Jillian Update with Picture!

Good morning!

Thanks so much for your prayers - as they have been answered thus far! My apologies for not providing an update sooner, but we have been very busy. I pray everyone had a restful night sleep and is waking up to this joyous news on Sunday. I have added additional details below.

Jillian was born at 1:23p on Saturday, January 10, 2009.

She was 2 lb 4.5 oz and 14.5 inches long. This weight was just over the 1 kilogram mark allowing her to stay at this hospital and not be transferred - praise God! She cried a bit at birth which was great. She was able to breath on her own initially, but the gas exchange was not working as well as it should. She was put on a ventilator which regulated her breathing at about 35 breaths per minute. She was given surfactant to help with respiration. She stabilized quickly and has been doing wonderfully.

At 9:00p they administered a dose of caffeine to promote breathing on her own. She started breathing on her own at about 9:30p and everything still looks great. She is of course very delicate, but is being watched carefully and appropriate adjustments are made when necessary. She will most likely be taken off the vent tomorrow morning.

I have gotten to spend quite a bit of time with Jillian reading to her and talking to her. I have gotten to rest my hand upon her beautiful little body and sing to her.

Jen is amazing - and is doing wonderfully. Thanks to everyone for your continued prayers and support. Jen would like everyone to pray that Jillian continues to do well: strong lungs, contentment / peace, no dips, miraculous progress, and divine health. She would also like prayer for herself: swelling to go down (they pumped her full of fluids before the surgery, the incision to heal quickly, and that she is able to sleep soundly.

I went to bed this morning at about 2am after spending about 5 hours with Jillian in the NICU. I get to see her at 8:00a sharp. I’m learning all the names of the women in the nursing staff. They have to get their books out to answer some of my questions – for those that know me well I’m sure you can imagine that I’m asking a plethora of questions. I will post technical updates at periodically that covers some exact details of Jillian’s progress. I’m sure by the time this is over they’ll be handing me her charts and providing me with a status report as if I was a doctor. Hehe.

My love to everyone!

God bless,

James