted to bury Joe and tell Jesus to take good care of him, so Friday afternoon at about 4:30, Greg dug a hole in one of our front flower beds and buried him. The three of us gave Joe a proper burial and then headed to Petsmart to bring home a new Beta. Maddie now has Buster the Blue Beta and she has taken to him well.

An update on Kathryn from this afternoon since I started this post this morning. She is now up to 18 ccs of Neocate and 12 of Enfamil and still 2 of the Microlipids. I think they are going with giving her more even though her weight says less. I am all for it!!! Also, they said that the bacteria cultures they did on the 8th are still showing no growth which is great so she may come off of the antibiotics!! Also, Dr. Mena said that Dr. Dicarlo is on for the next two days. Dr. Mena said that if Dr. Dicarlo doesn't try a bottle on Monday or Tuesday, then he will try the first bottle for Kathryn on Wednesday when he is back!! Bottles here we come!!

Please continue to pray for Kathryn!!

Kelly

Day 108 - Friday, November 9

Kathryn has had a good several days with her cannula. She seems to really enjoy not having the mask and she is requiring very little extra oxygen. She is also up to 20 ccs of Neocate and 8 ccs of Enfamil.

Let me go backwards a little too - On Sunday night 11/04 late in the night, she had some residual that was brownish in color so the nurse called Dr. Strange. It was determined that she had just started getting the vitamins Poly-Vi-Sol (for the iron) and that they are brownish in color, but just in case, they did some blood cultures on Kathryn to make sure that there was no infection. They went ahead and started her on the Zantac at that point to help her tummy and her fussiness and they discontinued the Poly-Vi-Sol. Fast forward to yesterday 11/8 and they got one of the cultures back and it showed a germ growing which could be bacteria (remember the previous infection?). Anyway, Dr. Strange thinks the culture was contaminated, but to be on the safe side, she drew more cultures yesterday (which we will know about in 3 days). Also, to be on the safe side, she went ahead and started Kathryn on 2 antibiotics in case. We should know something by Sunday sometime as to if the cultures do in fact show an infection or not. The good thing is that she doesn't act sick - she acts like she feels just fine, so hopefully it was a mistake. They have also been having a little trouble with her lately on weight gain. We can't seem to get the right mix to get her over her hump. She had gotten as high as 3 pounds, 3 ounces and then she slid backwards to 2 lbs, 15 ozs. She is now back up to 3 pounds, but has been holding there for about 3 days. To help with that, they have upped the calorie content of her formula to see if that combined with the 1 cc of microlipids (fat) she is getting will help to plump her up!! They have also added in an iron supplement for her since they don't want to go back to the Poly-Vi-Sol.

I had my follow up ultrasound yesterday for the ovarian cyst they saw on one of my ultrsounds from the bacteria infection I was experiencing. The follow up ultrasound looked pretty good from what the technician told me. I should get results from Dr. Kennedy's office soon, but they said it looked like a normal "female" cyst and there shouldn't be any concerns!!

I was on my way to work this morning and I heard the new Point of Grace song, "It's How You Live." I had heard it several times before, but this time I listened to the words and of course, like any postpartum mom with all that we have going on, I cried. I wanted to share it - please try to actually listen to it online or somewhere - the words are wonderful, but the song is amazing. So, here are the words:

Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth '
Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin

So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else

Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Remember to Enjoy Life!! We can be such a shining example for God's grace!! Please pray for Kathryn!!

Kelly

First Family Photo

Dad holding Kathryn - a no hat picture!!

Mommy and Kathryn. She was a little fussy because we couldn't find the paci! But she settled right down and made real baby noises for at least 10 minutes!! The hat she is wearing was knitted by one of Kelly's grandmother's friends!

Mommy and the girls. It was the first time I held both of my girls!!

Our first family photo!! Maddie loved being in my lap with Kathryn there too and she loved getting to hold Kathryn's hand!!

