Sorry that I haven’t posted. Things have been, well, God planned that we would be slightly busy. Eva’s PICC line on Friday did not work. So over the weekend Jim and I have been giving Eva shots in her thighs with the hope of trying the PICC line again. On Tuesday we went back to the hospital to give it one last try. If it didn’t work than Eva would get oral antibiotics, which is not ideal since she could spit it out or throw up. God was gracious in not only allowing the staff to get the PICC line in, but they got it in right away. They said it took 5 minutes and Eva was quiet as long as the room was quiet. So now we are home giving meds through an IV and getting to enjoy Eva’s first Thanksgiving at home!
Bring you up to date November 20, 2009
Eva’s surgery was cancelled again. Her white blood cell count was elevated and the doctors decided to do some tests instead of surgery. Praise God that we have an answer as to why Eva gets pneumonia so frequently. The doctors did some tests today to see if they could figure out why Eva’s white blood count was so elevated and one of those tests was a C T scan. The scan showed the pulmonologist that Eva has bronchiectasis. There are two treatments for this. If caught early then the treatment is a month long anti-biotic given through an IV. However, if there is too much scar tissue then treatment is to remove that part of the lung (whether is it just a portion or the whole lung varies with each case). Eva’s scan showed very little scaring in one spot. Praise God that the doctor thinks we caught it early enough to just put her on the IV treatment. Eva was admitted this evening due to a fever, but the plan, Lord willing, is to do a bronchoscopy tomorrow (Friday) and put in a PIC line and train Jim and I about the IV so Eva can come home. As to what this means for her heart surgery is still undetermined. So, praise God that we have a diagnosis, the prognosis is in her favor, this hospital stay is expected to be short (a couple days… which is a blessing since Josiah can’t see Eva until she is discharged due to the hospital’s strict, new visitors policy of no visitors beside siblings over 14 years old and grandparents) and this should help stop the pneumonia occurrences.
God’s perfect timing for Eva November 19, 2009
It looks like tomorrow isn’t God’s timing for Eva to have surgery. Everything was set to go until her blood work came back. Her white blood count was elevated 50%. The doctors are not sure why they are elevated so high, so they are going to do some tests over the next week to rule some things out and then, Lord willing, Eva will have her surgery the week after Thanksgiving.
still on schedule November 16, 2009
Once again Eva is scheduled for her surgery. The expected event is set tentatively for this Thursday morning, assuming she passes a pre-op evaluation. She is getting over a runny nose and a cough, but the surgeon is planning on doing the surgery anyway as the risk of waiting is more dangerous than the risk of operating when Eva is not 100% healthy. Operating now increases her complications risk from less than 10% to 20%. The average hospital time is 5-7 days.
happy birthday sweetheart November 12, 2009
Happy birthday Eva!
We love you very much and are thrilled the God let us keep you!
You make us smile and laugh by your giggles and “talking!”
Josiah loves his baby Eva very much!
Mommy loves you and getting to know your character as it starts to show and cuddles.
Daddy loves his princess tomboy and how you now say “dada.”
It’s this monday November 11, 2009
Just as a reminder, Eva’s pre-op tests and x-ray are this coming Monday (16th) and Wednesday (18th), not this past Monday and today.
Last Day! November 11, 2009
Today is the last day in Annalise’s 2nd trimester!!! It is exciting to be on the last 3 months! Time has gone by so quickly, we can hardly believe we are here already. It is just going to get faster too! We have Eva’s surgery and recovery, Thanksgiving, Christmas, 3 weddings and a new baby brother or sister for the kid’s cousin, Anne… all this in the next 3 months! Oh, and I can’t forget Eva’s birthday tomorrow! I guess if we are counting birthdays, then we should count mommy’s too, but nothing really happens for that. Busy, busy!
happy birthday Little man November 9, 2009
Happy birthday Josiah!
We love you very much!
You can be a kind big brother and a good mommy helper.
You can make us all smile with your “clever” ideas and epiphanies.
Eva loves you above no other!
Mommy loves you and how you are eager to learn and play. She loves how you try hard to be a big boy and loves talking to you.
Daddy loves spending time with you doing evangelism, yard work, gardening, shopping. He loves having his “little buddy” around!
We are blessed that God sent you to us!
26 weeks November 6, 2009
The network of nerves in Annalise’s ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both mommy’s voice and daddy’s as you chat with each other. She’s inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she’s born and takes that first gulp of air. And she’s continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches from head to heel.
… and he loves them!
