Eva was placed on her tummy on the boppy to start working on her arm muscles. She started crying and being a drama queen, I laughed and told Jim “she acts like she is being tortured!” Then, we hear Josiah yell from his room where he was just sent (and he went in a dramatic way) for a nap “I’m tortured too!”
home for now August 29, 2009
Eva is home. She was discharged the last night. The diagnoses was viral pneumonia, but by the time she was discharged she was pretty much over the contagious part. However, the viral diagnoses was debated among the staff, some thought bacterial pneumonia was evident. So, she is also on an antibiotic. Now she just has the cough which even in adults could take a while to get rid of completely. She is happy again and LOVES being home. We are praying that she gets plenty of time between this hospitalization and the possible heart surgery. We are praising God that if she does require surgery we have time to prepare her physically by eating well and getting her strength up. Our prayer is that she won’t need the surgery, but other similar cases show that is unlikely. But our God is the sovereign Creator and He chooses when and how to heal.
homeward? August 28, 2009
Eva’s doctors decided that if she can manage two feedings then she can go home tonight! Right now that is about 50/50! We are praying that she feels better soon! Oh, the official diagnoses is viral pneumonia.
Surgery Possibility Down the Road August 27, 2009
Cardiology came by and told us something that encouraged us. Eva’s echo did show an obstruction in the heart, but it is minor as far as obstruction. If it doesn’t get worse she will not need surgery for it!! However, she is young and it is likely to get worse. If that happens then surgery is likely down the road. We are praising God that surgery is not needed at this time when she is already so weak!!!! That will make it easier for her to recover should surgery be done.
not the Flu!!! August 27, 2009
Praise God that she doesn’t have the flu!!! Pneumonia is the presumed diagnoses that we are going with. They are testing her for Whooping cough just to rule it out, but it looks like either bacterial or viral Pneumonia. How long will she be here? Not sure, we just know we won’t be going home today.
3rd verse… August 27, 2009
not the same as the first… or second.
Eva is once again at our “2nd home.” Eva was admitted to the hospital last night. We took her to her primary doctor yesterday afternoon because I was concerned that she wasn’t eating and every once in a while grunted when she breathed. Her primary almost sent her over to the hospital from his clinic, but she wasn’t that bad yet. So he told me after dinner if she isn’t improved take her the the ER at the hospital where she had her surgeries. Well, we didn’t follow those directions exactly. We took her before dinner. She was grunting when Jim saw her and he said we were to take her in that night. Then he asked how much total has she kept down and I told him that since waking up that morning she kept down 3 oz of formula. That did it. He said “I am not hungry”, to which I echoed and also informed him of a clementine that I packed for Josiah to snack on if he got hungry. We put the kids in the car and took Gorgeous to the ER (ok, so she has several nicknames: Eva, Happy, Gorgeous, Pretty pretty princess, princess and Diva Eva.) and as they were triaging her they saw her heart surgery scar, took one look at how pale she was while grunting (although I almost told them that she is always that pale thanks to her parents genetics) and skipped the triage and took her right to the doctor.
The next few hours were long. Josiah needed to get away, so I called the Woods who live right by the hospital and asked if they could take Josiah for a couple hours while we sorted things out. It is amazing how God brings people in your life who you know you can call anytime! We are so thankful for Walter and Lareeni (whom went with us to Malawi)! They have been there for all our miscarriages and were one of the first visitors for Josiah and Eva (well, besides family members)! I told Lareeni about Eva earlier and she told me Josiah is welcomed to come hang out with them if we needed it.
Anyway, Eva was admitted to the hospital to the 5th floor (which we know well, she is actually next to one of her old rooms) where she has a small amount of oxygen to help her breathe. Here are the possibilities of cause for her symptoms:
Heart failure (praise God that was ruled out!!!)
RSV
Influenza (many types, but yes H1N1 is on the list of candidates)
Viral infection of the bronchial structure
Asthma (which we have no family history of, but this is Eva)
She is eating finally and is becoming her usual happy self with the oxygen on. We will find out if it is the flu today, but which one (if that is what it is) might still be a day or so away.
Eva Evaluation August 25, 2009
Eva had her 1st post NICU evaluation today. Here is what they did:
First the weighed and measured her.
Next they had Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy evaluate her.
Next they had the neonataologist look at her.
Next the did a hearing test.
And lastly they had an echo done.
Now, here are the results in opposite order (it is easier that way):
The echo was finished, but unless something is wrong we won’t hear the results until the 11th at her cardiology appt.
The hearing test was passed with flying colors.
The neonatologist said to get her to focus on formula and just have one meal of solids for now.
Occupational therapy was very pleased with her motor skills and social skills, but noticed she is behind in making sounds that will move her closer to talking.
Physical therapy said that overall her upper body strength is weak, but they have seen worse. We are to enforce tummy time (which in Eva’s book is “cruel and unusual punishment”) and not to teach her to walk until she is strong enough to break a fall to protect her chest.
Her weight was praised. Even though she is low on the charts in percentile the doctor said that if compare her height and weight growth chart wise she is actually quite… portly. However, he is concerned about a possible hormonal imbalance causing a hindrance in her height growth. She is very short and he wants to monitor her height very closely since he said a lot of heart babies have a hormonal imbalances that inhibits growth. If that is the case with Eva than it is hormonal treatment with an Endocrinologist. However, we did point out to the doctor that it does run in both sides of the family for kids to be short. We mentioned that Josiah, who is healthy and so far the only visual comparison for our kids, is way under the growth chart in height but is in the 5th-10th percentile in weight. The doctor did notice that Jim and I are both… slender and that Jim is average height, so it is possible she is petite from genetics.
To sum it up:
NO MEDICAL INTERVENTION AT THIS TIME!!!! PRAISE GOD!!!!
16 weeks August 25, 2009
Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, baby will double in weight and in inches. Right now, baby’s about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. The legs are much more developed, the head is more erect than it has been, and the eyes have moved closer to the front of baby’s head. The ears are close to their final position, too.
Lightning August 22, 2009
We were leaving a going away party on Wednesday and Josiah noticed the lightning. So every time he saw a bolt he would squeal “Lightning McQueen!” And that is what we heard the whole drive home!
Home and other happenings August 21, 2009
We arrived home on Tuesday morning. Josiah and Eva were very excited. Josiah and Jim ran to eachother at the airport, it was really sweet to watch.
OK, so I only have a couple minutes, so here is the lowdown summed up.
Jim: Started back at work on Thursday. He misses Malawi already, but it more than happy to see his kids. He is Mr. Cool to them.
Traci: I am 15 weeks along now and hoping to feel better soon. Jeg lag is rough. I am enjoying my kids and the progress that they are making.
Josiah: He is talking very clearly now. He did ok on the potty chair at grandmas (for some reason he has a problem at my parents). He is very happy to be home and have his mommy and daddy back. I am told he took his job of watching after Eva very seriously while we were gone.
Eva: Is quite different. She is even more vocal (which I thought wasn’t possible!) and she wants to finally be mobile. She still refuses to do anything that makes her have to start or be on her tummy. She sit and scoots herself around. She also is trying to start pulling herself up. She also just got her first tooth!
Family life: We are adjusting to being back home. That seems to be going well. We found and are in the process of buying that minivan! We have an ultrasound date set up! Sep. 23! I think we most likely will find out, but I am not 100% sure.
