sweetsummer

Ciara was born June 11,08 weighing 1lb 8ozs. She was only on the ventilator for 11 hours after she was born then was taken off of it because she was doing all the work herself. She is so feisty with wanting to breath on her on. Sometime in the first week she had a brain hemorrhage. Good news is that has stopped bleeding and some has been absorbed into her tissue. Bad news is it's starting to clot and if it clots too much a lot more bad things follow. Ciara gets cranial ultrasounds weekly.

June 28,08 was the first time I got to hold Ciara. Her heart rate was a bit high but they thought it was just because of her being moved around a lot that day.

June 29 when I went up to see her, I was so looking forward to cuddling her. Yet when we got there they said her she was having a bad day. So, no cuddling. It was hard because only a day earlier was the first time I got to put her tiny body in my hands. Her heart rate was at 179 to 180 bpm.
June 30 When the hospital calls you know it's not good. Well they called and asked me to come in sooner than later. I walked down that hallway which just seemed to get longer and longer the closer I got to the NICU. It's hard looking in the incubator at your little girl feeling so helpless.I guess in the middle of the night Ciara starting getting really sick. Her heart rates at 225 bpm which is so high. They think she might have an infection in her intestines but they aren't really sure. She's back on the ventilator and is now getting another transfusion. There running every test that they can think of to find out why she's going downhill. I hate feeling helpless. As of today she's had 3 blood transfusions. Doctors, nurses talking about her but, not loud enough for you to hear. I have never seen so many tubes and iv's going into her incubator before. Her heart rate was 232 bpm when we got there. They had put her back on the ventilator (tube down the throat) and were giving her pain medication. You see the doctors don't know why she got so sick over night There giving her antibiotics yet they are not even really sure they know what there fighting. So, as most normal peoples night comes to an end we will be sitting by the phone waiting for the hospital to call and tell us her test results or phoning and bothering them to find out if she's changed.

July 1,08 Well they have finally figured out what infection she's fighting. Somehow she got a staph infection. So, instead of just guessing now they can give her the antibiotics. Her heart rate is still between 189 and 197. Still very high for such a tiny body and such a small heart that is over working. Her lung on the right side had collapsed yet the xray's today showed some improvement. Her blood pressure has been all over the board. We would like to see it between 26 to 35 and it's been anywhere from 19 to 50. Her temperature is somewhat stable for now. They told me that she gained 70 grams the other day but that with all the medical equipment on. She doesn't have one limb that doesn't have an iv going into. They've even resulted to putting one in her head. I feel like crying every time I see them poke her. They changed her to a high frequency oscillator ventilator so now they kind of have her paralyzed with pain medical. They told me she was fighting the ventilator too much so at least this way it can do the job for her.

TashaAndBump

Hi sweetheart,

Glad to hear they have identified the infection now. While staphylococcus aureus is a serious infection, it will be much easier to treat now that they know what they are dealing with: The course of antibiotics to treat staph infections typically takes about 6 days, so hopefully it will all be cleared up soon and little Ciara can begin to focus on getting better in other areas!

Anna had a Staph infection but they fortunately suspected it from day 1 as it was found in swabs taken during my pregnancy. They started treatment from midnight the day she was born, and it took 6 days for her to recover completely.

Isn't it horrid watching them putting new cannula's in any which way possible after busting all their poor little veins in the obvious places However I PROMISE you that it will not have a lasting effect - Little Ciara will not remember any of this - she has the memory of a goldfish, and once you get your little princess home she will be so happy - She's a very lucky girl to have a mummy who cares so much about her and has so much love to give

Do keep us updated, hun and take care.

Thinking of you and praying for little Ciara every day xxx

[edit: Forgot to say, the weight gain is a very positive development! Well done, hun!

Do you know what her marker for infection is? (crd / crb? I could never quite make out what they were saying! lol)]

Frankie

Good to hear they have found out what infection it is

Keep us posted x

VanWest

Praying for your little mircale

turbo_mom

hi hun i'd like to say congrats on the birth of your little girl. My little one was born at 24 weeks and was also 1lb 8oz.

I know how hard it can be seeing your little girl so helpless. Angelynn had an IV in every limb at one point and was on the oscillator for a week. She had the PDA which was making her very sick and had they not fixed it the day after i'm sure she would have died.

But now she is 8 months old and is over 14 lbs and is diong great. There is hope hun. It is very hard to see the nurses working on your little one but just remember that they are helping her. Everything that is being done is to save her life.

It may be very hard right now but these little babies are so strong. Just keep the faith and just keep on loving your baby no matter what.

(also congrats on being able to hold your LO so soon. I didn't get to hold Angelynn until a month after she was born)

good luck with everything and please keep us updated. Also it is very helpful to keep a journal and remember to take lots of pics. When you look back on it you will be glad
You're doing a great job so far and I know you will do just fine. This experience will just make you stronger.

TashaAndBump

Oh yes, forgot to congratulate you!

Massive congratulations on the birth of your little girl - saw a pic of her on your profile and she is beautiful x

bluebell

Congrats on the birth of your LO. I hope she fights the infection soon!! Best wishes

xx

Mamafy

Congratulations on your little girl

I will keep you all in my thoughts and prayers, my little boy was born at 28 weeks and had infections, collapsed lungs as well I used to dread the phone ringing and I always got a nervous feeling in my stomach when the phone rang or on my way to the hospital.

Please keep us updated, and I hope little Ciara is strong soon

xx

Linzi

Hugs congrats on the birth of your baby girl Ill be thinking of you both & your family. Please keep us updated!
xxx

ALI

hiya , we are keeping everything crossed for you. Our one was 1 lb 9 0z and had PDA (Heart) ,ROP (Eyes) , water on the brain ,Anaemia (needed countless blood transfusions), has two brain cysts and was diagnosed with brain meningitis at 2 days old. She needed a new cannula inserted every day for 8 weeks before she beat the meningitis. By the end they were struggling to fine a spare vein
and were even putting it in her head so we also know what you are going through

They put her on antibiotics before they even knew what the brain infection was and this
probably saved her life but it was still 8 weeks before she beat it. The point is , your little one is in the best place with very well qualified people and a very good powerful arsenal of antibiotics.

Our princess is a year old next week and doing well