January 20, 2003
Day 13
At last! At 1:15 pm Monday afternoon, the doctor gave her final approval, and Taylor was released from the hospital! As I write this, Taylor is in her bouncey seat right behind me, fresh off a feeding, and with a nasty case of hiccups. She is a rather quiet baby, at least in comparison with other babies we've met. It feels so wonderful to have her home, so right. Frankly, I'm a bit at a loss for words to describe how we are feeling - to have our little miracle baby, on whose behalf countless prayers were prayed, home at last. the doctor finally did confirm Brian's theory that Taylor is indeed a 4-week preemie, which would explain the difficulty she initially had breathing.
For all the doctors, nurses and staff at Crestwood and both Huntsville hospitals, for the family and friends who were by our sides throughout this ordeal, for everyone who has called or sent an email in support, and for everyone else who we have never met, but still took the time to check up on and pray for Taylor, Elizabeth and I, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Here are the last pictures of Taylor in the hospital, and the first of her at home, in her bouncey seat.
January 19, 2003
Day 12
As hoped and prayed for, Taylor has done wonderfully off of the oxygen, and she is ready to come home Monday at last. Elizabeth and Brian spent several hours with Taylor Sunday morning, walking her around for the first time, sleeping through her official hospital picture, eating, thanking doctors and nurses, and enjoying one last day in the ICU. Sometime mid-morning on Monday, the doctors will come in, pronounce Taylor ready to leave, and we'll be on our way home.
We are beside ourselves with excitement at getting our daughter home, and a bit nervous at the same time, but we're ready to give it our best. Here are the first pictures of Taylor free of all tubes and IVs and ventilators, and ready to take on the world. Monday afternoon we'll post some of Taylor's long-awaited and triumphant arrival home.
January 18, 2003
Day 11
As of early Saturday morning, Taylor is officially off of oxygen support, and doing well on her own. If all continues well through the night and Sunday, we are definitely good to bring her home on Monday. First thing Sunday morning, we will be going to the hospital for Taylor's official baby picture-taking, and other normal about-to-take-your-baby-home instructions. Also on Sunday we will be putting the finishing touches on the house, in preparation for Taylor's grand arrival home.
Here are some more pictures from Grandpa. In these you can see the redness on Taylor's forehead - these are left over from the bruises she sustained during delivery. The redness should fade away completely within a few weeks. We should have plenty of new pictures, without the oxygen tubes, on Sunday.
January 17, 2003
Day 10
Good news! Taylor is responding well to her reduction of oxygen support, and the doctor said this morning that if she makes it off the oxygen Saturday morning and responds just as well, she should be ready to come home on Monday! We are so excited. Elizabeth is finally over her little cold, and could go see Taylor for the first time since Tuesday.
Taylor and Elizabeth had their first attempt at breast-feeding, and considering it was her first attempt, all went well. Taylor is still eating a good bit (50-60cc per feeding, roughly every 4 hours) and is gaining weight again. If we can take her home Monday, it will be Brian's best birthday present ever.
January 16, 2003
Day 9
At this evening's feeding, the nurse said once Taylor can take 40cc in one feeding, they can take her off the IV. Taylor started drinking on a full 60cc bottle, and when all was said and done, 9cc remained. The nurse was quite pleased, and took Taylor off her IV - another big step!
We're still optimistic that we can have her home by Brian's birthday on the 20th, though that is purely our speculation. Brian also got his first chance to change a poopy diaper, and boy was it a doozie. Brian and the nurse could not stop giggling. It's amazing to think such a little creature who only feeds on breast milk and formula can put out so much poopy! No, we realize it will not always be "cute" to change these type diapers, but we'll enjoy it while we can.
Here are a few pictures from this morning's feeding. They're a little blurry since Brian was working the camera with one hand and holding Taylor with the other.
January 15, 2003
Day 8
Today we celebrate the one-week anniversary of Taylor's birthday! Judging from initial reactions of doctors and nurses, to even be at this point a week after she was born is nothing short of a miracle.
And not just surviving, Taylor continues to thrive. Her oxygen intake levels have been reduced, as hospital staff begins to wean her off of the oxygen support. She still has a little fluid in her lungs, but she is working to cough all that out of her system. Her IV fluid intake has been halved, and she is up to 25cc of milk/formula per each 4-hour feeding, up from 15cc just this morning.
Brian got his first opportunity to feed Taylor this evening. She was quite alert to begin with, studying his eyes as she ate, then fell fast asleep as the bottle was emptied. She is going to have the most beautiful blue eyes.