Kelly

I can't believe that I forgot

Greg and I got a call on Sunday during Sunday school from Dr. White, the eye doctor. He was doing his weekly check on Kathryn and called to let us know that the ROP in the left eye is almost gone and that the ROP in the right eye is completely gone!!!!! Wow, what a blessing!!!

How could I have forgotten to share?? Can you still claim that the baby is sucking your brains out when she is already born?

Kelly

Day 106 - Wednesday, November 7

Kathryn had a stable night and day so far. She gained a little last night and is up to 3 pounds again. She is also seeming to enjoy the Enfamil. She is taking 26 ccs of Neocate and 4 ccs of Enfamil, plus 1 cc of microlipids to fatten her up!! So for right now, we are officially taking an ounce per feed!!

She seems to like the cannula and is much happier without a tube in her throat or a mask on her face. Other than these things, she is having a smooth ride right now!!

We also had another exciting event at our house last night. Maddie told Greg and I that she wants to save the rest of her nighttime pull-ups for Kathryn. So it was her idea, but she wanted to sleep in big girl panties last night to see if she could do it - and she DID!! So, hopefully, we are saying bye - bye to those things!! She has been needing to switch to panties at night for quite a while, but with everything at the hospital, it just wasn't a battle I wanted to fight yet. Seems to me that she wants Greg and I to know that she is growing up and totally becoming a big girl!! (Which of course makes me cry!!)

Please keep praying for Kathryn!! She is such a miracle!!

Kelly

Day 105 - Another new surprise and what a great one!!

Well, they switched Kathryn to a nasal cannula today!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you feel the excitement??

How wonderful, she is breathing on her own and she is now requiring very little oxygen!! What an absolute miracle!!! They also tried her today on 26 ccs Neocate and 2 ccs of Enfamil. So that is an increase up to 28 ccs total (remember 30 ccs is an ounce!!). I think they are giving Enfamil a shot since we kept having issues when she was getting Similac. They don't know if this will help, but it's worth a shot!!

Here's a few pictures from today. Look close and you will see that she is only wearing a cannula!!

Please keep praying for Kathryn!

Kelly

Pictures

Day 104 - Monday November 5

So I think we have figured out why Kathryn has been a little feisty lately. Dr. Mena said that they have found some bleeding in the lining of her stomach which is causing her to have a little irritation. He thinks it is caused by either the steroids or the feeding tube, so they have started her on a baby version of Zantac. He thinks it is fixable, and he doesn't seem worried about her, but getting the Zantac going should help her relax!! We think that is part of the cause of not being able to advance feedings, her stagnant weight gain (she dropped to 2 lbs, 15 ozs last night), etc. Hopefully this can settle her down and get her started back on a great track!

She is back to full Neocate feedings until this settles down.

Today was one of those days where I felt the "Why Me" moments. I cried a lot today and I'm not even sure why, except exhaustion and worry. I keep trying to focus on the quote that God doesn't call the equipped, but he equips the called. I certainly don't feel equipped to do half the things we are going through right now, but I know that God will give us what we need when we need it!

Our support system through all of this has been amazing. Church friends, nurses, and coworkers have been wonderfully supportive. And of course family has been available at all hours to help pitch in, keep Maddie, and provide the strength we need to get through.

Please pray for Kathryn.

Kelly

Day 102 - Saturday, November 3

No big changes - Kathryn has been holding steady at between 3 pounds and 3 pounds, 2 ounces for a while now so they are trying to make some changes in her food. She is still doing well with the Cpap, but she is now evidently a little feisty fit-pitcher!! The unit has been closed most of the day so we haven't been to visit today, but will hopefully go tonight!!

Please pray for Kathryn!

Kelly

Day 100 - Thursday, November 1

We heard Kathryn cry tonight. She is very faint, but still a wonderful sound. She is doing great. Still hovering around 3 pounds, 2 ounces and still at 26 ccs of feed. She was up to 14 of Neocate and 12 of Similac Special Care, but she had a higher blood pressure read last night so they switched her back to full Neocate for a temporary time frame (we hope!!) They also took away the Sipap last night and she is on straight CPap which means that she is getting no additional breaths per minute from her machine. She is breathing completely on her own now with just a little additional pressure and oxygen. What a miracle!!

