Update coming

As you can see, we really haven't done a good job keeping things updated here as of late.  Unfortunately, with all that happened with Leah's birth it threw our daily life into a bit of a tailspin.  As we are about to begin 2012, we are resolving to do better at updates, so - check back soon!

Home, Sweet Home!

Home, Sweet Home....that is where our precious peanut is now!  We are rejoicing that Leah was discharged from the NICU at Albany Medical Center on August 3rd, after just under 5 weeks since birth.  This is definitely an answer to prayer as we were originally told to expect a stay of 8-10 weeks.  The last 2 weeks have been even more of a whirlwind as once things started happening, they happened all at once.  We were continuing our daily visits to the NICU in Albany and the first couple days of this month it seemed that each day we came there was a new surprise.  Within the span of 48 hours Leah's oxygen was discontinued, her nasal feeding tube was removed, and her supplemental heat was turned off.  Much to our surprise, it was first suggested on Monday that Leah might go home on Tuesday.  Partly because we were concerned that things were moving too fast, her discharge was delayed to last Wednesday (August 3rd).  The first week at home has been very challenging because at first we really had to work to get her to drink all of her bottle as she would drink very slowly.  Feedings have been "double work" as Leah has not yet been able to effectively be put to breast, so she is fed most of her feedings with a bottle.  It is double work because not only does she have to be bottle fed every 3 hours, but Ralanda also has to pump milk every 3-4 hours.  Looking on the bright side of things, this has allowed opportunity for "quality time" together for Mommy and Daddy as - in an effort to help where he can - Daddy has been getting up with Mommy for the 2am and sometimes 5am feedings where he feeds while Mommy pumps.  This helps to save a little time, allowing a short nap before we have to start it all over again.  It will definitely be easier as Leah gains strength and the ability to nurse, decreasing the time spent pumping.

All bundled up and ready to go home!

We've been to the doctor twice in the last week for weight checks and we are glad to say we are growing well.  Leah is now up to 5 1/2 lbs. in weight!  She started at 4lb 4oz, got down to 3 lb 7 oz, but has gained 2 lbs! 

Relaxin' on Mommy and Daddy's bed

We are thankful every day for the blessing that God has given us in this precious new life.  Even though we are a little weary, we are so thankful for Mommy's and Leah's health.  Even as tired as we are, we are trying to enjoy this time as we realize that the children grow so fast and soon we will look back, longing for these days.  Thank you Lord, for blessing us so abundantly!



Pretty in pink

Thank you to all who have prayed and called to check up on how Mommy and Leah are doing.  Please continue to pray that all will go well as Leah has a good deal of "catch-up" growing to do.

A Very Special Blessing

This post is a bit delayed, but we still wanted to talk about the joyous blessing we received.  On our visits to the NICU on July 30th and 31st, we were afforded an opportunity for the whole family to visit Leah at once by her bedside.  This might not seem like a big deal, but it was for us because to this point the children could only be brought into the NICU 1-2 at a time.  If we allowed them to visit and not rush, it would take nearly an hour to rotate through everyone and allow for ample visitation.  This is because the NICU rule (understandable to keep order, and due to cramped space) is that only 2 visitors are allowed by the bedside at one time and any additional visitors was up to the nurse on duty's discretion.  We are thankful that throughout most of the visits with the children, they allowed us to take them in 2 at a time (for a total of 3 visitors).  The difference on the 30th and 31st was that most of the babies that were in the section of the nursery where Leah was had gone home and there was a good deal of open space in the area around Leah's bed.  Even though, we know there were some nurses that despite this, simply would not allow SEVEN children, plus TWO parents, for a total of NINE to be by Leah's bedside at once.  Thankfully on these evenings, we had some very gracious nurses who not only allowed us to all visit, but actually offered the opportunity.  We were thinking and praying of asking for this opportunity and were prepared for a negative answer; but in an answer to prayer, when our nurse found out that all the kids were in the waiting room, said that since there was so much space around Leah's isolette and since she knew the kids are usually exceptionally well behaved, we could bring them all in.  We were as happy as could be as we were able to get our first family picture with Leah :)

Yes, they're all ours....we are blessed beyond measure!

