11.18.2010

EMBRACE THE CAMERA

It's THURSDAY, you know what that means....
"embrace the camera"!
Get out your cameras and get in front of them.
your kids want pictures of you in them.
so, do them a favor and say CHEESE!!

Click here to see how I got this idea from this inspiring blog:



Here I am with Miss Stella

A lot has been going on with Stella. The entire family was fighting the flu the past couple weeks. Poor Stella ended up getting it too :( She had spiked a fever that wouldn't go away, so I took her in to her ped to make sure all was ok. She ended up having an ear infection :( So she was prescribed an antibiotic.

While there I started telling the dr about some things I'd been noticing about Stella that were unusual. Stella “spaces out” for about 30 seconds and is unresponsive at random times! I mean I can scream, bang on the high chair, tap her, grab her...nothing, no response. But it's just for that quick 20-30 seconds or less. I WAS NOT scared at first b/c she is as most of you know a VERY normal baby, goes right back to what she was doing! She is healthy and actually is ahead on development.

The dr seemed to think they are absence seizures. They are sometimes not even noticed by parents for quite a while b/c it looks as if the child is "daydreaming". Anyway, she started her on a low dose seizure medicine called Keppra until we can see the neurologist on the 22nd (next Monday). Today she had her MRI at Deaconess Gateway and tomorrow is her EEG at the downtown Deaconess campus.

We had to get to the hospital around 6am to check in. (Evansville time--1hr behind us). We checked in at registration and then someone came to take us up to same day surgery. They had to sedate her for her MRI so that's where she had to go to be taken care of by a nurse. We filled out paperwork and the nurse took her vitals. After that two of the nurses were going to try to start the IV. It was harder on mommy than Stella I believe....so I left the room until they could finally get the IV in. The two nurses were struggling keeping it in, so they had Peds come down and do it. Daddy stayed the entire time to make sure she was ok =) When I came back she was so happy to see me, she just wanted me to hold her. We tried to keep her entertained by Mickey Mouse Club House that was on TV (her favorite show).

Soon the anesthesiologist came and told the nurse what to give her to calm her down. Then we walked down to radiology. They told us she'd be asleep for the procedure and the entire thing would be about 40 minutes. So Joe and I waited in the waiting room. It didn't seem like too long and they came out and told us she was done. Dr. said she had done wonderful! She slept the entire time which is what they needed her to do =) So he walked us back up to her room while momma held her. When we got back, the nurse took her vitals again and then discharged her.

I must say as hard as the "situation" was, the staff there made it so much better then it could have been. She had an amazing nurse named Elizabeth, who had her laughing the entire time and even made sure we got a copy of the MRI. It's people like that, that make difficult things in life so much easier!

Here is a picture of her from today :(

Tomorrow we go for the EEG brain scan, and then Monday we meet with the neurologist to discuss her tests and a plan. So if you have a second, please keep Miss Stella in your prayers!!! We love her more than she'll ever know! We know God has control of this, and we lift our prayers to Him!

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.

-Psalm 28:7

2 comments:

Courtney, Jeff, Ayla & Leah said...

I am so glad to hear your reports. I thought about you all morning. I knew S would do fine, but its us Mom's that need the help sometimes. We carry alot of weight on our shoulders. Glad it all went well. Hope to hear good news soon...

Ashley said...

I am so happy Stella did fine and it didn't seem to bother her much!! Being a mom that is what you want...all the while you keep all those scared feelings hidden. But that is what mommy's do and they try to do the best for their kids. And you are doing a GREAT job Leah!!! I hope for good news for you guys!