Hayden is 2 Weeks Old!

Hayden's Coming Home Soon    

God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble

-Psalm 46:1

Hayden continues to amaze us all, including every person, visitor, nurse and Doctor that gets to meet her. Just today her Doctor said it's easy to see that she is blessed with a family of faith surrounded by so much support. We truly are grateful for all of the love, encouragement and support that give us strength to keep going and stay positive each day she is here.

It is hard to believe it has been 2 weeks since our little bundle of joy was welcomed into the world and she continues to shatter the odds everyday. She was born at 7 lb. 9 oz. and is growing considerably each day as she now weighs 7 lb. 15.7 oz. Her progress is an absolute miracle as she is no longer on oxygen, or IV fluids, and continues to take her NG tube feedings.   Tim and I both were overwhelmed with pride as we gave her, her first bottle feeds last week. Hayden is beginning to show her personality and is enjoying her bottle feeds with Mommy and Daddy more and more.



Over the weekend Hayden had a minor bedside surgery to release mucous and pressure from a descended hymen, along with tying off her additional appendages on each hand. The nerves and blood flow will eventually stop and the appendages will soon change color and fall off with no surgery. Since this weekend she has been remarkably calm and content following the surgery. We also had her hearing checked and although she did not pass completely, she can hear sounds above 30 decibels. We will have her hearing checked again in a month along with a considerable amount of follow up consults and appointments.

You can definitely tell there is talk of her being discharged sometime next week as she is having around the clock visitors of specialists checking on her before she comes homes with us. Hayden has a Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Neonatologist, Social Worker, Palliative Care Worker, and discharge nurse now visit her daily. Tim and I also are beginning to get trained on  equipment and procedures when we get home like inserting her feeding tube, changing her omphalocele dressing,  and learning how to control her food pump and respiratory and heart rate monitor that we will get to take home.

Our long days and nights at the hospital are hopefully soon coming to an end. It has been exhausting yet all the while rewarding being able to experience a true miracle. Tim and I know this is just the beginning to the start of our journey and there will be many obstacles ahead,  but we have been looking forward to the day we can take our baby girl home since before she was born. When that day comes, that long lonely road that we take home each night will become the best trip we have ever had.