Sending Spring

I don't know about you, but around these parts (Songtan, South Korea) I am getting good and ready for SPRING!  We are longing for days to run outside {unbundled} and enjoy the parks, trails and our rooftop. We miss taking walks and enjoying the sunshine. 

 

In the midst of longing for warmer days....

 

 

 

Sending some spring your way.

 

 

 



Our little "Miracle Baby"

Evelyn Grace turned 1 month old this week (I can't wait to post pics soon of her beautiful baby shower that several good friends threw to celebrate her life)!  We are overwhelmed with gratitude as we snuggle, kiss, hold or see her little chest moving up and down. 

1 Month old!

We have had several  follow up doctor appointments since leaving the hospital and so far, she continues to amaze the doctors and seems to be healthy and doing well.  We praise God.

Her chest xrays keep coming back clear, her breathing is strong, her heart is good, her blood work is normal.  She tested negative on all the genetic testing we got back, outruling any genetic or chromosomal abnormalities as being the "cause" of the Hydrops. She tested negative for GBS and negative for any viruses.  It doesn't appear at this time that she has any long term condition or effects from this condition.  We will continue to monitor her at home and she will go in for monthly follow up doctor visits in the upcoming months to continue to check her and monitoring her.  We won't know until she begins to develop if there are any ramifications from the lack of oxygen or treatment of the Hydrops but the doctor doesn't seem to think that will be an issue (although he says we should watch for signs of it) and she gives no indications at the moment of anything.  She continues to struggle with nursing, some days being better and then other days being worse again.  She is growing though (and is fitting her newborn clothes a littel better!) so that is great news and we continue patiently (or sometimes not so patiently) plugging away at it.  Thank you to those praying for this specifically, please continue!

We are adjusting well to being a family of 4....Caleb ignores her for the most part, worries about her if she cries, asks about her whereabouts if he doesn't see her in my arms, wants her to sleep in his bed and be his teddy bear, and several times a day will run over to us and shower her with kisses and "I love you Baby Sister!!!"  He doesn't seem to be very jealous or affected by the change.  His life of imagination and energy just keeps on going!  I'm continuing to heal from surgery and find a ryhthm of life and ministry with two kiddos.  I'm enjoying this newborn stage much  more the second time around, and soaking it up knowing it doesn't last very long!  She is an excellent sleeper (unlike her brother!) and sleeps through the night most nights, takes long 3 hour naps throughout the day and seems generally content for the most part.  She has started to "wake up" a little more now that she is "full term" and we've heard some sweet little cries that are just way too precious and enjoy seeing her eyes during her quiet alert state.  We are totally in love and so happy to be home, as a family, all together.  Thank you again for your many many prayers and continued prayers and love through this time.  We feel very blessed.

My Arms Are Full!

I have to apologize for my lack of posts and updates but really I'm not apologizing at all.  The reason for my week-long absence is that EVELYN GRACE CAME HOME!!  As in, to our house and we get to keep her for always. I'm so happy.

It all came about very suddenly. She had been moved to the "normal nursery" and her doctors told us they were talking about when to release her but nothing had been determined and they were continuing to observe her. I "happened" to call the nursery Thursday morning (she's been home for one week today!!) and they said "oh, she discharge-y (that's Konglish for discharge) today, now!"  I couldn't believe what I was hearing!  Caleb started running around jumping up and down and chanting "Baby sister's coming home - yay yay yay!" and I called Steve at work to tell him we needed to leave and pick up our baby girl!  We scrambled around gathering clothes, carseat, etc and had to run to the bank to wire transfer money to pay her bill (in Korea they don't offer payment plans, you have to pay your entire bill before you leave. Thankfully, Korean National Insurance covers NICU stays fairly well....the actual birth was not covered much but her stay in the NICU was well covered) and we got up there as fast as we possibly could!

