Jillian going home

Month Eight - Doing Great!

2009-10-14T14:36:00.001-07:00

Month 7 Here We Come

2009-10-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

More Pics - Getting Bigger - Sixth Month

2009-10-14T12:55:00.000-07:00

How Long Has It Been? Whoops!

2009-10-09T22:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it has been awhile since I posted some pictures. :) We left off at 4 months. Here she is at about 5 months.

Jillian is doing well. She is a thriving nine month old today! Thus far, we have avoided all sickness. Yay! We are planning to hibernate a bit this winter as soon as the Nutcracker is over to avoid bringing anything home to her.

Finally in her own home...

2009-05-10T17:15:00.000-07:00

She's about three and a half months old here.

And Still More Pictures....

2009-05-10T16:47:00.001-07:00

As the First Month Went By...

2009-05-10T16:27:00.001-07:00

Just Before We Left...

2009-05-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

I'll try to get these in chronological order. :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Hey friends and family!!!!

It's Jennifer here. We are all doing really well. Jillian is FOUR months old today!!!! What a sweet Mother's Day present for me. :) Her first month and a half out of the NICU have been pretty intense, but I feel like we are just about out of the woods. We were fortunate enough to be able to stay with my parents for the first month of her life while James and many of our friends worked to make our home safer for Jillian's lungs. I don't think I would have made it without Mom and Dad's help. When I was tired, Jillian could sleep on her Pop bed or her Grandma's shoulder. :)

As of today, Jillian's only trouble is GER, gastroesophageal reflux. It is no fun to eat a full meal only to lose it all due to reflux. She is being treated, and it helps a lot. Hopefully, she will outgrow it by the time she is one year old.

She is gaining weight beautifully. We'll have an official weight on the 18th, but with our own scale, she is around 9 pounds! That is about a 6.5 pound gain from birth. Yay, Jillian!

I thought our many friends and family members would like some updated pictures. :) Here are a few for your enjoyment!

Three Months

Four Months

Jillian Leaves the Hospital !!

2009-03-14T16:51:00.001-07:00

Jillian left the hosptial Friday afternoon and took her first car ride at 3:33pm. Jennifer and Jillian will spend about a week at Jennifer's parents to give them a period of time to adjust before she comes home.

We're doing this so we can prolong the blog just that much longer!! Hehe.

Jillian's first night was a little rough as she is having some reflux problems. We're making some adjustments that seem to be helping. She is nursing wonderfully! Praise God! She also takes her bottle supplements that have her vitamins and iron. Once she took over 60 mL (that's about 2 oz) of Mommy's milk from the bottle! She's eating like a horse! God is faithful and so good to us.

Thanks to those who gave coming home gifts! Jennifer is beginning to write thank-you notes for all of the gifts we have received thus far. We are beyond blessed with friends and family who love us so much.

I promise to get the camera back from Jennifer and post some "Leaving the Hospital" pictures.

We love you all!

James & Family

2009-03-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

We're not quite home yet. Jillian may have gotten to go home today, but she lost a tiny bit of weight. We're praying for a big weight gain tomorrow so we can head home.

Here is the first shot of the entire family together. Thank you for your prayers and support!

God bless!

James, Jennifer, James, Jocelyn, Jillian

Family Reunited for the First Time!

2009-03-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

"Children, Daddy has something to tell you," I had just gotten off of the phone with Jillian's doctor who said it would be okay for the children to visit their sister for the first time in the hospital with Mommy. "You have to take showers and get fresh new clothes on before we leave." Out of the kitchen they flew to make preparations to see their baby sister for the first time.

They both took turns sitting on the bed with Mommy and then got to hold their sister for the first time. This has been such an exhausting trial, but God has been faithful to help us through this process. It won't be much longer now!

I can't let a day go by without expressing our sincere appreciation for the gifts and prayer that we have received from our friends and family. We even have whole churches in other states praying, which is very humbling. I pray that we too can support the body of Christ when we find someone in distress. There have been many tragic and trying events which have happened to families this year. My prayer is that our Father would comfort you and hold you in His arms if you are experiencing a difficult situation. We have been so blessed despite all that has gone on lately. I know that our final destination is an eternity with Jesus in heaven and it gives me more resolve to run a good race. We have been far from perfect during this trial, which is all the more reason that we are thankful that our Father is our advocate and strength.

God bless you all. Pictures of our departure are coming soon!

All Systems Go!

2009-03-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

Jillian is now eating on her own and has passed all the requirements necessary to go home!

She has been taken off all monitors and is now rooming in with Mommy. Daddy comes to visit in the evenings after home schooling the children and working on preparations for Jillian's homecoming. Nani is staying with the children and helping with the remodeling, evening activities, and overnight stays when Dad is away. In light of all of the new developments in our lives we will be staying in our home a bit longer until life settles down a bit.

