Sunday, September 9, 2012
Lets play ball!
Emma loves to play ball! She tries to hit it to make it come to me after I roll it to her... Here is a quick video! 10 months old
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
"Blood test for Down's 'could save 300 babies' lives a year'"
First of all you have to read this article so you know what I'm going to be talking about.
"Blood test for Down's 'could save 300 babies' lives a year'"
There are two lines that stand out from this article... the Title above and "It therefore has the potential to all but eradicate Down’s syndrome, which is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, and affects about 750 babies a year." First off I'm not sure how telling people to terminate their baby will "save lives". Second I'm not sure the way to "eradicate Down syndrome" is to tell people the best decision at 10-12 weeks pregnant is to terminate. It's articles like this that scare people...People think people "suffer" from Down syndrome... I look at my daughter every day and she doesn't look like she is "suffering" one bit! I keep reading these articles on how they can now provide a safer test to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities. And they keep saying how it will "help" people terminate earlier, before they feel that connection to their baby... I'm not sure about you, but I feel that connection the moment I'm told I'm pregnant! I want to see the article that says "New Test Will help you prepare and educate before baby is born" (or something like that).... As most people know I found out when I was16 weeks pregnant that out Emma had Down syndrome. Did it scare me?... yes! Why?... Mostly because I was uninformed about what Down syndrome was. I only knew what the genetic counselor told me and of course what I "thought to be true"... Once I did my own research I wasn't as scared. I say not as scared, because I'm still scared... not of Down syndrome, but of what people perceive Down syndrome to be and how they will treat my daughter because of it.
I could go on and on about this, but it will probably just sound like I'm rambling... Bottom line I think is, we need to educate people on what Down syndrome is, not tell them they are "saving thier babys life" by terminating. It is not the end of the world. Anyone can be born w/ medical complications or have trouble learning. It doesn't take an extra chromosome to make that happen (so you know there are children with Down syndrome born with NO health concerns).
I'm so glad no one convince me to "save" my daughter's life by terminating her!
"Blood test for Down's 'could save 300 babies' lives a year'"
There are two lines that stand out from this article... the Title above and "It therefore has the potential to all but eradicate Down’s syndrome, which is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, and affects about 750 babies a year." First off I'm not sure how telling people to terminate their baby will "save lives". Second I'm not sure the way to "eradicate Down syndrome" is to tell people the best decision at 10-12 weeks pregnant is to terminate. It's articles like this that scare people...People think people "suffer" from Down syndrome... I look at my daughter every day and she doesn't look like she is "suffering" one bit! I keep reading these articles on how they can now provide a safer test to diagnose chromosomal abnormalities. And they keep saying how it will "help" people terminate earlier, before they feel that connection to their baby... I'm not sure about you, but I feel that connection the moment I'm told I'm pregnant! I want to see the article that says "New Test Will help you prepare and educate before baby is born" (or something like that).... As most people know I found out when I was16 weeks pregnant that out Emma had Down syndrome. Did it scare me?... yes! Why?... Mostly because I was uninformed about what Down syndrome was. I only knew what the genetic counselor told me and of course what I "thought to be true"... Once I did my own research I wasn't as scared. I say not as scared, because I'm still scared... not of Down syndrome, but of what people perceive Down syndrome to be and how they will treat my daughter because of it.
I could go on and on about this, but it will probably just sound like I'm rambling... Bottom line I think is, we need to educate people on what Down syndrome is, not tell them they are "saving thier babys life" by terminating. It is not the end of the world. Anyone can be born w/ medical complications or have trouble learning. It doesn't take an extra chromosome to make that happen (so you know there are children with Down syndrome born with NO health concerns).
I'm so glad no one convince me to "save" my daughter's life by terminating her!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Swinging...
We went to the park today. Emma got to try out the swings for the first time... I think she enjoyed it :) What do you think?
Her Big Brother Andrew loved pushing her :)
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Emma's Crawling July 19th 2012
Emma is amazing a surprising us everyday. We were told she would be late in doing most things, but she is proving everyone wrong... here she is crawling at 8 1/2 months old!
Emma's Heart Surgery
Emma had Open Heart Surgery to repair a VSD on March 14th, 2012. Here are some pics to tell the journey we had. She was in the hospital for 3 1/2 days. We were amazed at how quickly she was able to come home and how well she did once we were home.
Here are my post from Face Book on the days she was in... I updated there more frequently then the Caring Bridge Site...
Day 1 Surgery Day 3.14.12
Well I hardly slept at all...imagine that...1/2 hour til we have to be over there...hopefully they get her right in...she's going to be a hungry baby soon and I can't feed her...ugh...
Waiting in pre-op...luckily miss Emma is sleeping...about 20 minutes for anesthesiology to come get her :(
Wow, that was one of the hardest things I will ever have to do! She was still sleeping when I handed her off...Omg...my poor baby!
She is through most of the surgery...she's off the bypass machine...her heart is back to beating on its own...Dr is "watching" it right now...should be an hour to hour and a half til we get to see her as long as everything goes well w/ the "watching"
We should see her in a half hour!
She's out and heading to the PICU! She did great!
Emma is on her way to waking up...next they will remove the breathing tube!
They're removing the breathing tube!
Emma's doing great! All her numbers are just right...she's on a little morphine for the pain!
Day 2 3.15.12
Emma is not happy this morning! She's on tylenol and morphine for pain, but she's hungry! Some of her blood levels need to change before they'll let her eat! Hopefully by this afternoon!
