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LAUREN'S JOURNEY

[ChrisnKristen]
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ChrisnKristen

May 2013
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Newest Entries
BIRTHDAY PLANNING

Jul 22, 2011 03:01pm (EST)

I haven't been on here but decided to catch up and see how eveyone is doing. i hope all the NICU babies out there are having a GREAT day. i remember those bad days and how hard it was. To all the NICU moms out there stay stong for your little one. we know its hard.

I am in the beginning stages of planning Laurens first birthday. it wont be till november hehe. She has been doing GREAT. She is almost 9 months old weighing around 14 pounds and 22 1/2 inches long (shes still a little short) I want to make her first birthday very special because she is a miracle baby in full. i love the fact that shes so happy. it makes up completely for those 4 months in the hospital. she's constantly smiling and laughing and reaching for us with the biggest grin on her face. I know shes still a little behind "full term" babies her age but i feel like she has a perfectly good excuse. I know one day she'll be on track with the rest of them.

i'm also planning anotehr visit to the nicu to see all of our nurses and remind them of how much they mean to us. I pray for all the other moms and babies out there. we love you here on share


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (3) | Permalink
HAPPY EASTER FROM LAUREN

May 05, 2011 08:57pm (EST)

WOW what milestones we have made. Coming from 1 pound 1 ounce and 11 inches long to now 9 pounds and 19 inches long. What a miracle she is. She has so much spunk. Constantly smiles at us. She is now 6 months old, came off oxygen last week and has been doing great without it. Still on heart monitor but it is very comforting for me. To all the NICU moms, hang in there. I hope you had the best Easter with your little one. I just recently read a story of a baby in the NICU and i remebered our 4 months there and it encouraged me to write on here again. With all my love,

Kristen


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (4) | Permalink
SHE'S HOME!!!!

Mar 22, 2011 08:46pm (EST)

Lauren came home on Tuesday, March 8th. She weighed 5 pounds 1.9 ounces when she came home. She is still on oxygen and the heart monitor and pulse ox monitor. But shes been doing GREAT!!! thank you everyone for all the support. She sure is a blessing.


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (4) | Permalink
4 POUNDS!!!

Feb 14, 2011 09:42pm (EST)

Lauren hit 4 pounds this past Saturday. We are so proud, and EXCITED!! Oh and she graduated to the crib on her 3 month birthday!!

She is now off the feeding tube and taking the bottle every feed now.They took her off her lasics and she gained a lot of weight at once. Jumped from 3 lb 6 to 3. 11. They are trying to "force" her body to learn how to get rid of the extra fluid on her own. She struggled, but she was tolerating it (no heart drops) They just did an ultra-sound on her kidneys to see how they were. If nothing was wrong with them they were going to give her another round of lasics and try and get her off oxygen. But the results came back last night and she has very tiny kidney stones. They said they will either dissolve or she'll pass them on her own. There is no blood in her urine so she is perfectly find. But now she can't have anymore lasics so she might come home on oxygen which is perfectly fine.
She has a hernia which she got when she was still 1 pound from straining so much. They told us surgery will be right before she goes home. The nurse told me the other day that they were trying to go ahead and schedule her surgery so be ready for her to come home. I still havent received a call to tell me when it is but i am getting more anxious by the minute.


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (5) | Permalink
COUNTING DAYS...

Jan 25, 2011 03:36pm (EST)

Lauren will be 3 months old in a little over a week. We are counting down the days till we can bring her home. Should be less then a month now. But as every mother knows who has visited the NICU there is so specific date.

Lauren hit 3 pounds this last Saturday!! She is now bottle feeding every 6 hours and taking the rest through her tube inbetween the bottle feeds. She is still on the cannula. Requiring more oxygen at certain times but she doesnt usually go over 25%. She grows more beautiful and strong everyday!!


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (3) | Permalink
DAY OF LIFE 68

Jan 10, 2011 07:31pm (EST)

Lauren has been in the NICU for 68 days now. We are slowly but surely getting closer to bringing her home. Her weight today is 2 pounds 11.1 ounces. She has been off c pap for a while now and has luckily stayed on the cannula. She has the most wonderful smile, and a personality that would steal anybody's heart. We're so proud of our miracle baby.