Jillian passed her car seat test with flying colors, is nursing and taking a bottle on her own, has not lost any weight over the last couple of days since rooming in, and has not had any medical issues. I would not be suprised if we were released tomorrow, March 12, 2009!

We're Getting Closer ...

2009-03-09T02:06:00.000-07:00

We're beginning to make a bit of progress! It is still difficult to tell when Jillian will be coming home, but we have just started a "trial" by which Jillian is taking her feedings by mouth (PO) only.

I would like to say triumphantly that the tube has been removed, but this is more of an experiment to see how she'll do without the tube feedings. We started this experiment on Sunday, March 8th (yesterday). We're praying that Jillian's doctor will allow us to go home and work on this on our own.

I do have some really exciting news! She has successfully nursed about 3 times for over 20 minutes each time! Successful nursing is AWESOME news and is very encouraging. So far Jillian has only done this when she is wide awake, but we're praying that these increase in frequency. The picture I provided is indicative of Jillian's sleepy disposition, even when she's eating.

Jennifer and I stayed in the hospital overnight and attempted to nurse and bottle feed Jillian. The order is to now feed her whatever she wants whenever she wants it. The first night was a little rough as this is a rather sudden change for her. Please pray that she acclimates quickly to the new exclusive PO feedings and we have favor with the doctors to go home.

I'll try to update the blog daily in light of this new development. I have been focusing on our family and preparing our home for Jillian's return. Jennifer and Jillian will most likely spend the first week out of the hospital with her parents and then transition to our home.

We're getting closer! We are so blessed to have so many of you that are faithfully praying. Pray that Jillian becomes a more awake eater and that we are released soon.

God bless you all!

James

Prayer Needed To Come Home

2009-02-24T07:03:00.000-08:00

Prayer Request: Jillian needs to take her feedings by mouth instead of by the nasogastric tube.

As promised in my previous post Jillian is essentially one step away from coming home. She is doing wonderfully well and God will see us through this final step. As I have said many times before, I believe that the hundreds of people (perhaps more) who are praying for Jillian have been the reason that this stay at the NICU has gone so well. Jillian has had no developmental problems and has not had to undergo any invasive procedures with the exception of an IV in her ankle, IVs in her bellybutton artery/veins, and her PICC line. God is faithful to hear and answer our prayers!

Our final hurdle is the feeding issue. We have been told that this particular issue can sometimes be the most difficult of all to overcome. The hospital staff says that sometimes a light will just go off and Jillian will take off eating on her own. We started bottle feedings about 2 weeks ago and she was able to take whole bottles (about 1 ounce) by herself. After the eye examiniation these successful attempts decreased. Jennifer felt that we were pushing too much and the hospital staff agreed so we backed off a bit only allowing her to take what she wanted when she is able to. She can still take a full feeding by bottle, but only once or twice a day.

Jennifer travels to the NICU at least twice a day and attempts to breast feed. Jillian is latching on, but doesn't suckle much. When I go to the NICU I will attempt to bottle feed her, but lately she has not seemed too receptive. If Jillian began breast feeding properly then Jennifer could room in at the hostpital and feed her exclusively and she would most likely come home in a couple of days thereafter. That is our prayer.

Please pray that Jillian is able to stay awake, begin breastfeeding, bottle feed if necessary, and come home soon.

Many of our friends and family have been sending gifts of clothing, money, and prayer. We are keeping a list of these items and will send an individual thank you out to each of you who have given. I pray that God blesses your gift and returns it back to you many times over. We are blessed beyond measure to have so many friends and family standing with us during this time. It has strengthened my resolve to offer help to others whenever they are in need. This has been a very humbling experience and I am grateful for God's blessings through each of you.

Praise God for His faithfulness and goodness.

Week 5 - Criteria Update

2009-02-24T06:27:00.000-08:00

Jillian has now completed criteria 1 and 2 with flying colors. See below for the original list.

About a week ago she underwent a retina check which is a very stressful procedure. Her eyes were just fine, retina is great, optic nerve is developed properly, etc. Unfortunately, the procedure was a bit traumatic to her body. She began to have a few "events" in which her heart rate would slow down and her oxygen level would drop, but she would recover on her own. It is normal for preemies to have these events and they generally happen during feeding times. Jillian would sometimes have an event during her first weeks of life after birth when Mommy or Daddy would hold her and she would be so peaceful and content that she would "forget" to breathe.

Criteria number 4 and 5 should be taken care of very easily. In my next post I will address the most important criteria which is Jillian taking everything by mouth.

