Never a Dull Moment

We had nothing to do this weekend.  My big plan was to do tons, and tons of laundry and just relax at home.  Isaiah had different plans.  Thursday night as our social worker walked in the door for our 3 month post placement visit for Ezekiel the phone rang.  It was our pediatrician calling to let us know we needed to come in first thing in the morning because Isaiah's blood work was concerning.   His hemoglobin was super low (a 5 when 11 or 12 is normal) and he may need a transfusion.  After seeing the doctor he decided to put a call into CHOP (children's hospital of Philadelphia) and get there opinion.  They wanted us in the Emergency Room.

After going through the hoops of the ER answering questions like, "does he look pale to you?"  (Umm yeah but I'm not sure if that's real or b/c everyone keeps asking me if he looks pale?!?!?!  (by the way is it just me or is it hard to breath right now?) ) and "Is he acting himself?"  (Ummm he's 5 weeks old.  He cries, eats, poops, and sometimes sleeps)  Hindsight being what it is I can see the difference but at the time I couldn't.  They drew some blood and then admitted us.  Unfortunately the combination of antibodies in Isaiah's blood made it hard to find blood so we spent 24 hours with him getting sicker and us waiting on the blood.  Finally Saturday night the blood was there and ready and the transfusions started.  The plan was to give 3 transfusions over 12 hours and then send us home.

Of course that's not what happened. Around 4am and between transfusions I woke up to a room full of people.  I had fallen asleep EXHAUSTED while nursing Isaiah.  I was so confused.  I can only hope I thought to cover up at some point since more than half the people in the room were men.  I had very little shame as it was.  I think that was my last ounce.  I digress.  Apparently Isaiah had a temperature.  The nurse had taken his temp under the arm and now was taking it rectally.  I saw him do it.  I saw the reading.  Isaiah definitely had a temp a little over 101.  The docs explained to be that they needed to wipe out whatever infection was causing this immediately so they would take blood, urine, and spinal fluid.  The blood and urine I could handle but a spinal tap?  On my infant?!?!?!?  I was internally freaking out and praying like crazy.  God answered that prayer request very oddly.  The doctors could not seem to draw the blood and the IV team took a little bit to get there.  Since they were taking so long the docs decided to give up on the blood, let IV do it, and go straight to the spinal tap while they waited.  Praise God, as they set things up the IV lady walked in so they decided to let her go first.  Soon it came to someones attention that the blood was going to expire if they didn't start it soon.  So the new plan was to start the blood as soon as the IV was in and vital signs could be taken.  Guess what they found during the vitals?  NO TEMP!  Since there was no temp they decided to skip the spinal unless it came back (and it never did).  The residents lack of competence at drawing blood saved us a spinal tap.  So we were back on track!

By Sunday evening the transfusions were done and we thought we'd go home Monday morning.  However, there was "extra" blood so they decided to transfuse a little more to "plump him up"  Finally Monday around 10pm we got home.

Isaiah is looking much pinker and healthier.  He needs to be followed super closely and I have to give him shots 3x a week but the hope is that his blood marrow will kick in soon and he will get rid of this antibodies and be totally healthy.  That could take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.  Please pray it's only a few weeks and he won't need anymore transfusions!


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Please donate blood!

First let me say how wonderful it is to have so many people praying for us and Isaiah. Many of you walked this road with us three years ago as well. Being here again, especially so close to the anniversaryof our time spent here with Jack has certainly stirred up some emotion and feelings. It's funny it's not the big things that cause our breath to suddenly stop and familiar emotions close In. It's the little things: the sound of the monitor, walking by the benches we sat on with another couple who's daughter was in the nicu, the smells of he cafeteria. So keep praying for us. It's working :) My main reason for posting is to answer the question that's been asked by friends and strangers, "could we donate blood for Isaiah?". The answer is no and yes! Donated blood goes through a vigorous process of screening and cleaning which takes some time so you can't donate blood for immediate use. However, please please donate as soon as you can and as often as possible. So much more goes into matching blood than just A,B,O +\-. We had to wait and watch Isaiah get sicker until blood could be found and then it was 4 hours away. Isaiah will likely need transfusions for the next few months. Your blood could be the matche we need down the road or could save the life of another baby (or child or adult). I would love to hear if you donate in honor of Isaiah. Please leave a comment or send me an email and let me know! Donations can be made through your local red cross :)

