Friday, November 23, 2007

Quiet Time

As Evie has improved and stabalized, the nurses have given us the opportunity to hold Evie for a little while each day. I'm sitting across from Nicole and Evie resting together in a lazyboy--it is a beautiful sight. The baby is still doing well, but a few small problems these last 12 hours. Evie struggled a little bit with her breathing last night, so she's back on a small flow of oxygen. Similarly her blood oxygen levels are slightly lower as well, not dangerous, but lower. Additionally, Evie has mostly come off the sedation medication and is now both more alert and also a little more fussy. Its not a terrible thing, but it does remind us that she is in an unnatural and uncomfortable state. It will be nice when this is all behind us.

I was asked about how exactly this all happened after we had been discharged from Swedish Covenant Hospital with a clean bill of health. As I understand it, when babies are in utero we have an extra little blood vessel that does some of the circulating of the blood between the two chambers of the heart. About 24-48 hours after birth, this vessel naturally closes. So when Evie was born, her heart was functioning normal as it has done for the past nine months. There were no murmurs for the doctors to defect until after this vessel closes. So it was only on Sunday after we got home that the defect in her heart started to make itself known. This is how Evie appeared so normal and healthy when she was born and yet now has such a serious condition. Allegedly, this is one of the more common types of heart defects in infants.

...wow. As I type Evangeline is opening her eyes quite a bit. I'm gonna wrap this up so she can take in her dad's mug. Hopefully that won't do any serious damage to her ;)

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the updates, Matt and Nicole. Karl and I (and pretty much everyone we know!) are continually praying for you and for little Evie. We will also continue to pray for guidance for the doctors and especially for the surgeons' hands on Monday! Sending you lots of love... Heather L.

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad you are able to hold her a little -- so good for both you two and her. As soon as we are all past the flu, I'd like to come visit you all.

Anxiously and prayerfully awaiting Monday,
Patty

Anonymous said...

Hi, Matt and Nicole. Your daughter is so beautiful, and I will DEFINITELY be keeping you all in my prayers.

Anonymous said...

We are praying for you, thank you for keeping the blog up to date. I am checking it daily. We are praying. I have told my dad and brother (pastor and youth pastor) they will be praying too. We love you guys. Love, Dale and Jeannine

Anonymous said...

Matt and Nicole,
Congratulations on the birth of a beautiful baby girl, at a wonderful time of November and 2007. I am glad to hear you and Nicole and little Evie are in good spirits. I will be praying along with the NPTS/NPU community. I will also trust in the Lord for Evie's full and complete recovery and return to health.
catherine g.

Anonymous said...

Matt and Nicole,
Just a note to let you know that Richard and I are keeping you and your precious little Evie in our prayers, continually. We'll especially be praying on Monday.(Thanks too, for the blog...we're checking it regularly.)
Phyllis R.

Anonymous said...

Dear Matt and Nicole,
I am soooo very pleased that Evie is continuing to do so well! Thank You for posting updates, it is so reassuring to hear about each day.
I can't wait to meet her,she is so precious!
LOVE ANG HUGS,
Aunt Renee

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