Little Update

Kaidyn is hanging steady. Still going through the stuff with her oxygen. Hopefully soon well get it straightened out so we can go home. They are in the process of reducing her flow again. So pray for her lungs still and that she is sheltered from infection.

Maya is really sick so she needs many of your prayers. She has 2 strains of staph and pneumonia in her left lung. She's hanging strong but please pray for her little body. Pray also for her mother. It's hard hearing all this news by yourself.

So continue to pray for all.

Photo Shoot, Snap Snap

Kaidyn had a big day today. The hospital's marketing team came by and took pictures of us. She did a great job. I'll post them once they email them to me. Of course they thought she was just too precious. Who knows you may see Kaidyn and me in a Scott and White publication.

We are beginning to talk about going home but Kaidyn has other plans. She had to have her flow turned up today. She's been really congested lately so they had to deep suction her today and they got a lot of gunk out. She also had to get an extra diuretic. They seemed to work so hopefully soon she'll be ready.

Pray for all the families here. It seems that lately there have been more families with really sick babies lately.

Prayers Needed for Maya

Maya really needs all of your prayers. She has an infection that the antibiotics are not helping. They are waiting for the results of the culture but it will 24-48 hours before they come back. They are thinking Maya has a fungal infection and that would not be good for baby Maya. Please please pray for Maya and her family.

Three Months Today

I couldn't let today go by without remembering Kaiya Dawn Walker. She would have been three months today.

I love you my little Angel. Watch over your sister. I know you are with her every time she smiles in her sleep. She gets to play with her own special Angel.

All Bottles, Bottles, Bottles

Kaidyn has had a very good week. She is now getting a bottle at every feeding! And that means NO MORE FEEDING TUBE!!!! I am so happy for her! I can see home at the end of the tunnel. She is now 4lb 7oz so she is gaining weight! We are just waiting for her to come out of her isolette and then we will know more about a timeline to go home. It is still 50/50 if she will come home on oxygen but right now I just want to go home.

The RMH is packed! I have met some great people here so I am not too home sick but there is still nothing like being home.

Baby Maya is doing good as well. She is on a conventional ventilator and her parent now get to do Kangaroo Care with her. She's wearing clothes and is now starting to recieve breast milk. She will be one month tomorrow! Time sure does fly!

I have come to realize how truly blessed Kaidyn has been. Maya's mom was telling me that the doctors were telling her how rare it is to get through this journey with no surgeries or brain bleeds. And praise God, Kaidyn has had neither. She is truly a blessed little girl. Continue to pray for her that her lungs continue to strengthen. Pray for Baby Maya that she grows strong, her lungs grow strong. Pray for all the babies in the NICU. Daily I hear of babies having to go through life threatening surgery. Just the other day Kaidyn's doctor said she has already gone through more in her life than any of us every will. So true, these babies are filled with so much strength we just want God to comfort them in their pain.

Pray for the parents here, that they stay strong through this long journey. All the parents here are bonded through this journey. We are part of a club that no one asks or wanted to join, but members we are. It is not easy to be unexpectedly lifted from your normal life into the life of a NICU parent. Where your days are filled with hospital visits every 3-4 hours, little sleep, your heart stopping every time your phones, praying its not the NICU, wondering how long you will be here, a week, 2 weeks, or like us 3 months and counting. Being separated from your family is never an easy thing. I just ask that you pray for the babies but don't forget the parents. We all need your prayers that is the one thing we all really need.

Slow Progress

Today Kaidyn made a little progress. The temperature on her isolette went down and she has been increased to two feeds by bottle then one by mouth. She did okay with the second feeding through the bottle but she sometimes tries to eat way to much in one swallow and chokes herself, but she is working through it. She is now weighing 4lb 2.1oz. As Always pray for Kaidyn and her progress and all the other babies in the NICU especially Baby Maya.

The Goodness of God

Kaidyn is still doing wonderfully. She is eating good and doing good with her temperature. Today Dr. Govande (her doctor) said that once she is getting a bottle at every feed and our of her isoletter we will know more about when she will come home. Hopefully that will be in the next week or two. She is still right at 4lbs, 4lb 0.6oz to be exact. She is on a diuretic so that is why she isn't gaining as fast as before. Continue to pray for her lungs. We are praying that she won't have to come home on oxygen, right now its still a 50/50 chance.

Baby Maya Update

Baby Maya made it through her surgery tonight. It was suppose to last an hour to an hour and a half, it was done in 30 min. The doctor said that he did not have to stop as many times as usual. He also said it was the best (conditions wise) surgery he's done on a baby her size. The next 2-3 days will be the hardest because her body will be adjusting to the surgery. She may get worse before she gets better. Continue to pray for her and her family during this time. Baby Maya has shown to be a real fighter.