Isaiah's Birth "Story"

 I think I'm being a bit fast and lost with the word story in my title.  To me a story is something you tell to kids before bedtime.  Trust me, you don't want to hear this before bed.  However, stories are supposed to have happy endings and PRAISE THE LORD this one does.  Alright, let's start at the beginning (I hear that's a very good place to start).

Many, many months ago, with the full encouragement and approval of all my doctors I elected for a VBAC (Vaginal birth after c-section).  I was a "great candidate" for this option.  I have had two vaginal deliveries and it has been 3 years since my c-section with Jack.  As with everything of course there were risks but I've had to sign a paper every three weeks of this pregnancy stating that I understood my baby could die with each and every procedure so the risks of uterine rupture didn't really phase me.  I never even researched it (which is huge for me!  I research everything!)

Fast forward to Tuesday night.  I won't go into great detail here but let's just say my body wasn't really ready to deliver and despite numerous uncomfortable efforts to convince it otherwise it wasn't letting Isaiah out without a fight.  24 hours after starting pitocin and with it at it's highest level I was only 5 centimeters.  We started talking C-section but then the doc checked me and was able to break my water.  We moved across the hall to delivery and thought we were on our way.  The contractions got strong and really painful.   After about an hour of contractions suddenly the pain was INTENSE and I was yelling I needed an epidural.  My nurse went for the docs and things got even worse.  There was no break from the pain.  It was so intense I was yelling.  Thankfully my doctors recognized that I shouldn't have gone from "so happy" "such a trooper" to a yelling maniac without needing to push.  Someone asked me where the pain was.  When I put my hand on my lower belly I heard the doctor say to the resident, "I think her uterus ruptured." And then to me, "I told you I'd tell you if I felt like we needed to do a c-section.  That time is here.  We are going to have to put you under though, ok?"  I distinctly remembering nodding, and saying really quick between screams, "I don't care just get him out!!!!"

They rushed me into the OR where they started the process of putting me under.  I'm sure it only took a few minutes but it felt like forever.  I know I had time to yell, "Please knock me out! Please knock me out" several times.  I also remember the anesthesiologist saying, "do you think you could sit up for about 15 minutes so we could do an epidural?"  Both the doctor and I yelled, "NO!" and then I was out.

It wasn't until much later that I learned that things went from bad to worse once they put me under and it is by the grace of God that Isaiah and I are here today.  When they opened me up they found that not only had my uterus ruptured but my placenta was detaching (super bad news!)  Isaiah was in the process of losing his lifeline from the placenta.  His first Apgar score was a 4.  Most babies are 8 or 9 after 1 minute.  He needed help right away.  At 5 minutes his score was up to a 6 when most babies are a 10.  Finally at 10 minutes old he reached a 9.  Basically if they had waited much longer to do the c-section my placenta would have detached and he likely wouldn't have made it.  Happily I didn't find this out until I got home.

By the time I woke up both Isaiah and I had been given blood.  He was doing well in the NICU and everyone assured me he was fine.  He spent 3 1/2 days in the NICU under the lights and then came in a room with me for a day and a half and then we were both released. 

While our story was not at all what we had imagined I am so happy to have Isaiah here.  He truly is a miracle and we are blessed to have him in our lives!!!

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1 Month Old!

Guess what?  I'm 1 month old!  My Aunt Tara had this super cute idea with my cousin Anna where she posts a pic of her with the same stuffed animal every month.  Mommy decided to copy it so here I am at 1 month with the Philly Phanatic.

My favorite things to do this month are eat and be cuddled.  I can nurse for impressive amounts of time and come back for more just a short time later.  I think this bodes well for wing eating in the future.  Between eating I am happy to just look around or sleep provided I am being held.  

Look how tiny I am

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