We are so thankful to the nurses who go graciously afforded us this opportunity.  We are glad that they recognized that (provided you are dealing with children that can behave) it is important for the family to be together.  Especially since we did not know at the time that Leah would be going home in a matter of days, this was such a blessing to us to be able to all be together at once.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Thank You, Mom and Dad

Having a preemie baby, Ralanda spending half of July in the hospital, and making daily trips (one hour each way) to Albany to the NICU were not the ways we intended to spend the month of July and the first part of August.  Needless to say, this has resulted in one tired and weary family.  We are so thankful for the prayers that have been lifted up on our behalf, and the help of some special people.  Two of those people are Mom and Dad Pagano (Ralanda's parents).

After Scott called to ask for prayer for Ralanda the afternoon of Leah's birth, Mom and Dad dropped everything and headed to New York.  Simply having them here as Ralanda recovered from surgery proved a special blessing and was a comfort that was much needed and appreciated.  Mom had planned on coming up for a week when Leah was scheduled to be born, under planned circumstances, the middle of August.  Instead, she found herself here with no advance notice or planning.  She graciously committed to stay for two weeks as Ralanda began her initial recovery and for the first while after she came home from the hospital.  It was then that Ralanda was readmitted to the hospital with complications and Mom, without hesitation, said she was staying longer - until Ralanda returned home and settled in again.  She stayed with us for nearly a month, watching the children, doing laundry, dishes, cleaning, and simply encouraging and being a mom/Memaw.  Her loving presence helped to lighten the load of a very stressful July.

We are also very grateful to Dad.  For it was he who had to sacrifice being without Mom for the whole time she was here.  We don't know how he did it, but we sure appreciated his great sacrifice.  We are thankful for the time that he was able to spend here before needing to head back home as the other children love any time they get to spend with Bumpa!  We think Leah liked the time she had with Bumpa too :)

Thank you Mom and Dad for your love and encouragement during this very hectic time.  We will be forever grateful for the love and sacrifice you have shown.



Happy as a Lark

We have one group of very happy siblings about now - they have finally gotten to hold their new sister!  Caleb, especially, is happy as he has been asking practically daily, "Am I going to get to hold Leah yet?".  Mommy was discharged from the hospital for the second time on Friday and we all went to get her and it was also a chance for the kids to see Leah.  Since she has been put back on the oxygen she is doing great and since she is otherwise very stable, we could let the kids hold her for a brief time.  As you can see below, by the beaming smiles they all were "happy as a lark".  Mommy is happy too to be out of the hospital and hopes to stay out for good this time.  She has been changed over to oral antibiotics and will be rechecked in 2 weeks.  Thankfully her fever has not come back and she is feeling much less fatigued.

