Welcome!

Welcome to our blog!  We are overwhelmed with the number of emails, phone calls, and texts regarding Lily that we cannot keep up.  We decided a blog would be a great place for all of our family and friends to follow Lily's progress in the NICU.  We anticpate being able to bring her home mid-April.

Lily was born on March 11 six weeks premature.  She was 4lbs, 17 inches and surprised all of us.  After a week in and out of the hospital thinking I had horrible heartburn, I was diagnosed with HELLP Syndrome complicated by severe preeclampsia, a condition which effects 5-10% of pregnant women.  I was given medication twice to stop contractions followed by steriod boosters to help Lily's lung development.  I was also placed on a magnesium drip to help reduce the risk of seizures.  My platelet and liver levels were falling and rising in the wrong directions and it was determined that the only cure was to deliver as soon as possible.  Since my platelet levels were so low, a c-section and epidural were considered too risky.  If a c-section was to be absolutely necssary, it would have been done under general anethestic and would have required blood transfusions.  Mike would not have been allowed to be with me.  My OB was hopeful I would be able to deliver naturally.  I was induced around 11pm on March 10, had my water broken around 10am on March 11, and Lily arrived at 3:37pm (in time for Daddy to watch the tip off of the MSU game). 

After all of the worry regarding Lily's underdeveloped lungs, she came out screaming and did not require a ventilator.  The overall effect of my various IV medications also seemed to not have as much of an effect as expected.  Mike and both sets of grandparents were able to visit with her in the NICU shortly after delivery.  Since I was still considered at risk for seizures, I was unable to see Lily until March 12 in the evening.  By 3:30pm, my IVs and monitors were turned off and Mike was able to wheel me down to meet her.  Unfortunately, Mike woke up with a terrible cold and wasn't able to come with me. 

My blood levels and liver levels returned to normal much quicker than expected and I was released from the hospital on March 13th, the same day that Lily first took a bottle.  On March 14th, Lily's feeding IV was removed and I was able to breastfeed her for the first time - a step they told me would not be likely for another week or so.  Mike had also recovered enough to be allowed back in the NICU and was able to hold her for the first time. 

When I arrived at the NICU this morning to see Lily, she had been removed from her incubator since she was keeping her temperature up on her own.  In addition, her bilirubin levels (jaundice levels) have started regulating and are going in the right direction.  She has also increased her milk intake from 30 ML to 38 ML which is a pretty large jump since she started her IV at 9ML.  This evening, Mike and I were shown how to give her a bath.  Today was great progress!

First time holding Lily

Big Girl Bed!