List of exit criteria:

1. She must weight over 1800 grams (1.8 Kilograms / about 4 Pounds).
2. She must maintain her own body temperature in an open crib (bundled up of course).
3. Take all fluids by mouth. That means her food and supplemental vitamins with iron (if needed).
4. Have no events with her heart rate or her breathing.
5. Be able to ride in a car seat without having trouble breathing or with her heart rate.
If you recall, I predicted that Jillian would get to come home by March 1st. It looks like she may be home a little before Day 40 which would be February 19th. My new prediction is that Jillian will be home sometime between February 21st and 23rd. That's less than two weeks away!!!

Jillian is Over 2 Kilograms - Almost 5 Pounds!

2009-02-24T06:21:00.000-08:00

2009-02-12T14:35:00.000-08:00

Jillian wearing Mommy's "Apple Hat"
Jillian Sleeping Only Moments Later - Surprise

Jillian Going Home Criteria

2009-02-12T14:17:00.000-08:00

Here is the list of things that must take place before Jillian can come home. We're getting close!

1. She must weight over 1800 grams (1.8 Kilograms / about 4 Pounds).

2. She must maintain her own body temperature in an open crib (bundled up of course).

3. Take all fluids by mouth. That means her food and supplemental vitamins with iron (if needed).

4. Have no events with her heart rate or her breathing.

5. Be able to ride in a car seat without having trouble breathing or with her heart rate.

If you recall, I predicted that Jillian would get to come home by March 1st. It looks like she may be home a little before Day 40 which would be February 19th. My new prediction is that Jillian will be home sometime between February 21st and 23rd. That's less than two weeks away!!!

Thank you for your continued prayers! We're blessed!

Jillian Week 4 Update

2009-02-12T13:07:00.000-08:00

A lot of things have happened over the last week so let's get to it!

1. Jillian is off of caffine. The caffine was necessary to make sure her heart rate didn't fall too low causing a defibrillation event.

2. She is no longer on reglin. Reglin was necessary to make sure her digestive tract was moving things along.

3. She will be moving out of an isolete into a crib to see how she does maintaining her own temperature.

4. She is still taking epogen which is used to encourage her bone marrow to produce its own red blood cells. She should be taken off of this as soon as her blood levels look good.

5. She is taking about 31 mL of breast milk 8 times a day. That is a little over 8 ounces a day.

6. She weighs about 3 pounds 10.4 ounces.

Jillian is Almost 4 Pounds!

2009-02-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

One of the criteria for Jillian heading home is she must weigh over 1800 grams, which is a little over 4 pounds. She should get there by about day 37 or 38, which is in just 4 or 5 days from now.

Jillian is Three Weeks Old

2009-02-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

Jillian is three weeks old and word has it that Mr. James is in big trouble for not keeping the blog up-to-date.

Jillian's updates:

1. Jillian is now 2 pounds 14.6 ounces!

2. She is fed about 200 mL per day of Mommy's milk! That is about 13 fluid ounces.

3. She is now 15.5 inches which is a little over an inch taller than she was at birth.

4. She is beginning to nurse with Mommy all by herself! We will meet with the speech pathologist Monday morning to show her how well Jillian is doing!

5. She has perfect health and is doing wonderfully. Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. God is truly watching over her every second of every day. We're blessed beyond measure and will never forget the friends and family who blanketed her in prayer. I know that everyone was anxious to help us, but your continued prayers have been the biggest blessing that we could have ever had.

Jillian is doing extremely well. It is obvious to the staff that she is more than a miracle.

Jennifer's Updates:

1. Jennifer made the transition home on Thursday my Dad served a three day tour with me and the kids. It was tougher for her than she thought. I had spent most of my time at the NICU, tutoring, and with Jennifer while she stayed at her parents house. Before this whole ordeal began our house was in serious disarray as we were reorganizing in preparation for Jillian in March. So neither of us have been at home for over 3 weeks. As much as Jennifer wanted to come home and pick up where she left off, she really wasn't able to.

2. Her blood pressure is now a bit more under control. She is still considered pre-hypertensive, but is much better than she had been a week or so ago.

3. Her pulse rate can sometimes get up around 90 or even over 100.

4. She is slowly settling in preparing for some normalacy. She goes to the NICU 2 - 3 times a day for about 2 hours each time. This will increase even more once Jillian is able to nurse.

James and Jocelyn are continuing to do well as they wait patiently for Jillian's much anticipated arrival. We still have a lot of work to do in preparation for her arrival.

I'll try and keep the blog updated a litte more often with more wonderful pictures.

We love you all!

James

Happy Birthday Jillian - Two Weeks Old!

2009-01-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

Jillian wearing Daddy's wedding ring . . .

"I wonder what James and Jocelyn will think when I take over their room?"

Jillian's tiny hand in her Daddy's . . .

Jillian Shoots Past Her Birth Weight!

2009-01-23T05:35:00.000-08:00

Jillian has now exceeded her birth weight by almost 1.5 oz. I have attached a graph of Jillian's birth weight so you can see her progress.

