LizBeth

Elizabeth Nichole Ross was born January 18, 2008 at 6:30 pm. She weighed 7.5 and was 20" long. She began having trouble at about 24 hours old. At 72 hours, we were transferred to a NICU. After a week, we were transferred to another one. After seven weeks of normal or negative test results, we were able to return home with a trach, a fundo and a g-button. For those of you familiar with LizBeth, thank you so very much for your prayers, gifts, cards and visits. God has been so good to us. He has blessed us through His people.

Since Stacy kept everyone updated during our hospital stay, I thought I would try to keep you updated from the home front.

We have been home for 19 days now. "Whoo-Hoo!", to quote Stacy. LizBeth is doing very well. Her room is currently in the living room. Her bed, monitors, humidifiers, O2 Concentrator, portable O2 tank, suction machine, feeding pump with IV pole and all-around baby care needs are in here too.

We went to the doctor on Friday and she weighs 12.4# and is 231/4" long. That's 1# and 1/4" in two weeks. Needless to say, weight gain is not an issue for us right now!

She's on Bactrim now for a possible trach site infection. She also had the area around her g-button cauterized. A rather large granuloma had formed. The button fits so much better now. No more leaking and no more redness.

She's trying to hold her head up now. She is very interested in her sisters too. They think she's pretty cool. Although, LizBeth does like to pull hair...especially Sarah's. We start PT on Tuesday.

She is eating well. Taking 20-60 ccs at about 1/2 the feedings. We do not need O2 for evey PO feed anymore. She's also up to 100 ccs each feed every three hours.

No central apnea since we've been home! And only one obstructive, due to her rather large double chin covering her trach.

Her hiccups are still considered "dangerous" by us. She bradys and desats when they are over. We have asked doctors and nurses for help. We've searched the internet. We've posted on message boards and no one knows what's going on. It seems that Miss Elizabeth is just being her honery self. We tried venting the g-button. We tried decreasing PO feeds. We tried postioning. We even made her hold her arms above her head, which she did NOT appreciate. Twice now I have held her in an upright position in the rocking chair and comforted her during the hiccups. No bradys afterwards and she only dropped to 84 in her sats.

Please pray that these hiccups will go away, or that we can find a way to help prevent the bradys and desats.

We meet with her City doctors in May. We meet with her Pulmonologist in July. Until then, we are going to our doctor every two weeks. Please continue to pray for our "nursing wisdom."

Thank you