01/02/2007

Hello everyone! I first want to say thanks for all of the support and phone calls. I hope everyone understands that I can't talk to everyone, and it gets really hard repeating everything over and over so please feel free to visit this page for all of the latest updates!



Many of you know by now that Emery was born on December 18, 2006 at 9:38 p.m. 15 weeks early at 25-6/7 weeks gestation (so really, just about 14 weeks early). I don't know why the web page says we're expecting. Truth be told, I really really wish we were still expecting.



Anyway, Emery was born because I had severe preeclampsia and it apparently was better for mom and baby for him to be out rather than in. So now, Erik and I have entered the NICU nightmare, which is some days horrid and other days joyful. The NICU staff has been very gracious, as has everyone.



Emery is stable. He has some complications, such as a patent ductus arteriosus and respiratory distress syndrome. As of right now, he has been receiving medication to try and close the PDA. If it isn't closed with this next round of medication then he will get surgery. Please keep Emery in your prayers. Though the surgery is sort of 'standard' in preemies, it's certainly not common or easy because he does only weigh about 1 pound 10 ounces. He seems to be a fighter, though, and loaded with personality already! We've discovered that he is happiest when no one talks to him or bothers him, so he is antisocial just like his parents. It's okay, though, we'll get him into therapy later.



As of right now, Erik and I travel back and forth each day and then spend weekends at the Ronald McDonald House. Feel free to post and ask questions. It will be easiest for me to keep everyone updated here. Thank you all for all of the prayers and donations. God has certainly been working through all of you and meeting our needs before we even ask! Much love, Sarah

01/04/2007

It's a miracle! For all of you who have been praying for Emery and his heart and lungs, I want you to know that the Lord has listened. Erik and I spoke with one of the doctors tonight and we learned that Emery's heart condition is considered no longer there. The PDA is closed after his last round of medication. Emery had an echocardiogram today and the nurses and doctors listened to his heart. They saw no PDA on the echo and heard no murmur. As of right now, there is no heart surgery planned. The doctors are planning on 'watchful waiting' to see how he progresses, and I'm hoping that they will up his feeding tomorrow so that he can get the appropriate nutrition. He still needs lots of prayers for his lungs. I want to thank all of you for your comments and prayers. They have meant so much. Last night, Erik and I had a chance to go back to the Furnace and tell the kids about what was going on. I miss them all so much. I have to remember that God has blessed me with many kids and not just one. The kids prayed for us. They've twice given us $$ that has paid for traveling expenses back and forth to Iowa City. I am amazed at how much God is everywhere right now in this tough situation. Though this is the hardest thing we have ever been through, just knowing that so many of you are praying is a source of tremendous comfort. Thank you all for being there and for being supportive. The nurse last night actually caught Emery on film with his eyes open, so I'm hoping to have those scanned and on the site soon. Again, thank you all so much. You are all gifts from God. I can tell you that neither of us feel quite worthy of all of the love and support you have given us, so I will never be able to thank you all enough. I have been praying for you all as well, though, and throughout all of this we are still praising and thanking God!

01/07/2007

Well, Erik and I are home from our weekend with Emery. We are both having a hard time being home. When we are there it really doesn't matter how he's doing, but when we leave we struggle quite a bit. Emery is doing pretty good. The doctors have upped his feedings to 4 mL every 4 hours, and he's doing okay with those but still has some residual on occasion. He can still use all of your prayers obviously. It's possible he will need heart surgery when he is 6 months of age, and he has all of the usual complications of a micropreemie. It's basically a waiting game. Whatever pops up, the doctors treat. It's frustrating and tiring, and yet I hope throughout all of this our faith will be strengthened. So many of you have come together to pray for him already, and that in and of itself is a miracle. Many of you have put Emery on prayer lists at your churches. Would you all be willing to let me know what churches he is on the list? I have a hope that some day Erik and I can take him to each of the churches who prayed for him and offer thanks. Anyway, he is still gaining weight, and most importantly, he's still here! Thanks for all of the support. Love, Sarah and Erik

