Perspective

**WARNING** I started this post on June 20th, so much of this information is old but I thought it was good enough to post anyway. Those that know me also know that I have a terrible time keeping up on a journal and our blog is no exception. I have a friend whose daughter is at Primary Children's and she is good to update her Care Page everyday! Maybe I should take some tips from her :) Anyway, on to the old news.....

Malik has been so good to keep everybody informed about our growing little family, but its MY turn to tell the story now! :) We are currently in Logan to organize, regroup and do about a hundred loads of laundry. We will be headed back to SLC tomorrow and I'm getting anxious already. They have an 800 number for the hospital that is always open, so I end up calling the NICU at least four times a day. This morning at 3am I had to get up to pump and decided to check in on Jonah. They updated me on his stats and assured me that all is well.

Ok, so I wanted to back up a week (I can't really believe that its been a week already) to Jonah's actually birthday.... I was taken to L & D around 1:30am for what I assumed was more observation for my bleeding. I even brought along my reading and crochet to keep myself occupied. Two separate speculum tests confirmed that I wasn't dilating and so when I called Malik I told him not to come up just yet. I guess that it was around 6am when I started contractions but the contractions weren't in any sort of pattern or frequency so it gave the nurses little concern. However, by 8 or 9am contractions were quite painful and I was requesting drugs. I called Malik and instructed him to leave for SL in a hurry. Since the doctors would not STOP the contractions because of the PROM I was pretty certain that it had to end in a delivery eventually.

My Mom and kids were in SL at my sisters house. (kind of pit stopping on their way to Roosevelt) I called Mom and asked if she could get someone to watch the kids so she could be with me through the labor. We both tried to get Karen at work or my cousin in SL or my other friend in Murray to watch kids, but nothing was working out. So one of my worst fears happened... I had to deliver this kid all by myself!

My third speculum test still didn't indicate any dilating but the baby's heart rate was beginning to drop so they decided it was time to wheel me into the operating room for my C-section. Much of what happened next is still a little fuzzy to me. I remember having to disrobe in front of a bunch of strangers. Then the anesthesiologist tried to give me the spinal sedation but the syringe malfunctioned and it sprayed my back instead of going INTO my back. They didn't want to chance giving me too much medication so they decided to knock me completely out for the surgery. Nothing seemed to be going as planned for me.

When I woke up I was back in L & D. Apparently Karen was the first to see me and I was pretty out of it for awhile. (asking the same questions over and over) The first recollection that I have is being with both Karen and Malik in the L & D room. It was then that I learned the news that my baby didn't have gastroschesis and that she was actually a HE!!! My first reaction was anger at the doctors and techs for making me believe that my baby had a life threatening condition when in fact he didn't. And I was also admittedly disappointed that we didn't have a little girl (sorry Jonah). Then about two seconds later I repented of these evil thoughts and was SO VERY GRATEFUL for all of these unexpected gifts from God. We asked God for a miracle and we received many miracles. :)

Even though baby boy didn't have gastroschesis, he was still very little and suffering from weak lungs and heart. I learned later that they had to give him chest compressions upon delivery. He was immediately intubated with a breathing tube and started on an oscillating respirator. Soon after I was wheeled into the NICU in my hospital bed. I couldn't see very well from the prone position but it didn't take long for this little guy to fill my heart. Its strange how your life can change in an instant. This is a picture of the first time I got to see Jonah after delivery.



Since the kids were at the hospital, Zipporah and Miles were able to see the baby for a minute. We actually had to call their pediatrician in Logan to have their immunizations faxed to the NICU before they could see him. Surprisingly, Zipporah has never acted upset or disappointed not to have a baby sister.(which is helpful since there is nothing we can do about it) When Miles came into the baby's room he was full of questions about all the tubes and monitors. He was very curious about it all.

Jonah was born on a Thursday and much of that first week is a blur of various doctors and tests. He suffered from pulmonary hypertension for a while so they put him on milrinone to help correct that problem. He was also on Nitric Oxcide for a week or so to help with his lungs. He was given a head scan during that first week and there was no bleeding in the brain which is common in premature babies. Overall we have been very blessed with the health and development of our little miracle.

On June 18th Jonah "graduated" from his ossilliating ventilator to a CPAP machine. Continuous Positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a method of respiratory ventilation used primarily in the treatment of sleep apnea, but is also commonly used for critically ill patients in hospital with respiratory failure, and in newborn infants (neonates). It forces air into the lungs so that the babies don't have to work so hard to breath. Even though it is a step up from the ossillator it looks big and bulky with all the tubing. Since Jonah was also under the bilirubin lights he had to wear protective eye patches and most of his face was covered.


Along with getting the CPAP, Jonah also started his feedings of Mama's milk (in addition to his IV nutrition). Even though he receives his feedings through his GI tube that goes directly into his stomach, it is nice knowing that all of that pumping is not done in vain! I never realized what a challenge pumping would be because I have always had a baby to take care of that need for me. The nurses have informed me that the earliest that they start preemies nursing is 32 weeks but not to expect much before 34 weeks.

Jonah was taken off the CPAP after only a few days and was given a nasal canula instead. They moved the GI tube to his nose so now he doesn't have any tubes in his mouth!!! In addition to being able to see more of his cute face, it also makes it easier for him to take a pacifier and develop his sucking. He seems to really like the paci- it soothes and comforts him when agitated (like while receiving a new IV)

Once Jonah was taken off the CPAP machine we were able to hold him outside of the isolette. Each nurse is different- some allow me to hold him for longer periods of time as long as he is tolerating it but other nurses are strict about holding him only once per shift for only a half hour. He is still such a tiny little thing but each time I hold him I get more comfortable.

Mom holding baby Jonah for the first time