God is awesome!

Take care,

James

Day 12 - The PICC Line is Out!

2009-01-23T04:47:00.000-08:00

Jillian continues her journey in record form!

The PICC line (IV) which travelled from Jillian's arm to just above her heart (see earlier posts for additional details) was removed yesterday! She is now free of all invasive lines into her arteries and/or veins. She still has an NG tube which supplies Mommy's breast milk until she learns the "Suck, Swallow, Breath" technique necessary for nursing. Once that happens then it is just a matter of her showing appropriate weight gain! God is awesome!

She is maintaining her body temperature and they continue to drop the temperature in her isolette. I took a video of the tube being removed and will see about posting it this weekend.

We hope you're enjoying the pictures that we've been posting. We have some more amazing photos to show off this weekend - so stay tuned.

I won't let a post go by without thanking everyone for their prayers and support. A special thanks to the families who pitched in and blessed us with gifts - this is truly a humbling experience to know we are loved by so many. We are blessed to have such dear and wonderful friends. Our immediate family is still helping us with all of our needs and will continue doing so into next week. Our parents are more than a precious blessing. We have also gotten assistance from friends who have children in the same activities as James and Jocelyn. So we're doing well.

Jennifer is continuing to rest at her parents house as much as she can in between preparing Jillian's milk for delivery to the NICU and visiting Jillian during her scheduled Kangaroo Care times. Her blood pressure finally took a turn for the best on Monday of this week, but must continue to be mindful of her activity.

God is continuing to show Himself faithful in so many areas that I could write a small book about it. I know that the archives in heaven are keeping track of these events and I will someday see your prayers and gifts as a tribute to Christ. Praise God!

Love in Christ,

James

Day 10 - Kangaroo Care with Mommy

2009-01-20T21:35:00.000-08:00

Kangaroo Care with Jilli-bean.

Sweet Jillian resting with Mommy.

Strike a Pose!

2009-01-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Jilli-bean up close during Kangaroo Care with Daddy.

Jillian dreaming about going home . . .

James and Jocelyn's reaction to seeing Jillian for the first time . . .

Children United for the First Time!

2009-01-17T19:42:00.000-08:00

Due some unique circumstances James and Jocelyn were able to go see their baby sister for the first time since she was born!

They were both very excited! They were only allowed to stay for about 2 minutes while Miss Jillian was being weighed. After they left I gave them a call and asked them what they thought.

James said, "I was amazed. I have never seen a human being that small."

Jocelyn said, "It was weird. She looks like a baby alien."

Regardless, it was a precious moment for Mommy and Daddy. The children have been very patient during this process. They not only don't get to see their baby sister, but their Mommy has been taken away from them for a week and can't be with them in the same capacity for another week, and Daddy is busy with Jillian and Mommy all the time. We did spend some family time together the first night Mommy was home and were all able to spend the night under the same roof at Jennifer's parents house. Jennifer's parents have been an incredible blessing. My mother will be pitching in over the next week and a half or so until Jennifer is getting around a little better and then my Dad will come in to lend a hand.

I will now focus on working out a list of needs and areas in which those of you who have been patiently waiting can lend a hand. Your patience and prayers have no doubt been invaluable. Jillian is doing wonderfully, Jennifer is recovering quickly, there have been no issues with providing plenty of milk for Jillian, the list of blessings are endless! God is wonderful!

More pictures and updates to come tomorrow!

God bless,

James

Jillian is 1 Week Old!

2009-01-17T19:33:00.000-08:00

Thank you for your patience during our transition from the hospital to home. Lots of exciting things to share.

1. Jillian is continuing to breathe unassisted without complication.

2. The PICC line will most likely remain for about 3 to 4 weeks. She is receiving a 4 mL push of IV fluids and an additional supplement of lipids. The IV push will be reduced to 3.7 mL/hr tomorrow (Sunday)

3. She is being fed 9 mL of Mommy’s milk every 3 hours via an NG tube that enters into her nose and then travels down to her tummy. Her digestive system seems to be working wonderfully so they continue to increase the amount of Mommy's milk she is receiving by 1 mL at every other feeding. This will continue until she reaches a full feeding of about 50 to 60 mL (about 3 ounces). Mommy and Daddy coordinate with the NICU so Jillian is able to get fresh milk from Mommy every feeding.

4. Her bilirubin levels are now 4.4, the magnesium levels are now completely normal in the 2.0 – 3.0 range.

5. Dr. Woodman and the nursing staff heard a murmur during a routine exam on Thursday. As a precaution they ordered a sonogram of Jillian’s heart on Thursday morning. I met with Dr. Brownley on Friday @ 9:00am who is a cardiologist from San Antonio who visits the NICU once a week to check on the babies here. He determined the cause of the murmur and is not overly concerned. He would like to see her again when she is 6 months old. I will create a separate post addressing the technical details of the heart murmur for those who are interested. We just need to continue believing that Jillian’s body is perfect in every way!

