Hospital Entry #2

10/27/2011      10:53 pm    (Facebook entry written while in the hospital)

Awe inspired hope. This term best defines Day 2. Our baby girl has been with us just shy of two full days and already the effect she has had on us is mighty. And the force of hope, love and support shown by more people than we can begin to count, is the one and only thing holding our family together. At this very new and raw point in our life, Steven and I don't have anything else to really grasp ahold of other than hope. 

Today we were given some reasons to hope. Early this morning, we got a call from Brynn's night nurse that they had inserted a urinary catheter and had gotten a generous return of urine. This was reason to rejoice as it illustrates that our baby girl has kidney function, and at least for now, we are avoiding acute renal failure. 

Later this morning Brynn was extubated for a short time and was able to sustain her breathing on only 2 liters supplemental oxygen via nasal canula. Again, we were given reason to hope. A bit later, however, the breathing tube was reinserted as Brynn is not strong enough in this sedated state to take frequent and deep enough breaths on her own. So we wait in hope that maybe in another day or so she will have enough strength to begin breathing again on her own. 

Brynna has moved her feet and toes a few times in response to light touch which, although a primitive neurological sign, does give us hope that she will neurologically continue to improve. 

Later this afternoon we were also informed she has bowel tones (hope for a functioning digestive/intestinal system) as well as stabilizing blood sugars (hope for an intact endocrine system). 

At one very distinct point in the day I was talking to Brynn and she moved and breathed in such a way that gave me the first distinct hope I have had yet that she can hear us. I believe our sweet daughter hears us when we speak to her and knows our love when we touch her, and I continue to hope that when the time comes and she opens her eyes, she will recognize us. 

So many times through our day we feel we may be grasping at straws, and it is very easy for us to begin to feel hopeless. When we get good news, we are careful and remain guarded as we hope the very good news will not be followed by the very bad. The love and support that each and every person has shown us since we first shared our story, and the distance that your hope and faith span, help restore our faith and hope that our baby will continue to improve. Thank you so much for the thoughts and prayers, and please keep them coming. 

Please send your love and hopes of healing and recovery. 

Cole, Aidan and Jack met their little sister today and it was a beautiful thing. One of my most sincere hopes is that this is a relationship that will be granted the privilege of a lifetime to grow and flourish. I want nothing more than for our boys to have a little sister to shower with their love. 

Tomorrow we will start another day of our new role as NICU parents. We hope and pray that we continue to be blessed by improvements in our little girl's health, and again we are humbled by the amazing force you all are having on our hearts. You are the instillers of hope and we beg of you, "keep it coming"!