First Post

Hello everyone!
I wanted to start a blog to chronicle my little daughters journey. (Thanks Noel for the idea!) Cordelia was born at 29 weeks gestation (almost 3 months early) on April 12, 2009. She weighed in at 2 lbs 14 ozs and was only 15 inches long! I suppose I can go into the whole story at some point but that would really jog my memory... To make a long story very brief she ended up with a 82 day stay in the NICU after multiple complications including necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), developing an intestinal stricture requiring her to have 40% of her large intestive removed and a colostomy which she still has,and a heart murmur due to a patent ductus arteriosis (PDA). She was on a ventilator for about 2 1/2 weeks total.

All of this said you would never know she has any trouble looking at her. She is a very active 5 month old! The plan is to have her colostomy reversed in January. Since she has been home (July 3) she has had a grand total of 21 doctors appointments for various reasons. She is being followed by a cardiologist for her PDA. Last week the cardiologist said that will have to have her heart fixed. We are hoping she will be a candidate for repairing the PDA via a cardiac cath procedure in which they would access her heard through her femoral artery in her groin. The only way they could do it this way is if she gains enough weight. The less preferred way is to access her heart through a couple of ribs in her side. So we want to fatten her up!!!!

She is seeing a speech pathologist to work with her suck/swallow abilities which are poor and a dietician to follow her calories. She is also having trouble with acid reflux so they started her on Zantac which seems to be helping. Her eating has gone way downhill recently and the speech pathologist said it is because she learned that the more I eat, the more my tummy hurts from reflux... SAD! =( Little peanut has had no significant weight gain in about 3 weeks. She is 8 lbs 3 ozs as of last friday (a 1 oz loss from the week before). The dietician is recommending adding a formula only available by perscription and adding it to my milk. Here's hoping!

She developed flat spots on the sides of her head from being in the NICU for so long so she needs to wear a helmet to correct it. She has been fitted for it and any day now I expect a call to go get it. I will post pictures of her in it... I'm sure it will be so cute! I ordered it in pink of course!

She had been seeing an opthomologist every weeks since coming home because preemies are at high risk for developing retinopathy from the oxygen used in the hospital. She did develop some retinopathy in both eyes but as of this past monday she was given the all clear to followup in January! The best birthday present I've ever recieved! =)

I think that's pretty much it in a nutshell for now. We go to the pediatrician for a weight check tommorow so we are hoping for a good gain! We know you can do it Cordelia!!!