 

We met with one of Evelyn Grace's doctors (Dr. Choi) and he reveiwed her case with us and told us what to watch for at home and how to care for her holes on the side of her chest where her tubes were while they heal.  In the end, our case is one like many other Hydrops cases - despite extensive testing they were unable to find a "cause" for the Hydrops but it appears to have self-healed and now that she is breathing, her lungs matured and her fluid has been drained, she seems like a healthy preemie.  Although we can expect her to be slightly delayed developmentally for the first yea or so due to being early and spending time in NICU, at this time they can't detect any long term issues as a result of the Hydrops.  They will continue to monitor her but for now, things look really really good. Praise the Lord!  We are so thankful to Him and also to the doctors and nurses who cared for her at Asan Medical Center.

 

 

When I unzipped Baby Girl's carseat, I found this fun surprise: Steve and Caleb bought us girls a matching mommy and baby girl bunny set - one for me and one for her (her special "lovie").  It was a really fun little surprise :)  Thanks, Guys!

 

 

 

Bustin' her outta there!!!! Oh happy day!!

 

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I have hardly let her out of my arms since we arrived home and have been soaking up every second with her - even now I'm typing with her sweet little self snuggled up with me.  Poor Steve hardly gets to hold her!  Steve recently blogged about getting back to "life as usual."

 

We had a follow up visit with her doctor on Monday - 4 hours spent in the hospital doing blood draws, xrays and meeting with him to review everything and then waiting for a copy of her records to be made etc.  Her blood work again came back looking really good, her infection level is way down and back to normal range.  Her breathing checked out well, her chest sounded clear, her holes are healing up nicely and not infected, her chest xrays were too blurry so we'll redo them again next week.  Her weight is very low and she isn't gaining very well (or having the level of output he would like to see) so prayers for her eating to improve and weight to begin going up would be great.  Also, continued prayer for full recovery and no relapse.  So far things seem to look really really good.

 

She struggles a lot to eat.  Nursing is very, very hard for her (and me!). Her sucking reflex seems to be very weak, as is her latch and she has trouble swollowing (both when she nurses and with the bottle). She is also very, very sleepy and has trouble staying awake at all to eat. We try stripping her down, tickling her, using a wet wash cloth etc and she sleeps, sleeps, sleeps.  Baby Girl, you need to EAT!!!

 

In the meantime, we are eating up and savoring every minute with her - so thankful and humbled to have her with us, to have her alive and to have her as part of our family.  As I watch her chest move up and down (which I do A LOT - my new favorite past time), I can't help but be filled with awe and thanksgiving  - knowing Who sustains each one and thankful for every. single. breath.

 

 

 

Caleb meets Evelyn Grace!

Evelyn Grace spent a few days in the "normal nursery" after her stay in the NICU. They wanted her to remain in the hospital for observation but they needed her bed in the NICU for sicker babies AND they wanted to "transition her" before sending her home.  This meant we were able to see her 4 hours a day instead of 2 (SO FRUSTRATING!!!), I was allowed to try to nurse her (during visiting hours) and best of all, it meant Caleb got to meet her for the first time.

 

 

By now, Caleb had heard us talk about "baby sister" for weeks.  He knew she wasn't in my tummy anymore and that she was sick so she had to stay in a special bed so the doctors could help her get better.  He drove up with us countless times so we could visit but he wasn't old enough to go into the NICU which meant he sat outside in the hallway while we went to visit her (good thing his Opa bought him a Leapster for Christmas! Definitely came in very handy!). 

 

Over the days and weeks he became increasingly frustrated that he couldn't go in and visit her and that she wasn't coming home with us.  He began begging to see her, asking more and more questions and even tried demanding that she "come home right now."  He just didn't undersand it all.  Well, needless to say, the day we told him he was able to meet "baby sister" was a very happy day indeed.  For us, and for him too. I'm not sure who was more excited.  This was such a sweet moment for our family, to all be together FINALLY.  Not something I will ever forget.

 

The pictures capture it beautifully.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Better and Better!

We are feeling weary so just a brief update but had to share our exciting news - it seems every day just gets better and better!

The NICU needed room and Evelyn Grace was the most stable baby there so she was moved this morning to the regular nursery (!!!) They are continuing to monitor her for the next few days to see how she does.  So far, so good - Praise the Lord! 

