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This time Micayla only had the breathing tube for 3 days.
We resolved ourselves to spending Christmas in the NICU. Matt and I were talking about this just recently – although it was hard it was probably the best Christmas ever. We missed out on a lot of the bustle and focused ourselves more on the meaning of Christmas and the precious gift that Heavenly Father had entrusted us with. Santa visited the NICU on the 23rd and he held a weak little girl. She had now dropped more than a pound below her birth weight.
Christmas morning we went to Matt’s parent’s house for our traditional Christmas breakfast. We then went to the hospital. Matt’s parents and grandma came to the hospital for lunch. On Christmas the hospital provided complementary Chicken Cordon Bleu or Prime Rib for the families and their guests. That night we left and went to my parent’s house for dinner and then my parents went to see Micayla Christmas night.
The next week of recovery was hard. Part of the recovery included nothing in Micayla’s stomach for 10 days. She received all nourishment through her PIC line. She was getting a little stronger but she was so hungry. I was learning how to bathe her, clean her ostomy site and change her bag.
On January 3rd another problem was found in her intestines. This would require another surgery. The surgeons decided it could wait a couple more weeks and they were hopeful that they could repair her ostomy at the same time. But she would not be allowed to leave the hospital until after the next surgery. Also on the 3rd I was surprised when I got to the hospital to see her for the 1st time without any oxygen. She ended up going off and on it for the next couple of weeks.
We had another scare while waiting for the next surgery. Micayla's PIC line became infected and it had to be removed. She spiked a high fever and had to have a spinal tap. She had to go on high doses of antibiotic.
Her next surgery was on January 21st. Less than 24 hours later she was off the breathing tube. In this surgery they were able to repair her ostomy and they had to remove another smaller portion of her intestines.
Our next battle was just getting her to eat and keep it down. This was a lesson in being an advocate for your child. In order to bring her home she had to eat all of her food by mouth and not through the feeding tube in her nose. We had to get mad at the nurses for not waking her up or taking the time to feed her. We also had to go through more tests and medications and they decided that she had reflux.
On February 7th I decided to take matters into my own hands to prove to the doctors that she could eat. I asked them if I they could move us into a room and let me stay with her for 24 hours to take care of her by myself. They agreed. That night we did her car seat check – she had to sit in her car seat for 30 minutes and not have any oxygen problems.
Then they moved us into a room just off the NICU. I slept (yeah right) on the couch and fed her and took care of her through the night. Everything went great and in the morning the nurse sent me home to get some sleep and the doctor told me to come back at 3PM to take her home.
It was a great day!!
Micayla was 2 ½ months old. She weighed 7 pounds 4 oz. She was tiny and she still is.
The last week of March we went to the adoption agency to meet with Susan. We had decided that since she didn’t really get to hold her and tell her goodbye nor place her in ours arms we wanted her to be able to have that opportunity. It was a great experience for us all.
In June 2003 we were able to finalize her adoption and take her to the temple to be sealed to us. These were beautiful experiences etched in our minds forever.
Micayla’s health has been great. She did have to have another open heart surgery in May 2005. Amazingly enough she was home from the hospital in just 2 days.
We are blessed to still be in contact with Susan. We exchange letters and pictures with her through LDS Family Services each year on Micayla’s birthday. We are so grateful for Susan and the wonderful gift that she delivered to us.
While Caleb’s adoption was not nearly as dramatic it was still a great story.
To be continued......................
9 comments:
Oh my goodness! What a miracle! That you guys found each other and that you all needed each other! God is great!
I also think its so great that you met with Susan again. That had to be hard for everyone....but that is truly awesome!
Thanks for sharing this story......can't wait to hear about how Caleb came into your life.
BTW, I love the name Caleb...that name was on my short list when I found out I was having a boy.
oh my goodness this storey bring tears to my eyes. My son was in the nicu for only two weeks but it felt like forever I remember the emotional rollcoster ride. Thanks for sharing your little miricles story.
I can't believe that sweet little Micayla has been through so much. What a little fighter she is. I have LOVED hearing your adoption story. I can't wait to hear more and congrats on being the saucy chef today.
I am caught up on reading your adoption story. What a lucky little girl, to have parents who fought just as hard to make her theirs as she fought to live. Your story is amazing, thanks for putting all that down to share.
I have been reading your blog and love this story. How neat that you were able to adopt her. I am adopted myself. I never knew anything about my birth parents until a few years ago. I have met my Birth Mom a few years ago and talk to her on occasion. I have never met my birth Dad but have talked to him on the phone. My story is not nearly this eventful, but glad none the less that my parents were able to adopt me.
Wow Sheri! I'm so glad that I ran into you and got to read about your amazing story!! I think that we need to pow wow and have a little chat, I have some little tid bits of info you might be interested in....:o)
Pass the tissues, please! How scary..and wonderful!! I can't imagine the rollercoaster you must've been on, but I KNOW you'd admit it was worth every minute. *BIG HUGS* She is precious.
Ahhh. That's all I can say, what a beautiful story!
She is so beautiful!
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