DECEMBER 11 UPDATE

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11 (4 weeks, one day old)
31 WEEKS

Now to him that is able to do immeasurable more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.  Eph3:20

The ups and downs of  premature babies can change hour to hour.    Things can seem fine and then at a moment's notice change with our miracle babies. 

Mckayla is now fighting pneumonia in one lung.  She is on two different antibiotics.  When I was there Saturday her alarms were going off because her oxygen levels kept dropping. She is on IV plus mother's milk. Their weights fluctuate so much from day to day, I will try to just update you weekly on their weight.  Pray that the pneumonia will clear with no further complications. 

Madilynn is fighting a respiratory issue and is also on antibiotics.  She is on an IV plus mother's milk.  She had a heating pad on where they had removed her IV Saturday because the area was swollen.  She was sleeping peacefully on Saturday.  Pray that her respiratory issues will not turn into pneumonia.

Mackenzie is still having digestive issues and the doctors have decided she is allergic to mother's milk and are going to put her on formula.  She is still throwing up and actually threw up while I was there.  She is not gaining weight well at all.  They did decide to hold off on the transfusion since her body is making its own red blood cells.  Pray that her digestive issues will be resolved and she will start gaining weight. 

These little babies who should still be safe and sound in their mother's womb have to deal with so many issues on a daily basis.  It makes the minor things we deal with seem of little or no consequence in the big picture!

The flu season is about here and that means that Jackson and I will not be allowed to visit the miracle babies.  Once flu season is officially here the NICU is shut down to visitors, especially children.

Please keep our miracle babies in your prayers.  They will be in the NICU until at least the middle of February.  Their due date was February 9 and the doctors said it is usually a week after their due date that the babies are allowed to go home provided all is well with their health. 


Thank you!

DECEMBER 9 UPDATE QUICK UPDATE

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 (3 weeks, 5 days)
31 WEEKS

Madilynn:   I texted a prayer request yesterday afternoon about Madilynn's infection worsening and the doctor wanting to do a spinal tap to check for meningitis.  She did end up having the spinal tap.  It was clear.  They put her on antibiotics and she is doing better.  The infection is caused by all the tubing they have.

 Mckayla:  She is also suffering now from bacterial infection.  They also put her on antibiotics.  Her oxygen levels kept increasing too much yesterday which was indicative of an infection.

Mackenzie:  Her feeding tube is in place and working well.  She has lots of oral secretions from multiple tubes.  That is very frustrating for the babies and they have to wait until the nurse suctions them out. 

We are so thankful that Madilynn did not have meningitis.  We wish she would not have had to endure the spinal tap.  Thank you for those who prayed for her yesterday when I sent out my emergency prayer request.

 

DECEMBER 7 UPDATE

You can pray for anything and if you have faith you will receive it.  Matthew 21:21

 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7 (3 weeks, 4 days old)

30 WEEKS

MCKAYLA BABY A  is doing well.  She is gaining weight and was up to 2 pounds 7 oz this week. Daddy  got to hold her yesterday. She does forget to breathe especially at night and alarms go off and the nurse needs to help her breathe again.  When they have rough nights then mommy and daddy can't hold them the next day.

MADILYNN BABY B is having some issues.  She had to have that blood transfusion after all.  They test them too frequently for their blood to build  back up.  She also has an infection so they started her on antibiotics.  Her tummy is very distended and they do not know why.  They took an x-ray today to see if they could determine what is going on with that. She also weighed 2 pounds 7 oz. Mommy got to hold her yesterday.

MACKENZIE BABY C was able to be held by her daddy for the first time.  He held her for an hour and a half.  She loves to grab onto her wires and pull them out.  She had an x-ray done today also to see if they replaced her feeding tube correctly. They have put her tube all the way to the intestine instead of just the stomach.  She has been vomiting some.   She is not doing well gaining weight.  She is only at her birth weight of two pounds.    

I held Jack up to see Mckayla and he said in the sweetest sing song voice "I love you".
 

Pray that the babies will have better nights with fewer alarms going off.  Pray that Madilynn's infection will heal quickly and her tummy distention issue will be resolved.  Pray that Mackenzie will be able to keep her milk down and digest it and start gaining weight.

Thank you!

DECEMBER 4 UPDATE

Anything is possible if a person believes.  Mark 9:23

MONDAY, DECEMBER 4 (three weeks and one day old)
30 WEEKS

Mckayla still has her IV in but is increasing her milk intake every twelve hours.  Because her kidneys are immature, carbon dioxide is building up in her body.  This could be causing her breathing issues.  She soon may be able to regulate her body temperature.