I was able to try nursing her today (it went "okay" for being seperated over 2 weeks- we'll have a steep learning curve) and I enjoyed every minute of snuggling!  We thought the regular nursery would have more flexible visiting hours but were disappointed to find we are only allowed to see her from 12-2pm and 6-8pm (at least there is no more leaving the house at 3:40am to make the 5-5:30am visit time!).

The best part of the day was that CALEB GOT TO MEET HIS SISTER FOR THE FIRST TIME!!  He LOVED it and had the biggest grin ever.  He was all over talking to her, touching her, kissing her, holding her, blessing her....it was one of the sweetest things I've ever seen.  Until it came time to leave and he was really, really uspet that "baby sister needs to come WITH us."  We couldn't agree more.  When we were finally driving away (with him all upset that she wasn't with us), he finally said "WAIT, we need to go back! I forgot one little detail."  What's that, Bud?  Caleb: "I forgot to tell the nurse not to let her cry!"  

We are overjoyed and humbled by the speedy recovery our little Evelyn Grace has been making.  We are overwhelmed and filled with gratitude for all your many prayers on her behalf - the Lord has been answering and Evelyn Grace is our true little miracle baby.  All babies are miracles (and after this experience we even more so realize what a true miracle a healthy birth and baby is!) but Evelyn Grace's healing and speedy recovery from what is a very serious (and often fatal) condition is a miracle and we praise the Lord for His gift of life to our baby girl.  We continue to pray for complete recovery and no relapse or build up of fluid in the lungs over the next days, weeks and months (something that can happen and put her back in the  NICU) and we continue to lean heavily on the Lord to keep her safe and sustain her going forward.  We aren't *quite* out of the woods hospital yet but we are seeing what seems to be the light at the end of the tunnel and anticipating having our daughter home and in our arms (where she belongs!) soon.

Please continue to pray for complete healing and a clean bill of health, for no return of fluid or complications, for no breathing complications, for healing and no infection of the holes where her chest tubes were, for peace for us me when we bring her home (I'm really worried about something happening to her or a complication coming up and us not noticing it), and for the transition home (as she learns to be loved on, to be held and touched, to be nursed and as we learn to balance life as a family of 4 and heal from this whole experience).  Thank you again for upholding us in prayer - we are so thankful for your outpouring on our behalf and also for the outpouring of love and care we have received (your notes, emails, cards, care packages, gifts of money to help pay for medical bills and travel, checking in on us, offerring resources, meals, cleaning, groceries etc).  We feel very blessed by you. Thank you really doesn't say enough.

Day 14

Happy 2 weeks of life Evelyn Grace!

 

In 2 weeks you have made some huge accomplishments, most notably:

 

~ Breathing on your own

~ Peeing and Pooping on your own

~ Eating without a feeding tube, mama's milk from a bottle

~ No longer needing oxygen

~ Successfully coming out of your sedation

~ losing almost half your birth weight (just over 9lbs at birth, just above 5.5 lbs now)

~ No more fluid draining from your chest

~ DOCTORS REMOVED YOUR CHEST TUBES COMPLETELY!!!

~ You were moved from the "intense" NICU room to the "more stable" NICU room

~ You are only being monitored at this point, you are not receiving any help!

 

 

And my personal favorite:

 

 

 

~ Doing well enough that mommy got to hold you today for the first time ever!!

 

 

 

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The doctors have started talking about a timeline for sending Evelyn Grace home...one of them wants to send her home soon and the other wants to keep her a little longer for observation.  I'm torn because we would LOVE to have her home but I'm also quite frankly TERRIFIED to bring her home!  It is hard because they have never been able to give us what exactly was wrong with her - they just know that the fluid has stopped and she seems stable....it seems hard to know if she is "healed" if we don't know what was wrong in the first place but it seems that might be how it goes with Hydrops cases - even many autopsies come back inconclusive.  Our prayer requests at this point would be continued wisdom for the doctors, the fluid to stay away, continued health for Evelyn Grace and peace for us when the time comes to bring her home.  We need to continue toremember and trust that the Lord will care for her and has a plan for her; that He has numbered her days and He will watch over them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blessed.