7 months

Amazing! 7 months since you were born, Sweet Adeline.You sit without support, roll over in both directions, jabber loudly, pass objects from hand to hand, and you love to laugh and smile. We started solids a few days after you turned six months old, and so far, there isn't anything you haven't liked. You still only have your two bottom teeth, but I think it won't be very long until you get your top two. You have sprouted hair that sticks up in the back and all over. Aunt Lindsey says your hair is just like your cousin Gaitley's was when she was little so you might end up with straight hair. We'll see. We finally moved you into your crib this month, but you are still in our room. We moved your crib in our room so you and your sister wouldn't wake each other up at night. You still get up once a night, but I think it is routine now since we woke you up at 4 am for almost 7 months. You had your 6 month checkup at the end of November and were 25-50% in height at 25 1/2 inches and 10-25% in weight at 14 lb 5 oz. You are growing beautifully! We love you!

Cardiology & ENT Update

Addie had a follow up cardiology appointment yesterday and an ENT appointment today. The cardiology appointment went great. She had an x-ray and everything looked good so Dr. Ikemba took her  off her diuretic, Lasix. They also discontinued her iron yesterday. She is only on Prevacid, Atenolol, and Aspirin now. So awesome! Her sats were 89 and she weighed 15 lbs. She has remained on her weight growth curve, which is the goal. We don't have to go back to the cardiologist until March 21. I am so excited about this!! 3 months of no clinic. Amazing. In March, she will have an ECHO and EKG. Also, they will probably determine whether or not she needs to be on Atenolol anymore. I am praying she has grown out of her SVT!

The ENT appointment today did not go as I had hoped. They were checking Addie's paralyzed vocal cord to see if it was repairing. Unfortunately, it is not. Dr. Brenski, the ENT, said there was a 25% chance of repair now until Addie is a year old. We will go back in June to check. In June, they will determine whether or not her left  vocal cord is a total loss (I can't remember the exact words Dr. Brenski used, so I will just say that) or not. To say I was disappointed doesn't cover it. Here is the thing though; Addie isn't aspirating or having trouble eating so she is handling the paralyzed vocal cord very well. Her right vocal cord has most likely compensated for the left vocal cord. She is loud and will hopefully not have any long term effects from this. Dr. Brenski said there was no way to know right now what the long term effects would be, but there still is a CHANCE for recovery. Dr. Brenski said she felt like Addie was just going to be one of those kids that you wouldn't even know that her vocal cord was paralyzed (if it stays that way).

Please pray for Addie's vocal cord to repair. I had a hard time today not showing my disappointment that it hadn't begun repair. I just don't want this to be one more thing that she has to deal with. We do feel very blessed that it isn't affecting her in any way now though.

Happy Thanksgiving

As we near the one year anniversary of the beginning of Addie's heart journey, I wanted to post Scott's testimony from Thanksgiving. He was one of 3 Wilshire members to give testimony at the Thanksgiving service. He did a fabulous job. It is a great reminder of where we were one year ago and where we are today. Happy Thanksgiving!

http://www.wilshirebc.org/files/1613/5344/6502/11-scott-prewett.mp3

6 months!

6 months has been a very good one for Addie. She rolled over a few days after she turned 5 months old, her two bottom teeth poked through, she says baba, mama and dada, and she had her second surgery and flew through recovery. I should also say that she actually says "mama" to me when I walk out of the room or she wants to be picked up. It melts my heart, for sure.  It has taken Addie about 3 weeks to get back to her pre-second surgery self. I think a lot of it had to do with the virus she got a couple weeks ago, but she has mostly returned to the happy baby she was before. We have yet to start solid food, but that is something I plan on doing soon. We are still waking her up to eat in the middle of the night because she lost about 10 oz when she was in the hospital for the virus.  As we go into this Thanksgiving holiday, we feel we have so much to be thankful for. Not just this week but always. These 6 months have been nothing short of amazing. God has definitely been listening to the prayers of all his people. Thank you! 

We are home!!

We got home yesterday around 3. Yay!! Addie was so excited when I got her car seat out of the car and she saw our house. She smiled for 10 minutes, I think. She has been in much better spirits since we have been home and is definitely on the mend. Thank you all for your prayers and support. Your words of encouragement helped so much!

Still here

After 3 full days in the hospital there still isn't a definite answer to what is going on. They are still leaning towards bad reflux. They think Addie might have had a virus earlier in the week that might have irritated reflux. Weird since she really has no previous history of reflux. She was on IV fluids and Pedialyte for about 26 hours day before yesterday. We started feeding her formula around noon yesterday and around 5 she started acting the same as she was Tuesday. Uncomfortable and super fussy.  We are definitely going to be in the hospital tonight. I sure hope we get it figured out soon because I am ready for Addie to feel better and for us to get home. My mom is coming today to stay with Ellie so Scott and I can both be here with Addie. Prayers for an answer!

Back so soon?

We were admitted to Children's yesterday, and will most likely be here tonight.  Addie hasn't been feeling well since Monday and yesterday she seemed worse. She is uncomfortable, breathing funny at times and wakes up screaming. She was also really sleepy yesterday. She was either crying or asleep most the day yesterday. They have ruled out the big stuff, thank goodness. Her ECHO, EKG, and X-ray were all fine. There were a couple indicators on her labs that she might have infection somewhere, but these might be elevated because she isn't that far out from surgery so she could have some inflammation still from that. They did a blood culture that will give more accurate results. We should know preliminary information from that in 24 hours. I am so thankful that it isn't anything big, but I also wonder what is going on. They think she might have some bad reflux which could be why she is grunting, back arching, generally uncomfortable. She is already on a big dose of Prevacid so I am confused why she would just now be showing these signs.

This is so hard. I always fly into freak out mode when anything is wrong with Addie. I have read way too much, I know too much. It is exhausting. I spent the night at home with Ellie last night while Scott stayed here. On the drive home, I couldn't help but think about all the bad stuff that could be going on. It actually makes my heart hurt. Like, physically hurt. I also feel like it is my fault that she is having to go through this. Be admitted to the hospital for stuff that is so common for kids without bad hearts.  Every doctor that we saw before Addie's birth always made it a point to tell Scott and I that this wasn't our fault. It was nothing I ate or didn't eat. This stuff happens sporadically. But, I did do this to her. I can't help but think that.We decided to have a baby, and this is what happened. Some part of it is my fault, and I hate that with every ounce of my being. This time, we got lucky and it isn't anything big (we hope). I pray that isn't ever anything big. There is a potential though, and I have a huge problem with that.