Maddie had her 4 year check up today and got two shots. She is up to 38 pounds and 41 inches. In both categories she is in the 75th percentile!! She wasn't terribly excited about the shots!!

Please continue to pray for Kathryn.

Kelly

Check out my new mask

The extubation went well and Kathryn took to it very well. It will take some adjusting, but I think she will enjoy it a lot more!! (And it's great to see no tube down her throat!!) We didn't get to hear her cry, she is still a little hoarse, but she did sneeze and we heard it. It's very strange to hear sound from her direction.

Please keep the prayers going that she takes well to the new machine and can stay off the ventilator.

The nurses getting Kathryn ready.

Ta -da!!!

Kelly

Day 97 - Monday 10/29

No big changes for today - she is at 18 ccs Neocate and 8 of Similac.

Huge news for tomorrow!! They started Kathryn on steroids today is preparation for tomorrow's big event. I heard straight from Dr. Strange that they are extubating tomorrow!!!

Please pray that it works!! Greg and I plan to be there so we can hear our miracle baby for the first time!!

Kelly

Pictures from the weekend

At the zoo with the great pumpkin!

At our church's fall festival this afternoon - it's princess Belle doing the pumpkin toss!

Daddy's girls!!

Daddy and Madelyn in her Halloween dress.

Maddie on the train at the zoo!

Kathryn in her first hat!! It was knitted by nurse Christy (Maddie received one too)!

Day 96 - Sunday October 28

Quick rundown of the weekend's events:

Friday night, Greg, Maddie and I went for a visit with Kathryn
Saturday - Greg's parents and brother came for a visit. We went to the zoo, to the hospital to visit, and then to dinner to watch the first part of the Auburn game - WAR EAGLE!
Sunday - we had Sunday School, then the hospital (I got to hold), back to church for the fall festival and then on to bible study til 8 pm

It was a fast weekend and we look forward to a busy week again and then hopefully some serious resting and relaxing next weekend. October has completely kicked our butts, but I hope November is a little calmer.

Kathryn is now considered a feeder and a grower - what great news!! She is at 20 ccs Neocate and 6 of Similac Special Care. They will continue decreasing the Neocate by two each day and increasing the Similac by two until she is fully on Similac - we hope that the switcheroo goes that well!! We also hope that they may start weening the pressure support on her ventilator this week so that we can tell that blue machine to take a hike soon and welcome the C-Pap mask!!

Please pray for lung development and toleration of the formula switchup!!

Kelly

Day 94 - Friday, October 26

Today Kathryn is still on 26ccs, but they have changed it to 24 ccs of the Neocate (British formula) and 2 ccs of the Similac Special Care. This is an attempt to ween her from the Neocate before she comes home so that Greg and I don't have to make a special trip to London each time we run out of formula. They will slowly substitute a little more Similac for some of the Neocate as she tolerates it. Neocate is one of the most basic formulas so they started her on that, but now it's time to try getting her on to another formula.

She was up to 3 pounds 3 ounces, but dropped last night to 3 pounds 2 ounces. As you can tell, the weight thing is a constant fluctuation - I guess much like us!! She is also having a follow up eye exam today to determine if the eye surgery from two weeks ago is still showing good signs. When I know the results of that, I will pass it along!! I am praying that things are still looking better!!! She is still on the ventilator and they are trying to do some weening. She seems to be loving her clothes too as they continue to let her wear them.

I guess these are some slow days lately which is not a bad thing, just slow!

Please pray for Kathryn to tolerate the Special Care substitution and that the eye exam shows good things!! Also, please pray for strength in her lungs so that maybe a ventilator ween is not too far in the future!!

Kelly

Update from the eye doctor - in his words, "Her right eye is looking much, much better and her left eye is looking much better." He said that they are both showing positive results from the eye surgery just a little more robust in the right eye. They are pleased with the response!! Yeah!!!

