Monday, October 19, 2009
I HELD MY SON!!!!
I finally got to hold him!!! It was so awesome!! When I walked in I was looking at him and thinking he got bigger and then when she put him in my arms the reality of how small he is hit me. I just kept staring at him, I still can not believe we made him, it's unbelievable. Every day I wish he didn't have to be born so soon and go through all this stuff, but it is nice getting to meet him a little earlier :)
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Preeclampsia
What is Preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.
Typically, preeclampsia occurs after 20 weeks gestation (in the late 2nd or 3rd trimesters or middle to late pregnancy), though it can occur earlier. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia. Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and toxemia are closely related conditions. HELLP Syndrome and eclampsia are other manifestations of the same syndrome. It is important to note that research shows that more women die from preeclampsia than eclampsia and one is not necessarily more serious than the other.
Globally, preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. By conservative estimates, these disorders are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year.
Last Updated: July 19, 2008
© 2000 - 2009 Preeclampsia Foundation
www.preeclampsia.org
www.
Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs only during pregnancy and the postpartum period and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. Affecting at least 5-8% of all pregnancies, it is a rapidly progressive condition characterized by high blood pressure and the presence of protein in the urine. Swelling, sudden weight gain, headaches and changes in vision are important symptoms; however, some women with rapidly advancing disease report few symptoms.
Typically, preeclampsia occurs after 20 weeks gestation (in the late 2nd or 3rd trimesters or middle to late pregnancy), though it can occur earlier. Proper prenatal care is essential to diagnose and manage preeclampsia. Preeclampsia, Pregnancy Induced Hypertension (PIH) and toxemia are closely related conditions. HELLP Syndrome and eclampsia are other manifestations of the same syndrome. It is important to note that research shows that more women die from preeclampsia than eclampsia and one is not necessarily more serious than the other.
Globally, preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death. By conservative estimates, these disorders are responsible for 76,000 maternal and 500,000 infant deaths each year.
Last Updated: July 19, 2008
© 2000 - 2009 Preeclampsia Foundation
www.preeclampsia.org
www.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Day 27
Jamie and I were at the hospital last night until about 9:30 and then back this morning at 8....so tired. My mom took a picture of me and bella today and I actually have dark circles around my eyes. Lovely.
Yesterday Henry had a bit of a rough day, we're not sure if something was wrong with his breathing tube like it kept getting stuck or he was just filled with so much fluids and it was getting clogged but the alarms were going off all day saying he was having trouble breathing. We don't freak out anymore but it's still makes us very anxious. The night nurse said she worked on him alot last night to break up his chest congestion and this morning things seemed better. Today was actually a pretty quiet day while I was there. His breathing was good, his blood tests for gases were coming back good so I was happy.
I just talked to jamie who went back to the hospital after work and he said Henry was exhausted and not responding well to being fed (through a tube). They did a bunch of work on him after I left and he was totally worn out. The nurse called the Dr and she said to stop feeing him for the night with the formula to give him a break...he is continually get nutrients through IV's or PICC lines so he's not starving in any way :)
Hopefully he gets some good rest tonight. Jamie said the nurse tonight sucks...she's not forthcoming with info and she's making him feel like he is in the way....that's pretty annoying, hopefully we don't have her again. He said she is good with Henry and that is all that matters.
Yesterday Henry had a bit of a rough day, we're not sure if something was wrong with his breathing tube like it kept getting stuck or he was just filled with so much fluids and it was getting clogged but the alarms were going off all day saying he was having trouble breathing. We don't freak out anymore but it's still makes us very anxious. The night nurse said she worked on him alot last night to break up his chest congestion and this morning things seemed better. Today was actually a pretty quiet day while I was there. His breathing was good, his blood tests for gases were coming back good so I was happy.
