Our Quiverfull - All is well!

Feb. 7, 2008

All is well!

Our internet connection went down several days ago and our wireless home network went down as soon as the internet issue was fixed, so I haven't been able to blog. No big problems except technical ones. :-)

Mary Faith is doing SO well. She is a happy, beautiful baby and is nursing like a pro. It took her a couple of days to get really proficient at nursing but she is doing very, very well now and is gaining about 2 oz a day. She did develop jaundice less than 24 hours after birth and her bilirubin was getting a bit high, so the doctors had us bring her to the hospital lab on Sunday to recheck her. Her levels were a bit higher still and the doctor initially proposed admitting her for phototherapy, but we had the doctor call Noah's wonderful home nurse and arrange for home phototherapy instead. She has a little bili-blanket that we wrap her in most of the day and Noah's nurse checks her bilirubin levels here at the house each day. She is looking much better and may get off the blanket tomorrow. I am SO thankful for our great nurse. It would be incredibly disruptive to take Mary Faith to the hospital lab every day just for a heel stick, and of course we are very glad to be doing the bili-blanket at home instead of having her in the hospital!! We are enjoying her very much and there is always a line of little people wanting to hold her, kiss her, and burp her LOL.

Noah is doing pretty well. While I was still in the hospital we found out that he does indeed have C. Diff. C. Diff is a "super bug" which is resistant to all but two antibiotics. Those antibiotics have varying rates of success among different patients. It is a bacterial infection of the gut and can cause many very serious complications. We don't know what, if any, role this is playing in his gut shut-down. He is on antibiotics but they have to be given orally (g-tube in his case) to be effective - so no one knows how much he is absorbing. IV antibiotics would be better but aren't appropriate for this bug. One big concern is that C. Diff. greatly increases the risk of sepsis from bacteria translocating across the gut. This has happened twice to Noah without the C. Diff. and we are praying for protection from this and other complications. Fortunately no one in the family is in a risk category for catching C. Diff. as it USUALLY leaves healthy people alone, but we are doing lots of handwashing, changing Noah on disposable pads, etc. C. Diff. tends to cause a good bit of pain and discomfort. Noah isn't terribly miserable but seems to be hurting sometimes. The antibiotic he is taking causes patients to feel generally icky and just yesterday he started acting sort of under the weather. Other than that, he is very happy and extremely BUSY which is wonderful to see.

He actually got invited to a birthday party for next Saturday. One of his little buddies is turning one. :-) I can't wait to see what he does at a party LOL and hope he feels up to going. He is quite proud of the invitation he got in the mail and hauled it around with him for a long time after he got it. He is still enamored of "his" baby which is dear to see.

We are leaving in a bit to go to Greenville for a cardiology appt. for Noah. I probably won't get another update today but will try to do something tomorrow. I do want to blog about Mary Faith's amazing birth, and have more pictures to share. This was just a quick catch-up and don't-worry post. :-) Thank you all so much for your prayers!!!

Love,
Kate

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Comments

Feb. 7, 2008 - Happy Posts

Posted by HopeRumpca

Oh Kate, our family just LOVES your happy posts! When I called the kids in to read your post to them they all said, "Yaaaaay!" and did "happy dances" around the living room! I am so glad everyone is doing well and that Noah is having some good times. Thank you for being so transparent with all of us and for letting us join you in your life.

God Bless!
Hope & Family
Eagle Point, OR