Ronald McDonald House~~~~Rm 206

Here we are in another room, this time with a more home-like atmosphere.  Last Friday we walked into a brand new Ronald McDonald House which became our "home away from home" for the weeks to come.  It is super nice and we have rested well.  We are right down the road from our Princess which makes it convenient to visit. 
Mom and Dad brought the boys down for a visit this past weekend and Jody and I ended up in the ER Saturday morning with Tyler who returned quickly returned home with the flu.  Not exactly how I planned our first weekend together. 
Since Saturday I have gathered myself emotionally, stopped feeling sorry for myself and looked around at the needs of others in this house to realize my situation is not as bad as it seems.  Please join us in praying for the needs of my new roommate's and their children. 
As far as Ashleigh goes, she is doing extremely well!!  Being repeat offenders, we enjoy the opportunity to bathe, change diapers, and get her out of her isollete all by ourselves.  She is a little over her birth weight and hopefully going to start bottle feeding soon.  She is a good mix of Tyler and Reid which means she looks nothing like her Mama!!! 
Another family visit is planned for this weekend, that is everyone remains well.  Please pray for this to happen!! 

Specific Requests:
-Health for all family members
-Finances
-Ashleigh's Growth and Feedings
-Separation from boys

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ after you have suffered a little while will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."  1 Peter 5:10

Surgery was a sucess today.  BP and pain management are on the agenda from here on out.  Thank you for your prayers.  Jody is visiting with Ash who has had a fabulous day!  They have decreased her oxygen back to room air, increased her feedings from 10 ml to 17 ml and she should come out from under the "tanning" light tomorrow.  We are so thrilled she is doing so well.  Makes the healing process a little easier. 
Special Prayer Requests: 
1) heal my incision and adjust BP 
2) feel void in Tyler and Reid's heart 
3) Ash continue to tolerate feeds and grow
4)  take away any financial burden 
5)  God to be honored through all this

"He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction."  2 Corinthians 1:4

January 16, 2011

Here we are day 3 in the NICU...it's amazing what you forget in 8 years.  The feelings you repress all come welling back up...helplessness, loneliness, home sickness...and the sickening realization that your life is on hold for the next few months.  And the whole world keeps on spinning but you feel like you are not on it....you are on hold.  Your family is separated, your future in uncertain and there is nothing you can do about.  Yes, these feelings are real and they make you feel unsettled and fearful, sad and lonely.....We so pray the Lord will place HIS hand on all of us and comfort us. 

On a lighter note, Ashleigh is doing good they tell us.  She had to be put back on oxygen last night because she was tired.  She had to have a 2nd dose of Surfactant and responded well to it again.  Her bilirubin was up (meaning she is jaundiced) so she will be under the lights tonight and she dropped an ounce in weight.  Hopefully she will continue to get stronger each day.  Gabby and I were able to give her a good 'ole fashion rag bath and rub her down with lotion!!  After we finished she sacked out and went right to sleep.

Tomorrow will be the start of another week....I would have been 32 wks tomorrow....but we are now starting the long haul of NICU life. 

As I close out this post, scripture is being read.  Last night was the first night I noticed and it was right after Mom and Dad left which brought comfort to me and Jody.  Please don't forget to lift us up in your prayers as we walk one day at a time.  We love you all.

Ashleigh is here!!

Just a quick update from Aunt Cara to let you all know that Ashleigh Carroll Peters arrived yesterday at 12:30 pm.  She weighed in at 3 lbs. and was 16 1/2 inches long. Yesterday was a whirlwind and quite unexpected day here at the hospital.  Although we were hoping for more uneventful days here at Sacred Heart, our Father's plan was to bless us with Ashleigh's arrival yesterday.  Things seemed to be going well until about 4:30 AM yesterday when Ashleigh started having some dips in her heartrate.  The doctors and nurses came in and put Lori on oxygen.  After a few hours and evaluation, they decided that with the blood pressure issues and with the new developments in Ashleigh's heartrate, it would be best the best interest not to prolong the problems and go ahead and deliver Ashleigh.  Pat was here with Lori since Jody had gone home to see the boys and work on Friday night.  They scheduled the delivery for 12:30 so Jody would have enough time to arrive from Ozark.  The hospital had another C-section scheduled for that time so they opted to go earlier instead of wait until the afternoon.  Jody did not make it in time for delivery but was here by the time Lori went into recovery.  Ashleigh came out "squealing like a little girl" as Lori put it.  :)  She has done excellent!!!  This morning they moved her into an isolette and she is still breathing on her own on room air.  She never had to be put on CPap and has been on just the nasal canula the whole time.  No medications are required at this point for her and they hope to begin feeding her today.  Lori is still having to lay down and has to be on magnesium sulfate until 12:30 pm today.  Then at that point, she will be able to eat and hopefully move around and go see Ashleigh.  So as of now, all is well.  God has been SOOOOOO good to us and continues to show His face as Lori and Ashleigh are getting stronger and stronger.  Although we didn't expect to have a birthday yesterday, we know His timing is perfect, and we continue to cling to Him as we continue on this journey with the princess!!! Thank you for all of your prayers and continuing to remember us!!!