I just talked to jamie who went back to the hospital after work and he said Henry was exhausted and not responding well to being fed (through a tube). They did a bunch of work on him after I left and he was totally worn out. The nurse called the Dr and she said to stop feeing him for the night with the formula to give him a break...he is continually get nutrients through IV's or PICC lines so he's not starving in any way :)
Hopefully he gets some good rest tonight. Jamie said the nurse tonight sucks...she's not forthcoming with info and she's making him feel like he is in the way....that's pretty annoying, hopefully we don't have her again. He said she is good with Henry and that is all that matters.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Day 25: Groundhog Day
The Dr actually pointed out that today was day 25....if you asked me i would have said it was day 7 or something...i truly have no idea what day it is or how long this has been going on. Part of me feels like he was just born yesterday and all the rest is just a bad dream. Actually it feels like "Groudhog Day"...every day is exactly the same and i'm walking through a fog..pretty much thinking WTF? Wake up exhausted, drive an hour to the city, sit with Henry, listen to the Dr talk about my son and his "severely damaged lungs", using words i have no clue what they mean, listening to endless beeps and alarms as Henry and other babies forget to breathe, read a little, day dream of when this will be over, pack up, say I love you to my son and drive the hour back home, walk in the door to the biggest smile on Bella's face, play with her, eat dinner and go to bed. Somewhere in there Jamie and I get to see eachother...usually at the hospital. It's a very strange exsistence right now...
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Grow Baby Grow!
Henry is now 3lbs 1.9oz!!
He is a little monster, yesterday he ripped out his breathing tube, giving himself a bloody now :( and today he has been trying to take out his breathing tube! I wish he didn't need any of it, it's probably not the most comfortable thing...but atleast he won't remember any of this.
The Dr told us today that he needs 2 days of the blood culture to be negative for the infection before they will make a decision on the surgery. Tomorrow we are going to sit down and talk with her a little more in depthly to get a better understanding of what has happened and what comes next as well as the future. I was told by the nurses that most likely he will be at CP until his due date, which is another 9 weeks and then transferred back to Westchester...give or take some time..
He is a little monster, yesterday he ripped out his breathing tube, giving himself a bloody now :( and today he has been trying to take out his breathing tube! I wish he didn't need any of it, it's probably not the most comfortable thing...but atleast he won't remember any of this.
The Dr told us today that he needs 2 days of the blood culture to be negative for the infection before they will make a decision on the surgery. Tomorrow we are going to sit down and talk with her a little more in depthly to get a better understanding of what has happened and what comes next as well as the future. I was told by the nurses that most likely he will be at CP until his due date, which is another 9 weeks and then transferred back to Westchester...give or take some time..
Monday, October 12, 2009
One Step Forward Two Steps Back
As of Thursday everything looked awesome. Henry seemed to be doing really well, breathing more and more on his own...they even said I would most likely be able to hold him this weekend. We were so excited. I go in Friday morning to find out that he has a hole in his heart and is going to need surgery. The hole is called a PDA and is relatively normal. All babies have this hole in utero but it closes when they are born. Since Henry was born so early it did not close up and since he was so sick in the beginning they were not able to give him medications to help it close, now it is too late for meds and he must have surgery. The surgery is a relatively minor procedure yet he will still be put out and as with any surgery there are risks..so we're a little anxious. For the surgery they make a cut in his side under his lungs and go in and staple the hole closed. The surgery is actually going to make him to start to get a lot better as now his blood flow will be working properly which will help his lungs start to clear up and function normal.
The surgery was scheduled for Monday..but by Friday afternoon we learned he also had a possible infection! UGH. They were doing a blood culture over the weekend to see if he does have one, which they believe he most likely does. Mondays surgery will be postponed until the infection is under control. They started him on antibiotics on Friday. We will find out today about noon about the infection.
The surgery was scheduled for Monday..but by Friday afternoon we learned he also had a possible infection! UGH. They were doing a blood culture over the weekend to see if he does have one, which they believe he most likely does. Mondays surgery will be postponed until the infection is under control. They started him on antibiotics on Friday. We will find out today about noon about the infection.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
A Good Day!
As of this morning we were told that Henry's lung were not clearing up on their own, the right lung is collapsed and there is air bubbles in it. They were going to have the respiratory therapist come take a look and possibly do some procedure to help him. Other than that they said he was doing well.
As of tonight when Jamie went to the hospital after work Henry was doing really well! He was on the lowest level of oxygen assistance since he was born AND he seems to be taking care of the air in his lungs on his own! They also lowered the pressure on the ventilator so he is actually doing more work on his own. Today was a good day.
As of tonight when Jamie went to the hospital after work Henry was doing really well! He was on the lowest level of oxygen assistance since he was born AND he seems to be taking care of the air in his lungs on his own! They also lowered the pressure on the ventilator so he is actually doing more work on his own. Today was a good day.
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