emma: June 2007 Archives

gotta love technology!

Here she is. Her surgery for her shunt is scheduled for tomorrow morning. Pray that the surgeons hands are calm and that she does as well with this surgery as with her first one.

I just heard that Emma's MRI has been done. We are still waiting for the official reading and the surgical plans. Emma was apparently very happy during the procedure because they had to d/c all her leads for a while and swaddle her very tightly. Jess has been able to hold her and snuggle her, but Emma is still not allowed to have anything by mouth. The freezer is getting full of colostrum and milk, just waiting.

Please also pray that Jess will continue to recover from her surgery. A cesarean is not exactly a walk in the park........

John is on his way there to spend a week helping out. I think that Jess will really appreciate having her Dad around. And I know that John will just melt at the sight of his grandbaby. If I can find it, I will try to post you a pic of John with a goofy smile on his face, holding one of our children as a baby.

This is Emma and her mom - the plastic is the top of the bag that Emma was put in to protect her innards while they were still outtards.

The next picture is her in the NICU at the hospital where she was born, scant minutes before she was loaded into a transport isolette for her first helicopter ride (an experience that few other women in the family have had!)

It took me a while to figure out how to get this one onto the computer so I could upload it. The other pix were taken by my cellphone (Nokia) but these were from a real camera.

I'm back home now for a week. exhausted and on call. pray for me to keep it together! headed for bed in about 3 minutes.

They were able to take out the breathing tube a few hours ago. She hasn't lost any weight and was finally able to get a bath and hair wash.

I have to get on the road in about an hour to make it home in time to go back on call. I am so thankful to my practice partner for being willing to cover for me on this emergency basis - Pam, you're the greatest.

They were able to repair the gastroschisis in a single operation (primary closure). She is sleeping from the pain medicine and is doing very well indeed! I am in the room with her and will sleep here tonight. Thank God for family centered care and also for free high speed wireless internet in the hospital. Tomorrow the neurosurgeons will be by for a consult on the hydrocephalus. Father Val from Jess's parish just came by, too.

7 lb 15 1/2 oz (3620 gms I think). Apgars 8/9. Looks good.
Airlifted to children's hospital at 2 hours of age. more later.

Lungs are mature, we are on our way to the hospital to have Emma delivered. Will update as available. keep praying!

They are saying that they may need to deliver Emma very soon, as in within a few days. Please please pray. We don't have the backup in place and I can't get there due to not having call coverage - the very earliest I could get there would be in 8 days...........

update (2105) - I will be able to go there from tomorrow till friday - pray for us all!

Emma Collette: Blessed are thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb