Old normal to new normal...

Ok I should have been keeping up with this over the last few months, but I wanted to really focus on Eliza, Gram, Ingram, and our old normal.  We were induced to have Chambers on July 12, 2012.  She came into the world at 5:47 pm after 10 or so hours of boring not too eventful labor.  Four hours after she was born the took her off to NICU for testing and then admitted her and there she stayed.  She is still there but we are on the home stretch of this little angel coming home.

I should have posted her updates here instead of Facebook, but I honestly did not think about it.  So I am going to try to create a diary of sorts to log the past few days...

7/12/2012

Welcome to the Mary Chambers Thornton!! 6 lbs 14oz 5:47 pm 19.5 inches long!!


7/13/2012


Sweet baby girl will spend the night in nicu..she is breathing fast and has to be fed by iv...please pray that this will only last one night!!


7/14/2012


Leaving this sweet baby girl today might breathe hardest thing I have done.
"I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." Phillipians 4:13.


7/15/2012


Ok update as of 3 am last night: gained back 5 oz. Off of oxygen-- Eating from her tube with no residual left! Only one spike in breathing at 64 cpm--staying under 60 is great! All tests have come back normal--except ecg--please pray for Chambers' heart!


7/15/2012


Breathing soooo much better!! We are eating from a bottle--she ate 2 oz in like 10 minutes--the girl LOVES to eat!! An awesome sign that we have NO feeding problems as of now!! Bilirubin numbers at 11.8--need those down--pray pray pray!! Things are looking better--taking one day at a time!


7/16/2012


I know you are probably sick of updates but....40 cc (1.35 fl oz) bottle 8 times a day..bilirubin is down a bit but still running tests for proper liver function..breathing is better a few spikes--but nothing major..IV still in but not giving fluids!!! Hoping she can get what she needs from being bottle fed!! Waiting on gastro doctor to read her abdominal ultrasound and cardiologist to contact about partial av canal defect or asd--not sure which-- we have been told both one prenatally and one post--but either way- could be the cause of some breathing issues--all is good right now!


7/16/2012


Up to 45 or 50 cc of formula-I can't remember--wanted more--girl can really eat-bilirubin levels are continuing to lower--slowly but they are going down--one more feeding tonight and IV does get removed! Still waiting on gastro consult and tests to come back ruling out any abnormal liver function or viruses. Breathing is almost where it needs to be!!! Heart is a partial AV canal defect but if you are going to have a heart defect this is the one to have--easy fix! Waiting on cardiologist consult as well!! On the home stretch for little bit!! Thank you for all your continued prayers--they are amazing!! You all are amazing!


7/17/2012


Just left St. Vincents--was able to hold sweet MC for almost 20 minutes--ahhhh...gastro called and they are running a lot of tests today to rule out any rare findings associated with liver function and bile acid reduction--apparently they have a 0.0% chance of coming back abnormal--but they still need to run them--but starting her on medicine today to reduce this bile acid and help her a long a bit--she is probably just taking a lot longer to get rid of the yucky stuff than others. So they have to put her IV back in but for blood tests and medicine administering--not for feeding. Its just a wait and see now--the tests will NOT keep her there--so that is a good thing--oh she gained weight and is now bigger than birth weight--6 lbs 15 oz---whoo hoo!!


7/17/2012


No more lights---bilirubin is being helped along by meds--all tests that came back completely normal. As we left her she was wrapped up like a burrito!! Two days of eating normally and maintaining her own temperature and we are home free! Follow with gastro to check bilirubin numbers and follow up with cardiologist to set a plan and a goal for her AV canal defect--hopefully next week and they can ease our minds!! But things are looking great


7/18/2012


SImple update--those are the best--in a crib when we went in last night!! Such a big step. Swaddled and cozy. Getting antibiotics, probiotics, and bilirubin meds--just bilirubin meds through IV. Momma was able to feed her and then supplement--a big step--they project two days of eating normally--as much as she will eat no limits now--and keeping her temperature normal--and then we stay up one night--and hopefully she is home free! UP to 6 lbs 15.6 oz--almost 7 lbs--wow!!


So looking back at all these updates--it honestly felt like forever, but in looking back her progress has been amazing!  


Our three a day visits could not have been done without the help of so many wonderful people.  The progress could not have been acquired without so many wonderful doctors and nurses.  The prayers have been felt and I am amazed and feel truly lucky to live in the community that we live. People are just amazing souls.  I feel that every person that we know has given us so much encouragement and love that God is truly watching.  He is and must be so happy with what people CAN do and WILL do.  We are truly humbled and are forever grateful for all those who have supported us.


The road to going home is in the distance and we can see it for sure.  I cannot wait for Eliza and Gram to get to finally meet their little sister.  I can't wait for all the kind and love people to meet Vestavia's new local celebrity.  She has NO idea how much she is loved, but I already can't imagine life without this perfect angel!!