6. Kangaroo care has been increased to 3 times per day. Daddy has been taking two of the three skin-to-skin hours at 8:00am and 2:00pm until Mommy has recovered. Mommy has been coming up to the NICU for the 8:00pm feedings. Eventually, Mommy will be here every 3 hours to nurse reserving a couple of bottle feedings for the early hours of the morning for sleep. It will be at this time that we may need some help from friends and family. As promised I’ll keep everyone posted.

God bless and thank you for your dedicated prayers.

James

Jillian Update - Day 6 (Almost a week "old")

2009-01-15T05:52:00.000-08:00

Day 6 Praise Reports - These are milestones which took place during Day 5.

1. Jillian was taken off of all breathing assistance yesterday (Beginning of Day 5) - Incredible!

2. She is being feed via IV, but is successfully digesting about 4 mL of Mommy's milk every 3 hours. She'll most likely increase intake of Mommy's milk at about a rate of 1 mL / 6 - 12 hours as she is able to tolerate more. Her digestive system is still developing, but doing very well.

3. She has a special PICC line in her arm which is her IV - all other lines have been removed from her body.

4. Her heart rate ranges from about 140 - 200 BPM which is great, there have been no heart complications to speak of. Her respiratory rate is about 45 breaths per minute. Her oxygen levels are almost constantly at 98-100%.

5. Her head ultra sound showed that there are no brain hemorages.

6. Physical therapists are encouraged and see no signs of developmental problems and will continue working with her throughout her stay and beyond to make sure she is doing well.

7. She sleeps peacefully throughout the day and simply gets fussy when she is being attended to. Once the nurses are done taking care of her she goes right back to sleep in her assisted fetal position. Kangaroo care and restful sleep will continue for months to come!

God is glorious! Thank you for your prayers.

Jillian - Off Limits!

2009-01-15T05:35:00.000-08:00

Did I get your attention? Don't worry - you'll love this post!

I am so confident that your prayers have sent a powerful message to our Father in heaven. In the Spirit, I feel that Jillian has a forcefield of protection from any attack from the enemy. Praise God! However, I feel that your prayers have been even more powerful than that. I feel that every enemy that would even think about bringing harm to her has been put on notice that she is off-limits. So much so that the enemy doesn't want anything to do with her! HALLELUIAH!!!

It so overwhelming for me to think about this even as I type. I will never take for granted everyone out there who is praying. Jillian has more than a hedge of protect, but a fortress of solitude armed to the hilt. Glory to God! May He be glorified for His mighty protection. I have never once been fearful and I attribute that to you all - our dear friends and family. Be encouraged and strengthened - God is answering your prayers in a supernatural way.

Thank you so much. Blessings, glory, honor, and praise be to our faithful and glorious Father. Jesus is interceding for us on Jillian's behalf. I am thankful for this blog that it may be a testimony of his goodness and a blessing to us all for an eternity to come.

James

How Big is that Peanut Anyway?

2009-01-15T05:01:00.000-08:00

Jillian was 2lb 4.8 ounces at birth (1043 grams). She now weighs just over 2 lbs (925 grams). This is normal weight loss for a premee - so don't be alarmed. She is being fed important nutrients and calories via IV and also taking more and more of Mommy's milk everyday. Most of her calories early in life will be devoted to hyper-development of vital organs, but she has quickly progressed through these stages.

She was 14.25 inches at birth which is about the size of the average person's forearm. She is almost always curled up into a ball so she can easily fit into the palm of my hand. Stretched out she is about the size of two ball point pens touching end to end.

Her head is 10 inches in circumference which is one inch larger than a baseball.

Hope that helps!

James

Mommy Turns the Corner

2009-01-15T04:02:00.000-08:00

Jennifer is doing much better. Day before yesterday was a bit frustrating due to high blood pressure measurements, but they started taking them while Jennifer was laying on her side. They dropped 20 points on both systolic and diastolic pressures.

Jennifer's liver enzyme levels should be back to normal despitre rising a bit. Everything is understandable sore, but each time she gets up to perform an activity she is making obvious progress. She will have lots of care and support during her recovery as she is staying with her parents here in town. Jennifer's parents have been amazing and a wonderful support during this first week helping to keep things as normal as possible for the children.

I want to thank everyone for your understanding and patience while Jennifer is recovering. I personally would love to have visitors when in a situation like this, but Jennifer needs things quiet and calm. Seeing anyone during this process simply made her too emotional so she asked that we provide everyone updates this way so you know your prayers are being answered. We getting closer to a time that you can come and see her, but we're not quite there yet. Rest assured that Jennifer knows that you are all praying for her and anxious to provide her with any help that you can.