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (3) | Permalink
OUR STORY

Jan 06, 2011 09:30pm (EST)

I noticed that I never explained our story and why Lauren is here today.

I found out I was expecting in June 2010. Lauren's due date was February 5th 2011.

I had what I thought was a very normal pregnancy. I was scared at first (of course) but after the reality of having a baby kicked in I was very excited. My doctor was telling me everything was fine and normal. The baby looked good in all my ultra-sounds and they said I was gaining the perfect amount of weight at a time. On halloween weekend I noticed I was having really bad chest and back pains. They were bad at night but would be better during the day. So when I would get up the next morning I thought everything was fine. This was my first pregnancy so I didn't know what to expect. On November first I called my doctor because the pains had increased and it was also during the day. They told me to go to the emergency room as I might have formed a blood clot. I went to the e.r. at the nearest hospital and was there for about an hour until they transported me by ambulance to a women's and children's hospital. Once there we found out that I had severe preeclampsia and there was alot of fluid built up in my lungs. I had another ultra-sound and they said that she was too small and they wanted to keep her in me as long as they could. They gave me a steriod shot on Monday and then another on Tuesday to help develop Lauren's lungs. I just knew that they were going to take her early if they were going through all the shots to give her a chance to live. On Wednesday they said I had gotten worse and there was more fluid in my lungs. The only cure to preeclampsia is to deliver, or else we would have died. I delivered on Wednesday at 4:47 pm. Lauren came out with her eyes open but she didn't cry which scared me to death. She weighed 1 pound .08 ounces (almost 1 ounce). She was the tiniest thing that I have ever seen. She "circled the drain" her first week of life. Stayed on the ventilator for a while, and couldnt seem to keep her weight up. It was very difficult to see my baby struggling to survive and there was nothing I could do but watch. We couldn't hold her for weeks. Much less we could barely touch her. It was the most scariest thing I have ever been thru.

I am so blessed though! Today Lauren is 2 pounds 6.5 ounces. She continues to get better. She has been showered in prayer and I believe that is the ONLY reason why she is with us today. God has His hand on my beautiful little girl. What a mighty God we serve.

I hope my story helps someone. There are so many other mothers out there that have not been as fortunate and my heart goes out to them and their families.

The picture below is of her first day of life.


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (3) | Permalink
BLESSED

Jan 04, 2011 05:59pm (EST)

Today is January 4th, 2011.
Lauren has been in the hospital a total of 62 days and in all of that time gained over a pound. As of last night she was 2 pounds 5.8 ounces. We are half way there to taking her home. They said it shouldnt be too much over a month before we do get to take her home. She is still off her c pap and gaining weight everday. I got to bathe, weigh and re-wrap her in her blankets all on my own for the first time last night. Thank you to everyone for all the support and prayers.


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (5) | Permalink
DECEMBER 30, 2010

Dec 30, 2010 08:41pm (EST)

Today is December 30th, 2010.
Lauren is getting better each day!! She gave me the best Christmas present ever and hit 2 pounds exactly on Christmas! She was having a little difficulty digesting her food on Christmas day so they stopped her feeds the day after to let her clear that out of her stomach. She went a little under 2 pounds after that (1 lb 15.7 o) but came right back up when they restarted her feeds. I got to experience my very first Kangaroo Care last night We both enjoyed that so much!! As of last night she weighed 2 pounds 2.6 ounces! I called the hospital about an hour ago to check on her and they have taken her c pap out. They are trying to let her do almost all the breathing on her on. They still have a little bit of oxygen going into her nose, just by small tubes. I am not sure what its called but i used the same oxygen tubes when i was in the hospital. The nurse told me that some babies do really well for a couple of days off c pap but then they might need it back so i'm not going to worry too much if she has to go back on it. Thank you everyone for all the prayers and encouragment!! We are so blessed!!


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Posted by ChrisnKristen | Comments: (1) | Permalink
DECEMBER 23, 2010

Dec 23, 2010 06:48pm (EST)

Today is December 23, 2010.
Lauren is still doing very well. She is doing great with the formula! Her weight now is 1 pound 15.3 ounces! I might get a early Christmas present!! We are so proud of her. She is so beautiful! I think about her all the time. I just wish I could see her more. Now that i'm back at work I dont get to go as often. I am just looking forward to the day we can bring her home!


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