I really need some prayer right now. We're getting so close to our due date, and I can barely see the light at the end of the tunnel. But every time I get a glimpse of it, a gloomy shadow slides into place and the light is gone.

Today Sayla Grace has had 2 Brady episodes. One while she was eating, and the other just lying in her crib. She has not had a Brady since September 24th, so I was really upset to hear that she's having them again.

The last few times she's had Brady's, her Hematocrit level has been low (basically she's Anemic), and therefore her little body cannot function properly. When this has happened in the past, she has received a round of blood to bring her levels back up to snuff.

Today when I asked if they would please check her Hematocrit level, I was told they would wait until Monday. This really upsets me, because even with just 2 episodes, her little body is having trouble, and I can't get over that. Waiting until Monday is agonizing for me, and I don't understand why they are waiting. This past Monday, the level was at 35, and I know it's dropping because she looks extremely pale.

I'm going to see if I can get with the Doc to ask him, and get a better understanding of the process. We've been through the transfusion thing 6 or 7 times already, so you'd think I kind of know what's going on, but I guess since I'm loosing my patience I'm having trouble understanding.

I know this is all part of God's plan, and there's a lesson in here somewhere. I'm really trying to remember that with every second. He will have her home according to his plan and timing, and I need to step back and let that happen. But I can't help but be selfish and want our baby home now.

On the bright side, she's an ounce away from 5 pounds, and seems to be keeping her temp up in the crib. I got some really cute pictures of her face last night, and as soon as I have a minute to sit down to download the pics off my camera I will post them. I also have some pics of her nursery, but I can't decide what to do with the walls. So I'll post them and let you decide.

In the meantime, please stop and say a prayer for me and our baby. I need patience and understanding, and SGP needs blood (her daddy will donate for her again). Just pray the doctors and nurses do what's right by her and not wait to long. Thanks a million!

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The countdown has officially begun...and stopped. Today was supposed to be Day 1 of our 8 day "Going Home" countdown, but it was halted just as quickly as it began.

The criteria for the countdown are that she cannot have any Brady or Desat episodes during the 8 days, and she must continue to eat well and keep her temp up. She's a champ at eating and staying warm, and even not having Brady episodes. But those pesky desats are getting in the way.

This morning she desatted during her bottles, and so it was decided that she would have to be put back on the Nasal Cannula during her meals. I guess the good thing is that it's only during her meals and not all the time.

She was moved to a crib today...though it could be temporary if she drops her body temperature. I'm not sure what the threshold is, I just know she can't drop it. They left her isolette in place just in case. Though it's kind of not fair to her, because they keep that room like a meat locker and it's hard for ME to keep my temp up when I'm in there. I'm not sure how any baby can do it!

So my lesson in patience has officially begun. Yesterday we were all set to have her home next Friday, and now are telling us they don't know when she'll be home. So I am in constant prayer, asking God to remind me that this is all part of his plan. And that when He's ready for her to be home, she'll be there.

Here are some pics from my shower this past weekend...

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I'm hoping our baby girl doesn't get bad headaches this week. Why you ask???

Well they have officially discontinued the caffeine!!! Ever since she was born, she has been on medical grade caffeine to help her keep her heart and breathing rate up. A little different than food grade caffeine, the medical grade kind gives her a little boost and reminds her little brain to do big jobs, like making her heart beat, and making her breathe.

As she's gotten bigger, they have increased her dosage to keep up with her size. And while she would occasionally have a Brady episode, her Apnea episodes were few and far between. But she hasn't had either since the 24th of September!!!

Last week the doctor mentioned decreasing her dosage, but before the words were even out of his mouth, the little rascal desatted - slowed her breathing down and therefore was getting less oxygen. While she quickly bounced back up, it obviously made the doc leery about decreasing the meds that made this not happen...so in his next breath, he said, "On second thought, I'm going to increase her dosage."

I went from being on cloud 9, to the ground in a heartbeat. But, I knew it was for the best, and that God would show his timing when we least expected it.

Because I was so upset about her getting more, I didn't ask about it again. Then last night, her nurse just casually mentioned, "Oh yeah, they stopped her caffeine today!"

