Olive went into surgery this morning around 11:00 am. The procedure took about 1.5 hours and everything went well. They intubated before the surgery and her feedings have been stopped since 4 am. She hasn't woken up much since the surgery because they have been giving her a little morphine to keep her comfortable. If things continue to go well, she will most likely come off the ventilator tomorrow. We will keep you posted on her progress.
Thank-you for your many prayers for her today. We spent the day with close friends and family and we are so grateful to be here surrounded by so much support.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
home with a plan for surgery in the morning.
We are home and so thankful to finally be here.
The days up until leaving were filled with packing and lots of planning to put everything together for the trip home. We said our good-byes to the other NICU parents we had become close to over the last two months and were touched by their kind words, gifts, and desire to stay in touch. Olive said good-bye to some of her fellow NICU buddies and nurses who took such good care of her.
Before leaving Bangkok four of the nurses we had grown to love from the government hospital came to meet us and say good-bye at 1:30 am and came with us to the airport at 3:00 am.
Two of our friends, Chad and Becky Dale surprised us by meeting us in Atlanta and we were able to spend about 30 minutes together before we flew to South Bend and they continued home to Seattle. We just went to Burma together a few months ago and it was so special to see them again.
This is the Thai doctor and nurse who flew us home. These were the same two who had flown to Chiang Rai to pick up Olive and take her to Bangkok for her first medical evacuation, and also cared for her while she was in the private hospital in Bangkok.
We have also been able to sleep down the hall from Olive in Ronald Mc Donald rooms which has been such a blessing.
Last night they did another CT scan on Olive and this morning we met with the neurosurgeon to discuss the results. The plan is to go ahead with the surgery tomorrow morning (Thursday) at 11:00 am. The neurosurgeon who will be placing the VP shunt is retiring on January 1st. After hearing about Olive's story from Dr. White, he agreed to place the shunt as his final surgery. We have been told he has a reputation of being meticulous with sterility and because of this has an extremely low infection rate with his surgeries. It is hard to deny that God has been working out all of these details.
The meeting this morning was a difficult one. The neurosurgeon said there is significant damage in the back of her brain, and in other areas as well. Hearing this in perfect english was harder than we expected. I wish we could stop hoping for a better prognosis, and just be able to expect the worse case scenario, but that has been impossible to do. Its so hard to imagine these things when she is just a little baby. Then the feelings of guilt return...wondering if there was something I could have done differently to prevent my pre-term labor and prevent this brain hemorrhage.
We can both look back and see God moving and working in many ways through bringing Olive into our lives so early...but it still doesn't take away the pain. Or the reality that this is no longer a dream that we will wake up from. This is real life. Life has changed dramatically, and even though we know we will get through it the fears for the future often feel much too heavy.
My biggest fear isn't how drastically this could change our lives, but rather the thought of growing old and dying before Olive...worrying who will care for her and continue to give her the love she will need.
The neurosurgeon said he cannot tell us what her prognosis will look like, but based on statistics with children like Olive, her outcome will most likely include having serious disabilities. We asked difficult questions, but many of the answers are still unknown at this stage in the journey.
Though this day has been scattered with tears and questions without answers, are hearts are feeling so much peace to be here in this NICU and close to friends and family. So thankful to have Dr. White caring for Olive and the wonderful nurses here.
More to come tomorrow...we would love your prayers for her as she goes into surgery. They said that she will go on a ventilator before the surgery and may be on it for 1-2 days until she recovers from the anesthesia. She has been doing well on only room air, so we are encouraged by that.
thank-you for all of your prayers, love and support.
The days up until leaving were filled with packing and lots of planning to put everything together for the trip home. We said our good-byes to the other NICU parents we had become close to over the last two months and were touched by their kind words, gifts, and desire to stay in touch. Olive said good-bye to some of her fellow NICU buddies and nurses who took such good care of her.
This is the Thai doctor and nurse who flew us home. These were the same two who had flown to Chiang Rai to pick up Olive and take her to Bangkok for her first medical evacuation, and also cared for her while she was in the private hospital in Bangkok.
After a fairly stressful flight, 24 hours later we arrived in South Bend and were met by family and friends. I wish I had a picture of the crowd of close friends and family that were there waiting to meet us. We were emotional messes-- so thankful to be home with such love and support around us.
Dr. White was also waiting at the airport to meet us--even on his 60th birthday. He then drove the Thai medical team to the hospital, and woke up in the wee hours of the morning to take them back to the airport...far above and beyond his job description.