January 14, 2003
Day 7
It is 3:00 p.m. right now, and already today has been a very exciting day! Taylor started the day off eating for the first time. She had a few problems taking the bottle for the first time, but apparently got the hang of it - the nurses just called to say she's run through the supply we'd left for her already! The nurses also called to say they are moving Taylor out of the Critical Care unit and in to the Progressive Care unit, big steps in good directions! We're trying not to overwhelm her, as she still needs rest, but we are very excited by these latest developments.
10:00 p.m. - We got to see Taylor in the Progressive Care unit of the NICU, and Elizabeth did get to feed her (see pictures). She didn't take all of her evening bottle, but finished a good portion of it. She is still needing a little bit of oxygen, though we have no way of knowing just how much of the oxygen supply she is actually using. In the next few days, we imagine the staff will be weaning her off of the oxygen assist. We remain excited, but still know it will be several days before we can bring her home.
January 13, 2003
Day 6
Taylor is back off the ventilator, and with the added rest she is getting from Elizabeth and I (and grandparents) staying away is paying off. She slept most of the day today, and seems to be breathing more smoothly than her last attempt off the ventilator. The more rest she gets, the better off she is, at this point. She has also moved out of her heater bed and into clothes for the first time, mostly because the NICU staff needed space for a surge of babies who needed help more. As a part of this move, she also does not have many of the electrodes and monitors strapped to her chest anymore.
We will find out for sure Tuesday morning, but the doctor may want to try feeding Taylor for the first time tomorrow! If that is the case, we will be arranging with the NICU staff to come help out at feeding time, beginning around noon Tuesday.
We have no new pictures today, but this gives us a chance to post some Brian's dad took around Day 3.
I also want to take a moment and thank everyone who has sent us emails of encouragement, prayers and other expressions of love. Knowing we have friends and family all over praying for us and for little Taylor is very reassuring, and helps Elizabeth and I get through each day.
January 12, 2003
Day 5
Taylor is more active, moving and reacting more than we've seen in 2 days. The decision to put her back on the ventilator has been a good one. She perked up and was so active, her doctor put her on medication to help her relax and rest. Currently, she is not needing any additional oxygen supplied; her lungs just need help taking in air. Tonight the hospital staff will be taking her off the forced-breathing aspect of the ventilator, and just leave her on a CPAP machine, which will provide a steady stream of air if she needs it.
We still have no idea when she may be able to come home. Taylor's up-and-down roller coaster ride continues. Below are a few more pictures from tonight, the first we've been able to take of her with her eyes open.
January 11, 2003
Day 4
Taylor is taking a few steps back today. She is struggling more to breathe on her own; the NICU staff is having to increase her oxygen little by little. After taking an X-ray and finding stuff still in her lungs, they have decided to put Taylor back on the ventilator to give her lungs a chance to rest up and strengthen. The doctor and nurses expect Taylor to stop breathing on her own for a day or two, let her focus on her metabolism and let her rest and get stronger, then try to breathe again on her own. Yesterday's
"not If but When she comes home" may have been a little premature - same doctor is telling us today that this is still a very sick little baby.
We remain hopeful and prayerful, and as optimistic as we can be, and we thank everyone for continued prayers and best wishes for Brian and Elizabeth, and especially little Taylor.
January 10, 2003
Day 3
Taylor is off the ventilator, and her kidneys (and all her other organs) are working now! Doctor says today that it's not a matter of "if" but "when" she gets to come home. Today we got to change her diaper for the first time, and Elizabeth and Brian both got to hold her for the very first time.
January 08, 2003
Day 1
Taylor Nicole McAlister
Born: January 8, 2003, 2:58 p.m.
8 pounds, 9 ounces · 20½ inches
At 1:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, Elizabeth woke Brian up with the fear that her water had broken. We went to Crestwood Hospital, learned that her water had indeed broken, and were set up for the labor process. Elizabeth's labor had yet to start, and was induced.
Labor went rather easily, compared with others we had heard of. Then the big moment: at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday Elizabeth started pushing. After 2 hours, we find out that the cord had become wrapped around Taylor's neck. She got stuck for a few minutes in the birthing canal, and Taylor was unable to breathe for an unknown number of minutes. When we were able to get her out, she was not breathing, and was rushed to the nursery for emergency care, and an hour later was rushed to Huntsville East Hospital to their NICU.
These first pictures are of Taylor about to transport from Crestwood to Huntsville East; the last is her in the NICU.