I promised all who wanted to help that I would give you an opportunity. I will soon devise a plan by which everyone who want to help can do so. I'll see if I can coordinate our efforts so everyone can have fun pitching in. Details to follow soon.

God bless!

James

Daddy Gets a Turn at Skin to Skin!

2009-01-15T03:41:00.000-08:00

Daddy was able to have a turn at holding Jillian skin to skin for the first time yesterday. Kangaroo care lasts for about an hour. I was able to to hold Jillian yesterday morning for the first time.

It was awesome! Jillian is a very conent young lady when she gets what she wants. When she is in a comfortable position, has a clean diaper, has a full tummy, and is nice and toasty she is peacefully resting. She gets changed, fed, and repositioned every 3 hours. I will provide details concerning her progress in a later post.

Kangaroo care will continue and only increase as time goes on. Jocelyn met with a physical therapist (Jean Ann) yesterday along with Mommy and Daddy. Jean Ann is quite pleased with Jocelyn's progress and does not see any developmental problems whatsoever. Mommy and Daddy are not surprised of course as Jesus is in still in charge here.

We are truly blessed. I'll be providing additional posts in just a moment addressing each aspect of these past events. I was able to get some good sleep last night as opposed to updating the blog.

All our love,

James & Jennifer

Skin to Skin for the First Time!

2009-01-13T20:23:00.000-08:00

Jennifer was able to hold Jillian for the first time for about an hour in the NICU. I sat next to them while Jennifer had her feet up on my lap. It was a special time. I read to them both for about 20 minutes but exhaustion overtook me and I fell asleep for a nice little nap. Jillian was completely peaceful the entire time laying with her Mommy - yeah for Kangaroo Care!

Jennifer's blood pressure is still elevated and it is beginning to make her a little uneasy. I have been praying Philippians 4:6 over her. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Please join with me in faith for peaceful rest for Jennifer. Jennifer may also need a "blood block" due to an issue which may be related to the epidural. This is all speculative at this time.

I'm going to focus on getting some rest tonight. So my next post will most likely be later tomorrow afternoon or evening.

God bless you all!

James

Heading to the Outback Mate!

2009-01-13T15:45:00.000-08:00

Kangaroo Care starts tonight! Jennifer and I will be heading to the NICU to spend at least an hour (could be more) of skin to skin contact with Jillian. The NICU here is pro Kangaroo Care and breast feeding. Studies show that is what is best for baby. :)

Jillian Update:
- She has been weened down to 1 L/min of flow from the canulet with room air
- Blood gases continue to be perfect
- As is expected Jillian has lost about 100 grams of weight since birth (completely normal)
- Jennifer is supplying all of her feedings now (3 mL / 3 hours)
- Her little bowels are working well but need time due to the magnesium
- Most of her calories have been devoted to adjusting to living outside of Mommy
- We're now praying that calories will begin to be devoted to growth

Jennifer Update:
- Jennifer may be released tomorrow - I'll let you know
- She is recovering slowly, this is nothing like our previous children
- As much as she would like to have visitors, she really has needed a lot of rest and quiet
- This recovery process will most likely take a good 4 - 6 weeks
- Specific prayer requests
- Blood pressure needs to come down more
- Platelet count (due to HELLP) needs to come up and stabalize
- She has a terrible headache and may have a complication from the epidural
- She may require another procedure so pray for miraculous healing so this is not necessary
- Quick healing from the surgery
- Peace and tranquility of spirit

I'll provide further updates later this evening. Please keep the prayers coming. Your prayers have been the reason things have been going so well. I will be sure to provide specific prayer requests so you can know specifically what to pray for.

I have reports that people are anxious to provide assistance. I will be working with Jennifer to come up with a list of needs so we can give everyone a chance to help. I'm beginning to get a handle on what how long it will take for things to return to "normal." I predict that Jennifer is looking at a recovery period of about 4 - 6 weeks. I also predict that Jillian will have a similar time period for her recovery. I therefore think that a realistic date for our family to be at home together to be March 1st. Remember, that I'm the eternal optimist, so I consider this the best case scenario. We're walking this out one day at a time and will allow God to set the time table, but I'm believing for nothing less than a miracle each and every day. I say all of this to help everyone understand how major a situation this is - it helps me to put things in perspective when I have a timetable.

God bless you all!

James

Mommy Visit #2 - Jillian's Says Hello!!!