I was so excited!! Just when we least expected it, another prayer has been answered! But we still need prayers in this area. We need to pray that she does not have any Brady or Apnea episodes since coming off of the caffeine.

I'm told it will take 2-3 days to get out of her system completely, so it will be a few days before we see if her body is going to pick up the slack and work on its own. Please be in constant prayer about this. This is the biggest hurdle to get over to come home.

Before she's allowed to come home, she must have 8 days of no episodes while off of the meds. I'm not sure that our countdown officially begins today though, because she also has to be on all bottle feedings. And right now she's only taking 3 a day.

She needs 4 more a day, each taken completely (35cc's) in 15 minutes in order to pass this milestone. So I guess we have 2 hurdles to jump...no more episodes, and 4 more bottles.

Let's PRAY PRAY PRAY that she just surprises everyone and starts taking those bottles like a champ!! Help us use the power of prayer to surprise everyone and have her home well before my due date (October 25th).

In other news, my fabulous friends threw me an absolutely marvelous baby shower yesterday! I had so much fun and it was so great to finally get to just hang out with everyone, and not feel rushed to be somewhere. We received lots of wonderful gifts!! This child will be very well dressed for the next year or two!!

I'll post pictures of her and the shower later...

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Our itty bit has now become our chunky monkey! Tipping the scales at
4 and a half pounds, she has officially outgrown her adorable preemie
outfits!!!

I've decided to pick my favorite and frame it along with a few other
mementos from our time in the NICU. The rest I will donate to the St
Vincents preemie wardrobe.

Thank you for your prayers of growth!! We're getting there!!!

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I just realized it's been more than a week since my last post! So sorry!


Sayla Grace is doing well. She now weighs 4lbs 6ozs!!! And she hasn't had a charted Brady or desat since the 24th of September!!


Here's what's been going on this past week....


She has started receiving her 2 months immunizations. So far she's had the Polio, DTap and Hepititis B. Tonight she'll get the Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV), and when she's old enough, the Rotavirus vaccine. She's lucking out in the vaccine department, as most 2 month olds (that were born at term) have to get them all in one day. She gets to space them out, and get one a day. She's not had any noticeable side effects from the vaccines she's already had, but we ask that you be in continuous prayer for the others, and that no side effects show from any of them.


Vaccines have been a controversial topic of late, with the increased prevalence of Autism, but our doctor assured us that the Autism myth is just that...a myth, and that there are no worries. Apparently the myth stemmed from a study that did not include enough participants to make it valid, as well as the Thimerisol (a form of mercury) that used to be found in vaccines. Now all of the vaccines she needs are made without Thimerisol, so there's no issue with that either. I really debated about the vaccines, but reasoned that the risk of the vaccines was shadowed by the illnesses they prevent. So we went ahead with them. The one vaccine she will not be getting is the Swine Flu one. They won't give it to her now anyway...as she's too young. But I'm not convinced there have been enough studies on this vaccine, and I'm confident we can keep her sheltered from it until the risk passes.


Aside from that, she's been taking a bottle twice a day. She was up to having a bottle with every other feeding, but it just wore her out, and so we slowed down a bit. They have let me give them to her, but I'm now letting the nurses do it again. It seems when I give her the bottle, she falls asleep and doesn't finish. So I'm going to let the nurses do it until she gets the hang of it.


Yesterday she started a round of Lasiks, because she was retaining fluid. Her little legs and eyes were getting puffy. So they put her on Lasiks to help remove the fluid build up. She'll be on them for 6 days, and it should do the trick.


She had her 3 eye exam yesterday, and we got another good report! Praise the Lord for this! She's now at a low risk for developing ROP and her eyes looked really good. She'll have one more exam in 2 weeks, just to be sure.


Other than that, she's really doing well. We were told earlier this week that she "might" be home by my original due date - October 25th. But there are no guarantees. She first has to be on all bottles (so 5 more a day!), off all medicine...and then once she's off of all meds, she must not Brady or Desat for 8 straight days. If she does, the countdown starts over. So there's no telling what the little rascal will do when off of the medicine that keeps those at bay. Please be in prayer for this process...as we are so ready to have her home.


We now have her room all set up - just waiting for the chair to arrive this week. All we need are pictures on the walls, and we'll be set.


Here are some comparison pictures to show how far we've come...

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