Biggest sister holding littlest sister

Biggest brother holding littlest sister

Noah holding Leah

Joshua holding Leah

Very Proud Caleb holding Leah

Happy as a lark Uriah holding Leah

Big little sister holding littlest sister

Update on Ralanda and Leah - part 2

In the last post, I mostly updated about Leah and it got late so I didn't get to what has happened with Ralanda.  Everything that happened with delivery of the baby and the second surgery afterwards was discussed in the very first blog post.  After receiving many blood transfusions Ralanda slowly began her recovery and was discharged from the hosptal on July 7th.  For the next 10 days we all tried our best to keep Mommy from doing too much and get her to rest and recover.  Daddy and Mommy continued making daily trips to Albany (1 hour each way) to visit Leah in the NICU.  Ralanda's mom and dad had come up the day Leah was born (July 3rd) and Ralanda's mom had stayed and helped us so greatly and was due to go back home tomorrow.  That was all the plan until this past Sunday.  Ralanda became very tired and sleepy and did nothing but sleep all day Sunday.  Scott was concerned as she was very weak and pale and would complain from time to time of having the chills.  Finally, with no change by Monday, Ralanda finally consented to going back to the hospital and getting checked out.  We returned to Albany Medical Center and Ralanda wound up being readmitted due to lethargy, chills and fever.  The doctors suspected a hematoma (collection of blood) had been infected, or an abscess had developed.   A CT scan was performed Monday evening and confirmed that a collection of fluid was present (hematoma or abscess).  She was started on IV fluids and 2 different IV antibiotics.  There was talk of needing to perform surgical drainage of the fluid if the fever did not respond.  So far the fever has responded to the antibiotics and for now the doctors are talking of avoiding surgical drainage.  They are hopeful that if the antibiotics continue to work that the fluid will be resorbed, thus avoiding another surgical procedure.  Today the last of the IV antibiotics were given and Ralanda has been switched to oral antibiotics.  We are praying that this infection will resolve and not recur.  At this point, Ralanda has gotten a good amount of her energy back and is feeling much better.  The current plans are for her to be discharged from the hospital (again) tomorrow.  Because of all of this, Ralanda's mom is staying another week, and we are so thankful.

Leah was taken off of supplemental oxygen 2 days ago and today started to develop quite rapid breathing.  We asked to be notified when the doctors would be rounding today so we could hear their assessment and plan for Leah.  The doctor said that "sometimes we push these little ones a little to quickly as we are excited that they are doing so well".  She said that sometimes it will take a day or two before they tell us "whoa, not so fast".  Well, it appears that Leah was not quite ready to give up her oxygen supplementation yet.  They put her back on the oxygen this afternoon and she is breathing much better again.  There's not really much concern over this - it just means she needs weaned off of the oxygen a little slower.

Overdue Update on Ralanda and Leah

Unfortunately things have been very crazy for the last 2 1/2 weeks and although I intended on recording updates, it just has not happened.  My goal will be to update more frequently if this format of a blog works out well.  Going back to the end of the previous/initial post:  Baby Leah now has a middle name and it is Ralanda, after her mother.  Mommy was considering several names, but Leah Ralanda won the final vote.  Leah is still in the NICU at Albany Medical Center where she is receiving excellent care.  It was very rough the first week as she had an endotracheal tube (breathing tube) down her trachea (windpipe) and was hooked up to several IV lines, monitors, etc. 

Leah with the endotracheal tube

Being attached to all of these things and being so fragile, we were not able to hold her, but simply touch her while in her special bed.  Her brothers and sisters were so glad to get to see their new sister, even though all they could do at this point is to look at her.  Because NICU rules only allow 2 people by the bedside at at time, we had to get several pictures as we traded off visitors.



Leah with Gi-Gi and Naomi



Leah with Scottie and Uriah

Leah with Joshua and Caleb

Leah with Noah

  To improve her breathing, she was given surfactant, a substance that prevents the lungs from collapse, and that babies make on their own later in pregnancy when they are near term.  Premature babies often do not have surfactant, or do not have enough, and need it given to them as was done for Leah, a couple times over her first several days.  After a couple days, her breathing improved enough that the breathing tube was able to be removed and she was put on a CPAP mask similar to the ones that people with sleep apnea wear.



Leah with CPAP mask



 Finally, after 6 days we were able to hold our baby!  At this point she had lost weight (as all babies do at first) and got down to 3 lbs 7 ozs and it felt like we were hardly holding anything.  It was so good to finally hold our baby, but it was difficult to watch her work so much to breathe.

Tears of joy as Mommy holds her baby for the first time.

Daddy holding baby for the first time.

After a couple days the CPAP was able to come off and she was put on a nasal cannula (the tubing that you sometimes see that goes over the ears and has prongs in the nose).  She was originally fed TPN and lipids through a central IV line and then was gradually started on formula through a tube inserted through her mouth.  Once she started keeping the formula down the tube was then changed to a nasogastric tube (the tube enters through the nose) which is still in at this time.  She is being fed mostly through the tube but is slowly starting to drink small amounts through a bottle, once or twice a day.  She needs to be able to take all of her feedings through a bottle before she can go home.  I'll try to add what has been happening with Mommy tomorrow.