The atmosphere at Memorial NICU feels very different than the last three NICUs we have been in. The biggest difference has been how much value they place on parents spending time with their babies. We are able to visit Olive and hold her 24 hours a day. The grandparents can also visit anytime without us being there and hold her. Any other friends and family can visit with us, but cannot touch or hold her.
We have also been able to sleep down the hall from Olive in Ronald Mc Donald rooms which has been such a blessing.
Last night they did another CT scan on Olive and this morning we met with the neurosurgeon to discuss the results. The plan is to go ahead with the surgery tomorrow morning (Thursday) at 11:00 am. The neurosurgeon who will be placing the VP shunt is retiring on January 1st. After hearing about Olive's story from Dr. White, he agreed to place the shunt as his final surgery. We have been told he has a reputation of being meticulous with sterility and because of this has an extremely low infection rate with his surgeries. It is hard to deny that God has been working out all of these details.
The meeting this morning was a difficult one. The neurosurgeon said there is significant damage in the back of her brain, and in other areas as well. Hearing this in perfect english was harder than we expected. I wish we could stop hoping for a better prognosis, and just be able to expect the worse case scenario, but that has been impossible to do. Its so hard to imagine these things when she is just a little baby. Then the feelings of guilt return...wondering if there was something I could have done differently to prevent my pre-term labor and prevent this brain hemorrhage.
We can both look back and see God moving and working in many ways through bringing Olive into our lives so early...but it still doesn't take away the pain. Or the reality that this is no longer a dream that we will wake up from. This is real life. Life has changed dramatically, and even though we know we will get through it the fears for the future often feel much too heavy.
My biggest fear isn't how drastically this could change our lives, but rather the thought of growing old and dying before Olive...worrying who will care for her and continue to give her the love she will need.
The neurosurgeon said he cannot tell us what her prognosis will look like, but based on statistics with children like Olive, her outcome will most likely include having serious disabilities. We asked difficult questions, but many of the answers are still unknown at this stage in the journey.
Though this day has been scattered with tears and questions without answers, are hearts are feeling so much peace to be here in this NICU and close to friends and family. So thankful to have Dr. White caring for Olive and the wonderful nurses here.
More to come tomorrow...we would love your prayers for her as she goes into surgery. They said that she will go on a ventilator before the surgery and may be on it for 1-2 days until she recovers from the anesthesia. She has been doing well on only room air, so we are encouraged by that.
thank-you for all of your prayers, love and support.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Coming home..
If all goes as planned we will be landing in South Bend on December 29th at 4:58 pm. It has been a draining day getting all the details together but we are hopeful that soon and very soon we will be home.
Please pray for Olive's safety on the way home.
Pray for her little ears as we go up and come down.
Pray for things to go well with the airline...
I have never felt so patriotic in my entire life in my love for home.
Please pray for Olive's safety on the way home.
Pray for her little ears as we go up and come down.
Pray for things to go well with the airline...
I have never felt so patriotic in my entire life in my love for home.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Feeling Gitty.
Well, looks like our own little Christmas miracle may come true. Things are in the workings and so far going smoothly for us to return home on the 29th of December! Everything just came together yesterday, but we are still sorting out details.
Looks like we will be ending up in South Bend, IN at Memorial Hospital. Dr. White, the neonatologist there, has been walking this journey with us since the beginning. Since Olive's birth he has told us to call him anytime of the day or night with questions, answered our e-mails and given us advice in our hardest of moments. He even volunteered to fly to Thailand to help us get home safely. Doesn't he sound too good to be true?
We are trying not to get our hopes up too high until we are actually on the airplane, but it's hard not too. We would be returning with one Thai doctor and one nurse on a commercial flight that will allow us to have oxygen on board.
Feeling pretty gitty this morning.
Looks like we will be ending up in South Bend, IN at Memorial Hospital. Dr. White, the neonatologist there, has been walking this journey with us since the beginning. Since Olive's birth he has told us to call him anytime of the day or night with questions, answered our e-mails and given us advice in our hardest of moments. He even volunteered to fly to Thailand to help us get home safely. Doesn't he sound too good to be true?
We are trying not to get our hopes up too high until we are actually on the airplane, but it's hard not too. We would be returning with one Thai doctor and one nurse on a commercial flight that will allow us to have oxygen on board.
Feeling pretty gitty this morning.
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