Hudson's a superhero, he's just taking some time to adjust to our atmosphere. ~Karleen
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
It might just be true
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Inrcredible Hulk
On Thursday, just before my workday was ending I got a call from Dustin asking if I was ready to have a baby...I thought he was joking and laughed; once I realized he was serious panic set in. Stacy went in for a routine diabetic appointment and mentioned she hadn't felt baby move much. They took her over to the woman's pavilion and got her hooked up to the monitors and babies heart rate was a little low so they decided to get her an ultrasound; baby wasn't very responsive there either, it seemed that his umbilical cord had tightened so it was time to pull him out.
We made it to the hospital in record time and I basically had time to put on scrubs and sit down before I saw his little head poking out of Stacy's tummy. Officially Hudson Samuel was born at 5:04pm on April 23, 2009 and he is beautiful. He weighed 7lbs 3 oz at birth and is 21.8" long and perfect in every way.
We held him for about half an hour before they took him down to the nursery. Once we got there the nurse thought he looked a little dusty coloured and checked his oxygen levels. They like babies to be in the 90's and Hudson was down in the 60's. They got oxygen on him and brought him up to the NIC Unit. We thought he just needed to have his lungs cleared from going through a c-section, so we weren't all that worried. We went home late that night expecting good news in the morning.
Friday might have been the toughest day I've ever faced in my life. The news went from bad to worse and no one could tell us what was wrong with him. Over the night he'd had a blood transfusion and been intubated. He had high levels of acid in his blood and they didn't know why. Things got worse when after finding all of this out the newest Dr on call said we had to leave because we weren't Hudson's parents. That is where I finally broke down and lost it, it all became too much. The nurses here are amazing though, within minutes we had a social worker with us who got the forms signed for us to get back in the room with our little guy. It was all overwhelming and the scariest part was not knowing what we were up against. How could a little guy who looks so healthy and strong be so sick?
Friday night we found out they had a room just outside the NIC U available for us to stay in, which was a relief in some ways (getting to be near him and see him 24-7) but scary to realize he's sick enough that we need to be here 24-7.
Saturday morning one of his neonatologists finally sat us down to explain what they think is going on in his little body. They think he has either a hardening of his heart due to Stacy being diabetic, which is something that will get better over time or a metabolic disorder on a cellular level that isn't treatable and life threatening. They are both symptomatic of the other and can be the cause or effect of the other and there is no way to know which it is, only time will tell. So we wait, and pray and enjoy every moment we have with him, because we just don't know.
He couldn't be in a better place, he has his own nurse, a team of 19 neonatologists and specialized doctors who are doing everything they can to figure out what's going on and keeping him stable until they do. The nurses here are beyond amazing, I can't begin to describe how wonderful and caring and compassionate they are.
Hudson is a strong little guy, the nurses were calling him Hulk because he was pulling all his tubes out and monitor lines off every chance he got. Saturday night he spent some time with his eyes open just checking things out without agitation. Last night we got the best anniversary gift ever, we got to hold him for 3 hours straight outside his incubator. It was amazing and calming and perfect.
So here we are, with our little guy being just about 4 days old, and we are completely and totally in love with our little monkey, and hoping he will live for us to tell him the whole story one day.
♥
We made it to the hospital in record time and I basically had time to put on scrubs and sit down before I saw his little head poking out of Stacy's tummy. Officially Hudson Samuel was born at 5:04pm on April 23, 2009 and he is beautiful. He weighed 7lbs 3 oz at birth and is 21.8" long and perfect in every way.
We held him for about half an hour before they took him down to the nursery. Once we got there the nurse thought he looked a little dusty coloured and checked his oxygen levels. They like babies to be in the 90's and Hudson was down in the 60's. They got oxygen on him and brought him up to the NIC Unit. We thought he just needed to have his lungs cleared from going through a c-section, so we weren't all that worried. We went home late that night expecting good news in the morning.
Friday might have been the toughest day I've ever faced in my life. The news went from bad to worse and no one could tell us what was wrong with him. Over the night he'd had a blood transfusion and been intubated. He had high levels of acid in his blood and they didn't know why. Things got worse when after finding all of this out the newest Dr on call said we had to leave because we weren't Hudson's parents. That is where I finally broke down and lost it, it all became too much. The nurses here are amazing though, within minutes we had a social worker with us who got the forms signed for us to get back in the room with our little guy. It was all overwhelming and the scariest part was not knowing what we were up against. How could a little guy who looks so healthy and strong be so sick?
Friday night we found out they had a room just outside the NIC U available for us to stay in, which was a relief in some ways (getting to be near him and see him 24-7) but scary to realize he's sick enough that we need to be here 24-7.
Saturday morning one of his neonatologists finally sat us down to explain what they think is going on in his little body. They think he has either a hardening of his heart due to Stacy being diabetic, which is something that will get better over time or a metabolic disorder on a cellular level that isn't treatable and life threatening. They are both symptomatic of the other and can be the cause or effect of the other and there is no way to know which it is, only time will tell. So we wait, and pray and enjoy every moment we have with him, because we just don't know.
He couldn't be in a better place, he has his own nurse, a team of 19 neonatologists and specialized doctors who are doing everything they can to figure out what's going on and keeping him stable until they do. The nurses here are beyond amazing, I can't begin to describe how wonderful and caring and compassionate they are.
Hudson is a strong little guy, the nurses were calling him Hulk because he was pulling all his tubes out and monitor lines off every chance he got. Saturday night he spent some time with his eyes open just checking things out without agitation. Last night we got the best anniversary gift ever, we got to hold him for 3 hours straight outside his incubator. It was amazing and calming and perfect.
So here we are, with our little guy being just about 4 days old, and we are completely and totally in love with our little monkey, and hoping he will live for us to tell him the whole story one day.