Madilynn no longer needs her temperature monitored.  She can regulate her own now.  She is still on the breathing tube and also liquid protein.  The doctors decided not to do a blood transfusion since she is just one percent under where a transfusion is needed.  She may soon have her breathing tube removed.

Mackenzie is having issues with her esophagus.  It appears to be swollen.  They will watch it closely and if necessary will call in an ENT specialist in case there is a developmental issue or something else.  They had difficulty intubating her last night and discovered this problem.  She was not intubated.

All three miracle babies had a rough night and once again Mommy could not hold them today.  She was only able to change their diapers at care time. 

Please pray that Mckayla's kidneys will be able to keep the carbon dioxide from building up in her body and that she will be able to regulate her body temperature soon.  Pray that Madilynn will have her breathing tube removed soon and gain weight.  Pray that the issue with Mackenzie's esophagus will heal soon and not be a serious issue. 

Pray that all three will stabilize very soon and be able to held by mommy and daddy.

Mommy had fun time playing with Jackson outside Sunday morning.  Jack was so glad to spend time with Mommy.  He misses her very much. 



 

COMMENT...COUNT....CONTACT

I have had a few questions about being able to comment, to be notified when I post, and how many have looked at the blog.  To answer all these questions, I added a few gadgets to the right. 

The comment section has been enabled, so you may comment now and please do!  It was so encouraging to all of those many friends I started out texting updates to when you replied. I was wondering why I was not getting any comments when I had so many views and realized I had not added the comment box.  It is there now!!

The counting number is up for those interested in that.  And for those who may be interested, we have readers from Mozambique, Peru, South Korea, Italy, and Australia.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read the updates, comment and PRAY.  We are so blessed to have so many praying for our miracle babies around the world.  They are doing marvelously well  and we know it is because we have so many interceding often for their health and well being. 
 

DECEMBER 3 UPDATE

For with God nothing will be impossible.  Luke 1:3

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 3 (three weeks old)

30 WEEKS

I am back here after being home for a week.  I was able to go with Michael and Christine to see the miracle babies today. 

Mckayla weighed 2 lbs, 1.9 oz  She is still on IV for fluids but is also getting her mothers milk via her feeding tube.  Today she got 8 ml per feeding.    Her nurse made a keepsake bag of the things she has outgrown already that the nurses use to care for her.  She is still on the breathing tube. Her alarms went off a few times while I was there.

Madilynn weighed 2 lbs, 5.5 oz.  She is also on IV for fluids plus 8 ml of her mother's milk at each feeding.   She slept peacefully the entire time I was there. 

Mackenzie has gained weight!!  She weighed 2 lbs, 4 oz.   She is on 14 ml of mother's milk every feeding.  She had her eyes open while I was there.  When we talked to her, her heart rate increased to 185.    She pulled her breathing tube out so they decided to see if she was ready to be on her own with breathing.  Unfortunately she had to be intubated this evening. 

When the babies forget to breathe, the nurses have to intervene by touching them, moving them, or even sitting them up to get them to breathe.  Mackenzie did that this evening and did not breathe and the nurse said she was turning blue, which is why the put they breathing tube back in. 

Christine was able to change all their diapers during care time.  Care time is when they take care of their needs and feed them.  Christine tries to be present at these during the day so she can do whatever she is allowed to do for each baby. Christine has started calling her miracle angel babies the warrior princesses since they are so strong and fighting so bravely through all the obstacle they face!

DECEMBER 1 UPDATE

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him, "I am willing", he said.  "Be healed"  Mark 1:41

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1 (two weeks and five days old)
(30 WEEKS)

Today was a milestone day!  Mckayla the tiniest baby reached two pounds.  All babies are at two pounds.

Mckayla's medicine for her heart seems to have worked. The could not hear the murmur and the sonogram showed the PDA was small enough to close on its own.  She will resume feedings tonight or tomorrow.  Her vent settings went down which is a good thing and means she can be weaned off her breathing tube.

Madilynn's murmur has softened; it is not as harsh sounding.  The PDA is closing with the help of the medicine after two doses.  They will check it again and see if she needs the third dose.  She will also resume feedings.  Her vent settings also went down so she too can be weaned off the breathing tube.

Mackenzie has not gained weight in a week.  She weighs two pounds which was her birth weight.  They have put her on liquid protein to try to get her to gain some weight.  Her vent setting have not decreased so she still needs her breathing tube.

Pray that the PDA's will continue to close. Pray that Mckayla and Madilynn will be weaned off the breathing tube soon.  Pray that Mackenzie will gain weight and that her vent setting will decrease so she can be weaned off the breathing tube.

Thank you!