01/12/2007

It's been a few days since I have posted, which is actually a good thing. Emery had an awesome week. He was happy, content, tolerating higher feeds well, and generally doing very well. Unfortunately he has taken a turn for the worse. On Wednesday his lungs 'collapsed,' and since then he has developed an infection, his PDA is open again, he is having blood pressure problems, he isn't urinating well, and the doctor won't do surgery while he has an infection. The good news is he is still here and the doctors are treating him. After many talks with the doctors and nurses all day they have assured me that Emery is 'just a little sick' but he does need surgery, he does need to get rid of his infection, and his lungs are still volatile. This is one of those setbacks that they talk about. Since all of this has happened they have cut his feeds again. This is a hard road that we knew we would be on, but we often don't like it. I can't help but worry. I worried much less when he was doing well. He's still here though. The doctors have said that he will get sicker after the surgery but 'most' kids rebound after a few days, whatever the heck that means. Erik and I are trying to stay positive. I want to thank you for all of the support and kindness that everyone has offered, and I do ask you to please, once again, keep Emery in your thoughts and prayers, and pray for Erik and me as well. Emery will be one month old next week ( can you believe it??) There are still many more months that we will have to spend in the NICU if all goes well. I will update more as the weekend progresses and we know more. His lungs do seem to be opening up a little again, and he looks pink and healthy! Thank you again, Love Sarah and Erik

01/13/2007

Crap, I spent 10 minutes typing and lost the darn thing. Emery is on the mend!! We just got done talking with the doctors. The main concerns today are the infection and the PDA, both of which seem to be doing better. Emery will likely have heart surgery on Monday. If you haven't received a phone call, please do not be offended. We are in the NICU now and unable to receive calls or call out. Emery is currently being sedated with Ativan and morphine. This is to help him sleep and breathe better, and his lungs do look pretty good for him which is to say that they do not look as bad. Awake, Emery is a spunky fighter who burns to many calories being mad. Asleep, he heals and grows. This is best for him. His blood pressure is doing better, his urine output has been great, and he looks pink and healthy albeit a little fluid-filled. The infection seems to be getting a little better as well. I haven't read any messages yet, so I'll thank you all in advance for your prayers and thoughts. Thank you all for your support, friendship and love!! Erik, Sarah, and Emery

01/14/2007

Okay, it's Sunday and I'm going to do a quick update because it might be a few days. Tomorrow is Monday, and they are putting Emery on the surgery schedule. He still might not need surgery. His PDA is open, and this creates a load of problems. It affects his lung function, his nutritional status, and basically as long as it is open and they are treating it with medicine (which can lead to kidney problems) they can't aggressively wean him from the ventilator or aggressively up his feeds for nutrition. They really want the PDA closed. The problem is that if the medication works again, tomorrow is the pediatric thoracic surgeon's last day, and he is willing to do the surgery but only if it is still open. In other words, this PDA problem could go on for a long time and dramatically lengthen Emery's stay in the NICU, and without a surgeon to close it... this could on forever. This one is up to God. I have no idea what to pray for on this. As you pray for Emery, pray for his healing, his lungs, stability and that he would come home to us some day. Also, all of you have asked how you can help so here's some ways in which we trully do need help. We have to get the house ready. Anyone with ideas or some extra time, get a hold of me. Keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers, and pray for Erik and me as well. I will try to update after the surgery (provided there is one... ) Basically, the docs told me to go ahead and be here 'in case.' Thank you all again, Love Sarah, Erik and Emery

01/14/2007

Okay, I am a stalker with the updates this weekend. I apologize. Well, your prayers are obviously being heard. Guess what? The PDA is closed. Emery isn't on the surgery schedule. The surgeon wouldn't touch him this weekend because he had the infection, so the doctors treated the PDA again with medication and... yep, you guessed it, prayer warriors, it closed. Basically, the doctor said that they can't justify surgery when there is no problem. It would be like doing an appendectomy on someone who already had one done. Anyway, keep Emery in your prayers (like you are all already doing, for which we thank you) that the PDA will STAY CLOSED this time. Part of the reason he had those few bad days was because the infection blew it wide open. The pediatric thoracic surgeon is leaving the University of Iowa. His last day is tomorrow, and Emery obviously doesn't need surgery, so if the PDA opens again it creates a bit of a problem for the little guy. The new peds thoracic surgeon doesn't start for a few weeks. The docs have talked about doing it at another facility, but I think the closest is Milwaukee so please let's all pray that it is closed for good and stays closed! Here is some perspective. Emery's tummy is the size of a marble and his heart is the slightly larger than a Hershey's kiss. Anyway, the PDA is being treated with medication right now and he is doing very well. The infection is getting better, the PDA is closed, his lungs are doing better, his blood pressure is better, and he was only sedated once today. I didn't sleep at all Friday night. It's so hard not to worry, but I feel much more at peace today. Sometimes just seeing him helps. He looks pretty good. He's a little puffy from the extra fluid accumulation, but that will take a few days to go away. Thank you all for your kind words and all of your help and hope. For now we will celebrate Emery's small victories. Much love, Sarah, Erik and Emery