Things Are Looking Up….

 

1.) Ellen and Barbie 2.) Elizabeth and Barbie 3.) Megan visiting 4.) Mom and Ellen 5.) Mom and Elizabeth 6.) Grandma Cindy visiting 7.) Ellen smiling 8,9.) Elizabeth 10.) Dad and Elizabeth 11.)Mom, Dad, and Elizabeth 12.)Mom feeding Ellen

Wow, what a time we are having.  I have wanted to get on- line for a week now and give an update but it just hasn’t been possible.  The last couple of days I have had major ‘technical difficulties’ too!  I am so glad to have gotten them figured out, so here is the update…..

My mom is still in the hospital but is finally looking like she is on the mends.  She was hit with a ‘one in a million’ syndrome and had the doctors quite puzzled.  They were having the hardest time coming up with a diagnosis.  They finally honed in on two seperate ones and treated her for both.  As she started to react to the treatments, there were still problems that didn’t match the syndrome.  I would love to tell you more about it, but I had a hard time understanding it myself.  I don’t think they ever really settled on one diagnosis and they certainly never committed to the cause; but the good news is she has responded to the treatment and is getting better.  She had her family quite scared as we have never seen her look so bad.  Mom is such a strong person, as most of you know, and it was hard to see her so out of it.  After all, it was only weeks ago that she was driving three kids to school, taking to practices, and doing homework!  It was such a shock to see her diminish so quickly.  With this illness she also had quite a neurological reaction and is having a hard time making decisions and remembering things.  The doctors blame  this on the trauma of the infection and hope that after some physical and occupational therapy she will be back on track.  They are moving her out of the critical care unit today and up to rehab.  She looks to have another week or so in the hospital before she gets to go home.  All and all, we are happy with her condition and hopeful that she will make a full recovery.  My dad has asked that I thank everyone for their prayers and concern. 

I was very torn as to where I needed to be.  I spent a long weekend in Kansas City with my mom and the kids and flew back to Utah late Sunday.  The girls are looking good.  They are weighing in at 2 lbs. 4 oz. and 3lbs. 5 oz., and what a difference a pound makes!  I have really had a unique opportunity of watching what happens in the womb and it is cool!  Ellen and Elizabeth were both moved up to room 2 last week (3 being the most critical and 1 being the ‘feeder/growers’).  This was definitely a step in the right direction.  Ellen also got moved into a big girl isolette.  Because of her weight and her thicker skin, she doesn’t need the humidity of the baby isolette anymore.  Another move in the right direction.  And finally, Ellen took her first bottle.  She only drinks about 5-7 cc’s, but at least she is semi-interested.  We are moving right along! 

I didn’t have a chance to share that Megan came up last week.  She and I had a great time together.  We like to read good books, get some sun and see scary movies; so that is just what we did.  She was also excited to see her sisters’ progress.  She spent the night at the Ronald McDonald house, ate lots of fast food, and went to the hospital quite a few times.  Just wanted her to have the true Utah experience!

Bo’s mom also dropped by on her way home from visiting her mom in Seattle.  We made several trips to see the girls and she helped me pick out some fabric for their room in Kansas City.  I have not spent very much time thinking about what we will do with their room, but now that they are getting bigger I might just get started.  I am going to try and sew the bedding myself so wish me luck!

We finished off last week in Utah with a visit from Bo.  We had planned on having a ‘2 pound party’ for the nurses in the NICU and bring in pizza for lunch, but we had to hurry home.  Maybe we will have a 3 pound party instead….Elizabeth needs to get going!  If you are trying to tell them apart in the pictures I have one hint…..look at the cheeks!  That is where the extra weight has gone.  Bo did get to hold Elizabeth for the first time before we left.  We are getting to hold the girls once a week and I like to wait for Bo if he is going to be in town.  They are so light that it just feels like your are holding blankets.  Ellen actually was a lttle more significant this time……loved it, I could feel her squirming!  They both had their eyes open the whole time.  I could hold them forever, but 20-30 minutes is all we get.  They are still sleeping quite a bit, but when they are awake they are moving around and doing ‘baby things.’  The picture of Ellen smiling is so funny.  They used to think it was gas that made them smile this early, but now they think it is just instinctive and so they automately do it every once in a while.  They sure know how to get comfortable and all the IV’s and cords they are hooked up to never get in the way of them strectching and kicking.  They yawn and sneeze and definitely get the hiccups.  Everything is so much cuter when it is done by a baby…..even the poop. 

We have definitely had our share of events this year.  But God continues to bless us and give us the strength to endure.  We are ‘hanging in there’ so don’t worry.  Thanks again for all the love and prayers!

Stacy and family