Emma will be able to have a little pedialite to start off w/ then they will move to breast milk in a bottle...hopefully she'll take a bottle...we all know how stubborn she is...I still can't hold her because of the central line in her groin area...they're saying tomorrow for that...one thing at a time!
Emma did great today! Tomorrow we hope for her to be off 2 of the meed shes on and then they can take the line out of her groin, then I can hold her! The drain and catheter might come out too! She was pulling to try and sit up today when Tim and I were holding her hands! She such a strong little girl! I'm really amazed! The cut in her chest is already healing..shes on tylenol every 4 hours...she only had morphine twice today! I'll update more in the morning!
Day 3 3.16.12
Emma's being a stinker and not drinking a lot from the bottles (go figure) but I will be able to nurse her at some point today! Pray she does well w/ nursing or they will put in a feeding tube :(
Guess who I'm holding! And nursing! One happy momma here!
So today all summed up...Emma had the drainage tube, pacer wires, main line in her leg, chest drain and catheter all removed today! She is down to 1 med coming in through the main iv in her neck. She is on blood pressure meds orally and is getting her lasix every 12 hours...I'M ABLE TO HOLD HER AND NURSE HER! Doc said she MAY go home this weekend!
Day 4 Going Home Day 3.17.12
Went to the Ronald McDonald House for a 4 hour nap! Walked back to the hospital...FYI ... That takes around 8 minutes...
Looks like we're breaking out later today or tomorrow morning!
Going home! Going home! 3 1/2 days post-op! Woo Hop!
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| In the waiting room before surgery |
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| In the pre-op room |
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| In her pre-op gear |
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| Getting snuggles from momma before they took her back |
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| Immediatly after surgery |
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| Her Hello Kitty Hat from the surgeon |
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| After they removed the breathing tube, she got moisturized air in this tent |
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| All the meds she was receiving |
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| Day 2...they removed the tent |
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| Day 2 post op |
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| First taste of food 2 days post op |
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| Full belly |
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| love daddy! |
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| Got to hold her and nurse her! |
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| just what the dr. ordered |
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| Going home day! 3 1/2 days post op! |
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| Car ride home |
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| Home Sweet Home |
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| 4 days post op |
It was a scary and crazy experience. Not one I'd wish on anyone.Here is a link to my Caring Bridge Journal to see what I was feeling those days ! I'm just glad Emma's heart is fixed!
Here are my post from Face Book on the days she was in... I updated there more frequently then the Caring Bridge Site...
Day 1 Surgery Day 3.14.12
Well I hardly slept at all...imagine that...1/2 hour til we have to be over there...hopefully they get her right in...she's going to be a hungry baby soon and I can't feed her...ugh...
Waiting in pre-op...luckily miss Emma is sleeping...about 20 minutes for anesthesiology to come get her :(
Wow, that was one of the hardest things I will ever have to do! She was still sleeping when I handed her off...Omg...my poor baby!
She is through most of the surgery...she's off the bypass machine...her heart is back to beating on its own...Dr is "watching" it right now...should be an hour to hour and a half til we get to see her as long as everything goes well w/ the "watching"
We should see her in a half hour!
She's out and heading to the PICU! She did great!
Emma is on her way to waking up...next they will remove the breathing tube!
They're removing the breathing tube!
Emma's doing great! All her numbers are just right...she's on a little morphine for the pain!
Day 2 3.15.12
Emma is not happy this morning! She's on tylenol and morphine for pain, but she's hungry! Some of her blood levels need to change before they'll let her eat! Hopefully by this afternoon!
Emma will be able to have a little pedialite to start off w/ then they will move to breast milk in a bottle...hopefully she'll take a bottle...we all know how stubborn she is...I still can't hold her because of the central line in her groin area...they're saying tomorrow for that...one thing at a time!
Emma did great today! Tomorrow we hope for her to be off 2 of the meed shes on and then they can take the line out of her groin, then I can hold her! The drain and catheter might come out too! She was pulling to try and sit up today when Tim and I were holding her hands! She such a strong little girl! I'm really amazed! The cut in her chest is already healing..shes on tylenol every 4 hours...she only had morphine twice today! I'll update more in the morning!
Day 3 3.16.12
Emma's being a stinker and not drinking a lot from the bottles (go figure) but I will be able to nurse her at some point today! Pray she does well w/ nursing or they will put in a feeding tube :(
Guess who I'm holding! And nursing! One happy momma here!
So today all summed up...Emma had the drainage tube, pacer wires, main line in her leg, chest drain and catheter all removed today! She is down to 1 med coming in through the main iv in her neck. She is on blood pressure meds orally and is getting her lasix every 12 hours...I'M ABLE TO HOLD HER AND NURSE HER! Doc said she MAY go home this weekend!
Day 4 Going Home Day 3.17.12
Went to the Ronald McDonald House for a 4 hour nap! Walked back to the hospital...FYI ... That takes around 8 minutes...
Looks like we're breaking out later today or tomorrow morning!
Going home! Going home! 3 1/2 days post-op! Woo Hop!
A Peak at Emma
I realize I haven't added any photos of Emma since she was born. This will be a photo bomb of pictures from birth til now... she is almost 9 months old now. She is sitting up on her own and just started crawling at 8 1/2 months old. She will stand when put in position and will walk while holding hands.
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