Thursday night

Ok, so there was a misunderstanding. Kathryn wasn't the baby that was coming off the vent today. I tried not to be disappointed, but I think I was a little bit!! I guess we have waited this long, what's a few more weeks, but it was just a little hard to hear that we weren't the ones. No other changes - Kathryn is still taking 26 ccs and is 3 pounds, 3 ounces. She is doing well and just hanging steady!!

Please pray for Kathryn (and my patience with the ventilator!)

Kelly

Day 93 - Thursday 10/25 - Happy Three Monthday to Kathryn!

Happy Three Months to Kathryn!!

Kathryn hit 3 pounds, 3 ounces yesterday and then dropped a little to 3, 2 again last night, but that's normal. She is up to 26 ccs on her feed - inching in on that first whole ounce!! She also wore clothes again for the second day yesterday and looked adorable. Nurse Christy also knitted her a hat (an Maddie one just like it!). I have a picture of her with it, but don't have time to post it this morning. They started her on caffeine for her lungs since she is doing more of the breathing on her own now!! But our biggest news is that they are going to try to extubate her today!! That's right they are going to try taking her off the ventilator and put her on a C-Pap mask instead!! That's a huge step up!! No more tube down her throat which means that we might be able to start hearing her cry and make noise today!!

Please pray that she tolerates the extubation well and that she takes to the C-Pap. We really want to get rid of the ventilator!!! I will update more today as I can!! Greg and I are hoping to be at the hospital today after they do it to be able to see and hear her!! What music that will be!!

Kelly

Day 91 - Tuesday, October 23 - The first day of clothes!!

Kathryn is now up to 3 pounds, 2 ounces and her feeds are up to 24 ccs (30 ccs is an ounce, so big girl is now sucking down the food!!) Boy were we surprised to find that they removed her PICC line today!!! They waste no time in removing what she doesn't need anymore. And speaking of moving what she doesn't need anymore - I'd like to share a picture with you of the empty space where her jet ventilator used to live!! They left it with her for the last week, but today when we got there, it was gone!! I never knew what this area near her bed looked like because it was always blocked by a huge breathing machine!!

I also held Kathryn today again while they gave her a new condo. The kids get new beds each week, so they figured that if someone needed to hold her, why not mom!! And it was my first solo hold without the machine telling me of her heart rate and sats because they have to disconnect her from the monitor. She was still hooked to the ventilator, but they told me that the only way to know if she was doing ok was to look at her to see if she looked ok and not rely on the beeps and buzzers.

How do you moms do that and not know if they are dropping their sats or having an apnea or a brady?? I am just kidding - but that just gives you a taste of the fact that moms of NICU babies have a whole different set of problems to concern themselves with, over and above the general concerns of having a baby at home!! I think I will be elated when they tell us she can come home and I also think I will be scared to death (and keep in mind that I have already raised one, but this is a lot different). Anyway, here's the picture of me and my girls!!

And last, but not least, they let Kathryn wear clothes for the first time today!! This dress was given to Madelyn by the Northside Hospital NICU ladies guild when Maddie was a 3 pounder!! So I thought it would be fitting that this is Kathryn's first outfit she wears!! Doesn't she look beautiful??

Eat your heart out infant boys!! (Of course, Kathryn already has an older man waiting on her - Maddie and her boyfriend, Alex, have decided that Kathryn and Alex's baby brother, Jacob, can also get married!!) Jacob is only 2 days older than Kathryn - his mom and I were in the hospital together just a few rooms apart. Course, won't that work out wonderful for the holidays - both of the girls will have the same inlaws and Greg and I like them a lot, so it works out great all around!!

Please continue to pray for Kathryn, Dr. Mena, Dr. Dicarlo, and Dr. Strange and all of our fabulous nurses!!! Also, keep in your prayers some friends of ours - the Jowers. They have really faced some tough family struggles with health lately and Greg and I are praying vigilantly for them!! I am sure that they would not mind a few extra prayers!!

Kelly