Pray for Baby Maya

Please pray for Baby Maya. She will be having surgery on her heart today between 4-6pm.

Prayer Needed

Kaidyn is doing good. She weighs 4lb 1.6oz! She growing big. She's been doing about the same with her oxygen and everything. When she got sick last week with a cold we had to start all over on the road to getting her in a crib. So they are starting to lower the temperature on her isolette again. We have a few more weeks left here. She needs to be able to hold her temperature, bottle feed every feed, and be more consistent with her oxygen but overall she's doing good.

Prayer is needed for Baby Maya. Her parents found out today that her PDA has opened back up and one of her arteries are swollen. She has been started on steroids to prepare her lungs for surgery. The steroids could help close her PDA and cause her artery to no be as swollen but if on Thursday they see no progress she will have to have surgery on Friday. Baby Maya is only about 1 lb 1.2 oz. She has already had one major surgery. She is only two weeks old. Please pray for Baby Maya and her family. Another surgery would be a lot for her tiny body to handle. So send many prayers this way.

Report

Kaidyn is still doing good. She is still battling with her oxygen. She is just not consistent with it yet. She still has some hurdles to to jump before shes ready to go home but at least we are on the downhill. Yesterday, Kaidyn got another special visitor. Since my Mom will be watching Kaidyn often I felt it was necessary that she take the CPR class they require everyone to take. Since the class was in the NICU conference room afterwards Mom got to see Kaidyn! I am glad she got to see her after her many weeks of sitting in the waiting room. Kaidyn weighs 3lb 14.8oz now! 4lbs is right around the corner.

Ronald McDonald House Prayer Request:

Kaidyn and I would like for you all to please pray for Baby Maya. She was born at 24 weeks and weighed 1lb 4oz just like Kaidyn. She has had to have surgery on her intestines and now has a colostomy bag. Her mom, Christy, has been very strong but could definitely use the prayers from some warriors because as we know, she has a long journey ahead of her.

Pray also for Julia and her family. I didn't meet them personally but this morning after check in Julia passed out in the shower and had to be taken to the emergency room. Her baby was life flighted here early this morning and did not make it through the day. The baby passed away around 4pm. Please keep their family in your prayers.

Back for a Second Try

Kaidyn went back into the Continuing Care Unit today. She is doing really great! Taking a bottle 3x a day. She is now weighing 3lb 12.2oz!! She was taken off her high flow cannula and put on just a regular cannula. We are waiting for her to not need that oxygen anymore and then we will be good to go so pray pray pray for that! Our time here is coming to a close and its sad but happy. I am just so ready to get her home!

We are back on track

Kaidyn is have a good day today. She got to start back bottle feeding today. I am not sure I posted about it but she was getting a bottle before she got sick and had even drank her whole feed from it. She was at 27mL before she got sick and she is back to 18mL. She drank all at 18mL today. She is getting the hang of taking a bottle. She is still gaining weight even after not getting feeds for about a day. She is 3lb 7oz as of last night. She is growing so big! Hopefully she will continue to gain weight, I am wondering if she is really that big because she does have an IV so we will see once its taken out. But all in all, Kaidyn is still doing good. Still waiting till she doesn't need that oxygen anymore. That will be last thing we wait for before she can come home. The end is so near and I getting anxious now! I am SO ready!

When Praises Go Up, Blessings Come Down

Kaidyn is ok. Her stomach and intestines look good. They have started her feedings back at 10mL and will work their way back up. She is still not holding her temperature so they think she just has a viral infection like a cold or something. Thank you all who prayed.

Prayer Warriors, Kaidyn Needs You

Kaidyn is not having a good day. She has not been able to maintain her temperature. No matter how high they turn her isolette up she remains cold. This and other changes in her condition is leading the doctors to think she may be getting sick. She had several test run today and some xrays. Her first xray showed "bubbles" in her intestines. They are not sure if its a bad spot or stool sitting in her intestine. After another xray a different spot appeared in her intestines. We are waiting for her 6am xray to see if these spot move indicating stool or if they could be something serious. Until then she is not being fed. Pray pray pray that is just stool. They haven't said much but if its something more then it will likely lead to surgery. Please pray for Kaidyn! I'll keep the blog updated as I find out more information.

Happy New Year!!!!

Kaidyn's last picture of 2009

Happy New Year from Kaidyn and me! My God Bless you in this new year. Kaidyn has been doing good. She is up on her oxygen now that she is off her steroids but that is expected. Other than her need to still have the oxygen she has been doing good. She has been a little cold lately but we are keeping her bundled up. She is now 3lb 4.7oz, so she is consistently gaining weight which is good. Our holidays have been going good. Continue to pray for her lungs, we need her to come off the oxygen before she comes home.