I apologize for falling down on my job today and not updating you on yesterday's events. It was very late when I got home from the hospital and just didn't know where to start.
Update on Julie and Magdalena's Health:
As you know, Magdalena has an IV to make sure she is staying hydrated. The doctors/nurses have also decided that although she was drinking from the bottle, she was burning more calories trying to suck than taking them in so they have stopped most of that for now. She is mainly being fed from a tube going up her nose. Yesterday, her heart rate kept going up and down so this afternoon the nurses put her back on the oxygen line and it's helped keep her heartbeat steady again. Julie was very sore yesterday but is feeling a little better today. She is still not getting as much rest as she should - but it's understandable. Julie will be discharged from the hospital on Sunday. Please pray that she will have the strength to leave the hospital without Magdalena - I'm sure it will be extremely difficult. It's amazing how God gives mothers an unconditional love for our children immediately after they are born.
A Priceless Gift:
Yesterday was Magdalena's 3rd day to be with us. So, on the way to the hospital my girls and I stopped by the store and got Magdalena a tiny cake with a "3" on it to celebrate her being with us for 3 days. Julie and Noah were so excited when I showed them the cake and Julie wanted to take it down there to her immediately. So, Julie and I went in to give it to Magdalena (and take pictures) and Mimi, Caroline, Uncle Stephen, and Emma stood at the window to watch. For those of you that don't know, NICU has a few rules. 1) Only two visitors at a time. 2) Unless a sibling, no child under 13 allowed. As we are taking the pictures of Magdalena with her cake, Magdalena's nurse for the day asked if we wanted to let the girls come back and sing "Happy Birthday" to Magdalena! Julie's eyes and my eyes immediately welled up with tears as we realized that this was such an unexpected surprise and a precious gift. So, we all gathered around Magdalena and sang Happy Birthday to her in our whisper voices as all the nurses took pictures and videoed it for us! It was such a special moment that we will all remember - Thank you so much Wren, Samantha, Stephanie, and Cindy for making a special memory for us!
All of us giving Magdalena her cake
Singing "Happy Birthday" to Magdalena
Two of Magdalena's cousins (and biggest fans) meeting
her up close and personal for the first time!
Magdalena at the end of her 3rd day with us
A Special Service:
There is an organization called "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" ( http://nowilaymedowntosleep.org/start.php) that has professional photographers volunteer their own time to take newborn pictures for people in the same type of situation as Julie, Noah, and Magdalena. The photographers do not charge anything for their services but come, take the pictures, and then give the parents a cd with all of the pictures. Andrea is the amazing photographer that was assigned to the Roberts family. She drove up in July and took prenatal pictures of Julie, Noah, Magdalena and the family. She was at the hospital on the day Magdalena was born and also drove up today to take pictures. She has been so patient with everyone and has given up so much of her time. It will be a few weeks before she has all the pictures together and on her website, but I did snap one picture of my own today to give you a sneek peak! Andrea defintely deserves a plug on this blog and I hope if you are in her area, you will give her your business! She is worth it! Thank you so much Andrea for everything!
Mimi's grandchildren
Update on Julie and Magdalena's Health:
As you know, Magdalena has an IV to make sure she is staying hydrated. The doctors/nurses have also decided that although she was drinking from the bottle, she was burning more calories trying to suck than taking them in so they have stopped most of that for now. She is mainly being fed from a tube going up her nose. Yesterday, her heart rate kept going up and down so this afternoon the nurses put her back on the oxygen line and it's helped keep her heartbeat steady again. Julie was very sore yesterday but is feeling a little better today. She is still not getting as much rest as she should - but it's understandable. Julie will be discharged from the hospital on Sunday. Please pray that she will have the strength to leave the hospital without Magdalena - I'm sure it will be extremely difficult. It's amazing how God gives mothers an unconditional love for our children immediately after they are born.
A Priceless Gift:
Yesterday was Magdalena's 3rd day to be with us. So, on the way to the hospital my girls and I stopped by the store and got Magdalena a tiny cake with a "3" on it to celebrate her being with us for 3 days. Julie and Noah were so excited when I showed them the cake and Julie wanted to take it down there to her immediately. So, Julie and I went in to give it to Magdalena (and take pictures) and Mimi, Caroline, Uncle Stephen, and Emma stood at the window to watch. For those of you that don't know, NICU has a few rules. 1) Only two visitors at a time. 2) Unless a sibling, no child under 13 allowed. As we are taking the pictures of Magdalena with her cake, Magdalena's nurse for the day asked if we wanted to let the girls come back and sing "Happy Birthday" to Magdalena! Julie's eyes and my eyes immediately welled up with tears as we realized that this was such an unexpected surprise and a precious gift. So, we all gathered around Magdalena and sang Happy Birthday to her in our whisper voices as all the nurses took pictures and videoed it for us! It was such a special moment that we will all remember - Thank you so much Wren, Samantha, Stephanie, and Cindy for making a special memory for us!
All of us giving Magdalena her cake
Singing "Happy Birthday" to Magdalena
Two of Magdalena's cousins (and biggest fans) meetingher up close and personal for the first time!
Magdalena at the end of her 3rd day with usThere is an organization called "Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep" ( http://nowilaymedowntosleep.org/start.php) that has professional photographers volunteer their own time to take newborn pictures for people in the same type of situation as Julie, Noah, and Magdalena. The photographers do not charge anything for their services but come, take the pictures, and then give the parents a cd with all of the pictures. Andrea is the amazing photographer that was assigned to the Roberts family. She drove up in July and took prenatal pictures of Julie, Noah, Magdalena and the family. She was at the hospital on the day Magdalena was born and also drove up today to take pictures. She has been so patient with everyone and has given up so much of her time. It will be a few weeks before she has all the pictures together and on her website, but I did snap one picture of my own today to give you a sneek peak! Andrea defintely deserves a plug on this blog and I hope if you are in her area, you will give her your business! She is worth it! Thank you so much Andrea for everything!
Mimi's grandchildren
Beautiful, beautiful! Praise the Lord for these wonderful gifts. It has been a pleasure getting to know y'all better in all of this. I hope and pray there are many more sweet times to come...
ReplyDeleteAll these pictures are so incredible...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jesus, for another day with precious Magdalena! Cathy & Annabel
ReplyDeleteI got your blog from my mother, Janet Henderson, who works for Rankin County School District, and have been following it for a couple of months. My son has an undiagnosed genetic disorder and was born with several birth defects. I saw that little Magdalena was having some feeding difficulties. My son had some of the same problems, and I was wondering if the hospital has any special bottles for feeding problems. I know the Haberman, Pidgeon, and Mead-Johnson bottles can all really help with feeding difficulties...espcially stamina because the baby doesn't have to work as hard to get the milk out of the bottle. If you are interested in trying one of these special bottles, and your hospital can't get one, I would be happy to get you one and show you how to use it. Feel free to email me at saranw@yahoo.com. You are all in my prayers.
ReplyDeleteSarah Anne Milnor