2009-01-12T23:18:00.000-08:00

Hello one and all! There is no lack of miracles here. Jesus keeps the floodgates of blessings open as each of your prayers are being answered. And now ... let the pictures flow. Jillian was awake and had her eyes open during our visit. Even Daddy hadn't seen Jillian with her eyes open this much. Apparently, Miss Jillian knew Mommy was coming and saved this special time just for her. Jillian is doing wonderfully - of course. We were warned that sometime young babies may take a downward turn, but your prayers have fended that trend off. I always ask the nursing staff how they would rate her recovery and we always get glowing reports about how amazing she's doing. She's spunky, tenacious, and a fighter. Jennifer is in quite a bit of pain as you are probably aware. She is fighting the after-effects of the magnesium. That is such a horrible substance, but was necessary to keep her safe. Focus prayer on recovery, relief from pain (she is not taking any pain meds), quick healing of the c-section surgery, strength to her body, and healing of bruises from the many IVs and blood draws. Jennifer may be released tomorrow, so I'll keep you posted there. I personally feel she's going to need about a week until she is able to begin travelling back and forth to the hospital to visit Jillian in the NICU. That is a huge prayer request. Miraculous recovery in Jesus' mighty name! I'm headed back into the NICU to see how Jillian is doing. Many of you have been emailing me personally, but I'm having some issues getting outbound emails out. I'll respond to your emails once I return, but I'm trying to focus on getting updates out via this blog. I know many of you are anxious to help and we are so thankful for that. If everyone is willing we would like to spread out the assistance over a period of time so we can have help throughout this process. I will try and sit down to determine the most effective way to get Jennifer the help she needs so everyone can have a part in helping. We truly are blessed with friends and family who care so much for us.

God bless!

James

Big Day for Mommy!

2009-01-12T17:43:00.000-08:00

My apologies for not getting an update out sooner. I was busy this morning with some job searching, house stuff (cat box, food, water, etc). I met the children at home after lunch (they are staying with Grandma and Pop!) and we cleaned up our rooms, put away some laundry and got some stuff for this weeks activities. We let the kiddos have some play time with our dear neighbors.

So onto the updates! There are so many and they are so very exciting!

Jennifer Update:

- I have spent a lot of time with Jennifer today taking care of her. She has had a big day!
- Jen is off the Mag!
- She has eaten two meals of solid food - fruit, yogurt, Ensure, and a roll
- She and I walked together to the bathroom and she used the restroom for the first time!!
- She later took a shower
- Prayer for a quick recovery from the c-section incision
- Jennifer and I will visit Jillian again after the children leave for their visit
- The NICU doctor came to visit today and pushed breast feeding much to our excitement
- I requested that Jennifer be allowed to pump while I read to Jillian in the NICU which was approved
- I will provide a final update later this evening after Jennifer and I return

Jillian Update:

- Mag levels down to under 3.5 mg/dL so she's becoming more active
- Bili levels down and will be checked again tomorrow
- Blood gas levels awesome
- She is on a 2 L/hr pump of room air through her canulet
- She is on an IV push with various electrolytes and another for lipids
- Up to 3 mL of breast milk every 3 hours
- Jennifer will be pumping some more tonight
- Pee and poop are all regular
- She will get the lines removed from her belly button (UAC and UVC) tomorrow after a pic line is put in
- We will then be able to remove her from the cart and hold her :)
- I have gently placed my hands over her - She likes to kick and wiggle
- I also grabbed the stethoscope and listened to her heartbeat and breathing for about 20 minutes last night - that was wonderful :)

I'll be sure and take pictures tonight of Jennifer and Jillian when we're in the NICU.
God bless and keep you all. Thanks for your continued prayer!

Take care,

James

Jillian's First Meal Video

2009-01-11T22:06:00.000-08:00

Here is a video of Jillian's first meal on Jan 11th @ 3pm. She is receiving donated breast milk until Jennifer recovers and is able to supply her own.

Jillian - Sunday (Jan 11th) Evening Update

2009-01-11T21:51:00.001-08:00

Hey there!

Jillian is still trucking along wonderfully. I just left her for my fifth visit of the day. She is urinating regularly and has had at least two bowel movements. The major concern now is her biliruben count. She has risen from about 4.3 to 7.8 mg/dL. She is under two BilliLamps and laying on top of a BilliBlanket. They will check her blood work again at midnight and then again tomorrow morning for a full workup. She has 1 mL of donated breast milk every three hours. Perhaps it is some that someone on GCM donated. :)

Jennifer is still on magnesium until tomorrow morning. Her platelets are above 100K and climbing, her liver enzymes are back down to acceptable levels, and her BPs have gotten back down for the most part. Her feet are very swollen so we did some foot massaging after given them a little bath and coating them with lotion. She hasn't really been in much pain, but she's not able to move around much.

Jennifer did get out of bed today and after having a good couple of BP measurements was able to get in a wheel chair and head to the NICU to see baby Jillian for the first time since delivery!!! Whoo hoo!! Mommy talked to Jillian and get an update of her progress. She was feeling a little light headed so headed back to the room to lay down and rest.

