Wednesday, January 27, 2010
"It's snowning mommy!"
A few weeks ago Hunter and I played in the snow! He had a blast going sledding in Grandpa and Grandma's back yard! Going down the hill on his tummy was by far his favorite!
What's Good Wednesday?
Hunter is back down to his normal one treatment a day! Praise the Lord!
Whats' Good for you on this chilly Wednesday?
Whats' Good for you on this chilly Wednesday?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Why I walk for the March of Dimes
Hunter was born with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). He spent 3 days in the NICU at Holland Hospital and 2 weeks at DeVos Childrens Hospital. RDS is sometimes called hyaline membrane disease.
Babies with RDS lack a chemical mixture called surfactant, which keeps the small air sacs in the lungs from collapsing. Treatment with surfactant helps affected babies breathe more easily. March Dimes funded the research to make surfactant treatments possible for Hunter .Hunter also receive a treatment called C-PAP (continuous positive airway pressure). The air may be delivered through small tubes in the baby's nose, or through a tube that has been inserted into his windpipe. As with surfactant treatment, C-PAP helps keep small air sacs from collapsing. C-PAP helps your baby breathe, but does not breathe for him.
Hunter was put on a ventilator for the first 2 days at DeVos. A ventilator (also called a respirator) is a mechanical breathing machine that delivers warmed and humidified air to a baby's lungs. The sickest babies receive mechanical ventilation, meaning that the ventilator temporarily breathes for them while their lungs recover. The air is delivered to the baby's lungs through an endotracheal tube (a small plastic tube that is inserted through a baby's nose or mouth down into the windpipe). The amount of oxygen, air pressure and number of breaths per minute can be regulated to meet each baby's needs. Hunter was also Jaundice.Babies with jaundice have a yellowish color to their skin and eyes. Jaundice occurs when the liver is too immature or sick to remove a waste product called bilirubin from the blood. Bilirubin is formed when old red blood cells break down. Hunter's jaundice was treated by placing him under bibilights for 10 days.Hunter is now a healthy and happy little boy thanks to all of his Doctors, Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, and the March of Dimes. Please help us give back!
Babies with RDS lack a chemical mixture called surfactant, which keeps the small air sacs in the lungs from collapsing. Treatment with surfactant helps affected babies breathe more easily. March Dimes funded the research to make surfactant treatments possible for Hunter .Hunter also receive a treatment called C-PAP (continuous positive airway pressure). The air may be delivered through small tubes in the baby's nose, or through a tube that has been inserted into his windpipe. As with surfactant treatment, C-PAP helps keep small air sacs from collapsing. C-PAP helps your baby breathe, but does not breathe for him.
Hunter was put on a ventilator for the first 2 days at DeVos. A ventilator (also called a respirator) is a mechanical breathing machine that delivers warmed and humidified air to a baby's lungs. The sickest babies receive mechanical ventilation, meaning that the ventilator temporarily breathes for them while their lungs recover. The air is delivered to the baby's lungs through an endotracheal tube (a small plastic tube that is inserted through a baby's nose or mouth down into the windpipe). The amount of oxygen, air pressure and number of breaths per minute can be regulated to meet each baby's needs. Hunter was also Jaundice.Babies with jaundice have a yellowish color to their skin and eyes. Jaundice occurs when the liver is too immature or sick to remove a waste product called bilirubin from the blood. Bilirubin is formed when old red blood cells break down. Hunter's jaundice was treated by placing him under bibilights for 10 days.Hunter is now a healthy and happy little boy thanks to all of his Doctors, Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, and the March of Dimes. Please help us give back!
Spoke too soon!
Well Hunter is sick again. We are back to the nebuliser 5 times a day and not getting much sleep at night.
But hey at least we had six really really terrific weeks and I thank God for them. We felt like a normal family we even got brave enough to think hey he has been healthy long enough to start thinking we could add/handle another addition to our family.
We are hopeful though that this will come as quickly as it came. Since we already have our own nebuliser and plenty of pulmicort and abuteral we wont have to make a trip to the doctor we will be able to just chug through it at home.
Please pray that Hunter becomes healthier and strong and that these boughts of sickness are few and far between.
But hey at least we had six really really terrific weeks and I thank God for them. We felt like a normal family we even got brave enough to think hey he has been healthy long enough to start thinking we could add/handle another addition to our family.
We are hopeful though that this will come as quickly as it came. Since we already have our own nebuliser and plenty of pulmicort and abuteral we wont have to make a trip to the doctor we will be able to just chug through it at home.
Please pray that Hunter becomes healthier and strong and that these boughts of sickness are few and far between.
Monday, January 18, 2010
March of Dimes
So I have updated my blog layout and no I did not forget that Hunter is a boy and not a girl but instead we changed it up to support the March of Dimes. I have supported the March of Dimes for the last 5-6 years usually for who ever I was working for. It wasn't until Hunter was born that I realized just what kind of an impact the March of Dimes has.
When we first arrived at DeVos Children's Hospital the first person who greeted us was Amy Nyberg, what a relief it was to have a familiar face greet us. Amy is the March of Dimes family support specialist. Which is a big fancy term for some one to hug you when needed and help you figure out all the fancy terms and find your why through the NICU. Amy also happened to be the Holland March of Dimes Ambassador Family the year I had Hunter. I remember listening to her tell her story thinking how thankful I was was for a healthy pregnancy little did I know that was about to change.
If your from the Holland area we would love to have you join us in our March for Babies on April 17 if not I would encourage you to find a walk of your own! Here are a few links to get you started www.marchforbabies.org and http://www.marchforbabies.org/Sarah_T
When we first arrived at DeVos Children's Hospital the first person who greeted us was Amy Nyberg, what a relief it was to have a familiar face greet us. Amy is the March of Dimes family support specialist. Which is a big fancy term for some one to hug you when needed and help you figure out all the fancy terms and find your why through the NICU. Amy also happened to be the Holland March of Dimes Ambassador Family the year I had Hunter. I remember listening to her tell her story thinking how thankful I was was for a healthy pregnancy little did I know that was about to change.
If your from the Holland area we would love to have you join us in our March for Babies on April 17 if not I would encourage you to find a walk of your own! Here are a few links to get you started www.marchforbabies.org and http://www.marchforbabies.org/Sarah_T
6 Weeks!
This week marks 6 weeks in a row that Hunter has been a completely healthy little big boy! It is so so nice to not have to worry about his breathing and just be able to play together! This also means that he is able to go to Sunday school again. Its fun to see him play with the other kids and he loves have every other Saturday with Grandpa Dave. I think all grandparents should be nursery/Sunday school teachers they just have that special touch!
This is also the longest stretch that we have gone with out having to see a doctor. We are in love with all the free time. I should have been on here more but we have been to busy playing and helping daddy fix up the house!
This is also the longest stretch that we have gone with out having to see a doctor. We are in love with all the free time. I should have been on here more but we have been to busy playing and helping daddy fix up the house!
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