Rm 247

Well, the 24hr urine came back and I am now in severe preeclampsia....This is not what we had prayed for but it is what we were given.  Right now I am off the horrible magnesium sulfate and IVs but still hooked up to the fetal monitor and BP cuff.  I am able to get up to go to the bathroom and eat' but mostly in the bed.  Blood Pressure meds have been increased and they seem to be working.  I get a shot for bloodclots daily, and they have ordered me a cool "GeoBed" (for those who stay long!) to make my stay more comfortable.  Ashleigh has been doing great!!  She is weighing in at 3lbs 4oz (give or take) and her heart rate is in the 140s.  I am a candidate for another round of steroid shots for the baby,  so I got one today and will get the other in the morning.  I got the 1st round of steroids known as the rescue dose in Birmingham, but the Dr. seems to think it was a good idea for her to have another round.  We have met many great doctors (who are ALL younger than ME!) and we are pleased.  I was really impressed with the NICU Dr, who will be taking care of our angel. He was great and thats a good thing since we will probably know him longer than any of my Drs.  The initial goal was to go home pregnant.........but ,now being in severe preeclampsia,  its really only a matter of time.  Not knowing is the hardest part of all this, but my heavenly Father knows and I have come to terms long ago that He knows best.  We are praying of course for healthy outcomes, but most importantly that the Lord's Glory be shown through us. 

The boys are doing well.  Tyler told me to tell the Dr that I needed to come home to take care of him!!  He said I can't remember where you are, its a hard word to say.  I told him Pensacola and he said "like Coca
Cola"!!!  Sweet thing!  I miss them so much!!  Reid is doing well too, i guess... HAHA (they at least tell me he is to make me feel better).  I am so thankful to their teachers for helping out!!  HUGE shout out to Elizabeth Stewart and Kathy Martin!!  I love ya"ll because you love on my boys when I can't!!  Thank you!! 
There are so many faces I miss and I'm so excited to reunite with you all again,  Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers!! 

With all that said............I hope you all have a Happy Hump Day!!  Signing off from RM 247 in Pensacola, FL (the ONLY state with no snow).  Love and miss you all!!!

Lori

How did we end up here?????????????

Gabby updating this morning.  Well unfolding events beyond our control have lead us to this new and unfamiliar place......again.  We were feeling so confident after 3 good drs visits last week.  However 8:00 Monday morning, BP shot up and back to eval we went.  Before the day was over, we were denied access to Birmingham due to weather conditions...What???????  Seriously?????  Needless to say, Gabby is having a difficult time.  Being denied access to the place we are comfortable with and all things are familiar is overwhelming.  Having to go to yet another unfamiliar hospital, unfamiliar doctors, unfamiliar urroundings.....is not what I wanted for my daughter and granddaughter.  I don't understand but I know that even though I am still reeling........my God is not.  My God is always in control and never wavers.  So this morning, even though my heart is hurting.....I choose to trust my God who has never let me down.  I choose to trust HIM with our future.  I even choose to trust HIM to help me wrap my head around the fact that my babies can be cared for here in a strange place by strange people and He can control that too!  Lori is having a rough time right now with Magnesium...she has to stay on it through tonight and hopefully the 24 hr urine will be ok.  That is the next hurdle.....it will show if she is in pre-eclampsia or not.  We pray she is not.