Jennifer took a Vicadin and it made her uncomfortably groggy. While I was visiting Jillian, Jennifer had a panic attack and the nurse came in to pray with her, give her some Christian CDs to listen to, then suggested that she pump to do something proactive to connect with Jillian. Jennifer got some colostrum which was taken to the NICU ready for use! Way to go Jennifer - she's just too awesome! Please pray that she recovers quickly so she can get to spend more time with Jillian. Also pray that she has peace about Jillian's health and safety while she is separated from her precious baby.

You are all more than precious to us!

God bless and keep you all!

James

Jillian Update - We're off the Vent!

2009-01-11T09:13:00.000-08:00

Glorious morning to all,

I have been reading your emails to Jennifer this morning. We are blessed beyond measure. I pray that we have the opportunity to be of such comfort and encouragement to each of you some day. I can tell you that I have not been anxious or discouraged during this entire process. I attribute that to God’s peace and your uplifting prayers. I look forward to showing Jillian the tribute built for her through your prayers and supplication as we walk about heaven – yet one more testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness.

Jillian update:

We’re off the vent! Jillian actually pulled that nasty tube out of her throat. They were ready to have her taken off the vent, but wanted to wait until morning to give Dr. Woodman a rest for the night. This morning I was able to let her hold my finger for over 45 minutes and talk to her quietly every so often. When it was time for me to get back to Jennifer to provide an update I would try to slowly move away, but Jillian would grab back on to my finger to pull me back. So Jillian is now breathing at a rate of about 44 bpm (breaths per minute). Normal can range quite a bit for various babies and also depends on whether or not their resting, eating, or upset at you for moving them around. The main thing is that her oxygen level is staying at 96 – 100 %. Her HR (heart rate) is about 144 bpm (beats per min) on average. She is under the BiliLamp because her little liver is not quite developed enough to break down the biliruben in her body. Biliruben is a waste product as a result of the breakdown of red blood cells. The light helps break the biliruben down into a form that can be passed through the bowels, which is a subject for a future post/email.

Jennifer update:

Jennifer is doing well and on a liquid diet. Dr. Hajovski came to check on Jennifer. She will be on magnesium until tomorrow morning which is making her very sleepy. Her pressures are good, her kidneys are kicking back in and filtering protein properly. Jennifer was given a little doll made by “Threads of Love” which she has pressed against her chest. I’ll take that into Jillian so she can smell Mommy. J

James & Jocelyn update:

The kids are doing well. They are not able to go into the NICU, which is understandably frustrating – but necessary. They are excited and hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa. Aunt Kristi (Jennifer’s sister) came to visit and was a great help as well. Abuelo (my dad) came to visit as well.

Things are going great! Praise God!

Take care,

James

Jillian Update with Picture!

2009-01-11T05:31:00.000-08:00

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

Saturday Update Number 2

2009-01-10T18:10:00.001-08:00

Jillian Olivia (we’re pretty confident that is her name) is born! She was born on January 10, 2009 @ 1:23pm. She is 2 pounds 4 ounces (1040ish grams)

Jennifer is doing well and Jillian is stable.

I’m about to go see Jillian now so I have to run.

Please continue to pray, because this will be quite a long ordeal.

Our God is a great and mighty God!

James

Saturday Update

2009-01-10T18:09:00.000-08:00

Having the baby via C-section at 1:20p Saturday, January 10, 2009 (that’s in about 15 minutes).

Everything looks good, but they want to do it sooner than later to make sure Jennifer doesn't make a turn for the worse.

Again, both Jennifer and baby are doing wonderfully. We are shooting for an epidural rather than general anesthesia.

Please continue to pray (I know you all are)! Pray for strong lungs and no complications with the baby. We think her name is going to be Jillian. Pray that Jennifer recovers quickly. Her platelet count was great so she’s just getting a local, which is wonderful.

We love you guys tremendously and covet your prayers!

I'll update you ASAP.

God bless,

James

Saturday E mail

2009-01-10T17:50:00.000-08:00

Hey there,

I’m sitting in Labor & Delivery at Community Hospital with a peaceful and resting Jennifer. We met with Dr. Hajovsky (Hi-Off-Skee) last night who said that we’ll be delivering the baby most likely today at around 5pm. Nothing is certain, but that is what it looks like.

Jennifer has been diagnosed with HELLP syndrome which stands for Hemolysis, Elevated Liver Enzymes, and Low Platelet count. http://www.aafp.org/afp/990901ap/829.html She has stabilized and her BP is now much better, her liver enzymes are lower, and her platelet count is much higher.

Jennifer has been given a shot of steroids (Celestone) to prepare the baby (her lungs) for early delivery. The baby is 29 weeks old and we are believing God for a miraculous and safe delivery. She will be in the NICU for a time and pray she will be home very soon.

We appreciate your prayers and will keep you posted.

Take care,

James