♥
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
36 Week Update
Interesting Facts!
Your once wiggly baby now favors certain body positions. Typically, your baby will enjoy resting with his head down and his rump toward your ribs—the ideal placement for delivery. Your baby's movements will become less frequent as he has less wiggle room. From now Baby's growth will be slow and steady as he continues to put on weight and fill out.
How Big Is Baby?
Your little one weighs in at six pounds this week and his length hovers around 13.2 inches (crown to rump).
How We Feel:
Another two weeks have gone by, another two weeks closer to meeting our little peanut. If the next couple of weeks go by as fast as the last few, he'll be here in no time! I'm really happy that as of next Sunday we'll have made it to 37 weeks. Stacy has been talking for ages about inducing labour, she has all kinds of crazy ideas and wives tales she'd like to try; I made her promise to wait until 37 weeks before she starts trying though - one more week Stacy, one more week.
Stacy's mum is coming in from Newfoundland on the 28th of April. I am looking forward to meeting her and hopefully spending some time with her before baby arrives. I'd really like for her to know that we would like her to be as big a part in baby's life as she wants to be and that we welcome Stacy's family to love baby just as they would have if Stacy hadn't made the choice of adoption; I can't think of anyone who wouldn't want three families to love their child instead of two.
Being the big dork that I am, I'm as physically prepared as I can be for baby to arrive. I have washed and put away all his clothes and bedding, and I've even packed his little bag for the hospital. I have the cameras ready by the door, along with snacks, magazines and a crib board for the hospital stay. Last night I even made Dustin help me assemble the playyard for upstairs, just to be sure all the pieces were there; they of course were, I'm just crazy.
As a side note: Why do cats think everything we bring in to the house for the baby is actually for them?
And so we wait some more.
♥
Your once wiggly baby now favors certain body positions. Typically, your baby will enjoy resting with his head down and his rump toward your ribs—the ideal placement for delivery. Your baby's movements will become less frequent as he has less wiggle room. From now Baby's growth will be slow and steady as he continues to put on weight and fill out.
How Big Is Baby?
Your little one weighs in at six pounds this week and his length hovers around 13.2 inches (crown to rump).
How We Feel:
Another two weeks have gone by, another two weeks closer to meeting our little peanut. If the next couple of weeks go by as fast as the last few, he'll be here in no time! I'm really happy that as of next Sunday we'll have made it to 37 weeks. Stacy has been talking for ages about inducing labour, she has all kinds of crazy ideas and wives tales she'd like to try; I made her promise to wait until 37 weeks before she starts trying though - one more week Stacy, one more week.
Stacy's mum is coming in from Newfoundland on the 28th of April. I am looking forward to meeting her and hopefully spending some time with her before baby arrives. I'd really like for her to know that we would like her to be as big a part in baby's life as she wants to be and that we welcome Stacy's family to love baby just as they would have if Stacy hadn't made the choice of adoption; I can't think of anyone who wouldn't want three families to love their child instead of two.
Being the big dork that I am, I'm as physically prepared as I can be for baby to arrive. I have washed and put away all his clothes and bedding, and I've even packed his little bag for the hospital. I have the cameras ready by the door, along with snacks, magazines and a crib board for the hospital stay. Last night I even made Dustin help me assemble the playyard for upstairs, just to be sure all the pieces were there; they of course were, I'm just crazy.
As a side note: Why do cats think everything we bring in to the house for the baby is actually for them?
And so we wait some more.
♥
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Ultrasound Update
I pretty much thought I was writing this blog to myself - basically to capture the unique and amazing journey we've all ended up on. I assumed that maybe a few family members would read it here and there but as time goes by I'm beginning to realize that people are actually reading my blog...and coming back for more - who knew? I've already had over 2000 hits. Anyway, Hi readers, welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere!
If you came today to look for the cute baby pics I promised yesterday - unfortunately there are no pictures from the ultrasound. Baby is just too big for good pictures. I can tell you though, that we saw his heart and heard it beating away so that was reassuring....you know, because I'm so doctor like, and can tell the difference between a heart beating well and one that's not right?! Either way it made me feel better to see him again, I'd missed the little guy.
The tech told us that baby is weighing in at 5.5lbs - and with six weeks to go I can't imagine how big he's going to get!
We took Mat and Stacy out for dinner after the ultrasound, it was nice to all be together and have a good time laughing and joking around. It makes me feel like everything is going to be okay.
This afternoon is Stacy's OB appointment. I'm going to go with her so we can all discuss the heart situation and the course of action it requires. Chances are baby will come a couple weeks early anyways because of Stacy being diabetic so there might not be anything to do.
Have I mentioned that if baby comes a couple weeks early we're only about 25 days away?? Crazy huh!
♥
If you came today to look for the cute baby pics I promised yesterday - unfortunately there are no pictures from the ultrasound. Baby is just too big for good pictures. I can tell you though, that we saw his heart and heard it beating away so that was reassuring....you know, because I'm so doctor like, and can tell the difference between a heart beating well and one that's not right?! Either way it made me feel better to see him again, I'd missed the little guy.
The tech told us that baby is weighing in at 5.5lbs - and with six weeks to go I can't imagine how big he's going to get!
We took Mat and Stacy out for dinner after the ultrasound, it was nice to all be together and have a good time laughing and joking around. It makes me feel like everything is going to be okay.
This afternoon is Stacy's OB appointment. I'm going to go with her so we can all discuss the heart situation and the course of action it requires. Chances are baby will come a couple weeks early anyways because of Stacy being diabetic so there might not be anything to do.
Have I mentioned that if baby comes a couple weeks early we're only about 25 days away?? Crazy huh!
♥
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