Finally!

So as you all must understand, this last week has been crazy! In fact, I can't believe a week has already passed. Yesterday we celebrated Rylynn's one week birthday with Sprinkles cupcakes and lots of pictures, she has come so far it's unbelievable.
Let me start from the beginning... Last Friday was the greatest day I've ever known albeit quite scary. Rylynn was born at 8:37am weighing in at 7lbs-0oz and measuring 16.3". We have had her measured since then because we did not believe she could be so short and it seems that she has grew 6 cm in two days so we are sure that she just was not measured correctly during all the haste of getting her prepared for the cath lab. My delivery was text book while in the adjoining OR 27 doctors and many more nurses, etc. awaited Rylynn's arrival. They worked quickly and transported her to Children's immediately. Proud papa was able to follow them over to wait for the results of the procedure. The hospital was so nice to let our families wait in the corridors so that they could catch a glimpse of her as she wheeled by on her way to the lab. That meant a lot to me and I'm so glad everyone saw her for a moment.
I do have to back up and say that Gilly was able to stand up in the deivery room and catch a very quick glimpse of her as they pulled her out. He had a smile from ear to ear as he announced that he saw A LOT of hair! And let me tell you, she is her father's daughter through and through! She looks just like him! I was hoping when her adema had gone away that maybe her features would change slightly and I would atleast have some of me in her, but I'm afraid not!! :) She is absolutely beautiful.
Back to delivery day. I was in recovery and in walked Gilly only 45 mins later. My heart sank because I had not expected him back so soon, but I could tell that he had a wonderful expression on his face. He came with the good news that the two little holes of her atrial septum seemed to be providing just the right amount of restriction balanced with the right amount of flow. It was a blessing that saved her life! We were ecstatic!
She was stablized at Children's and getting her steriod that would keep her ductis open until surgery day. I was able to go see her late Friday night for the first time and it was indescribable.
Over the next 48 hours she slowly came out of sedation and was extubated by Sunday. She was prepared for surgery and the Norwood was performed on Tuesday morning. Saying good bye to your four day old baby is heartbreaking, but we knew as she wheeled off to the OR, that she was in great hands. The surgery lasted until about 3:00 with reports coming to Gilly and I every hour. Things went as planned and we were able to get back to see her by 4:30. It was an emotionally draining day, but a beautiful one.
Since Tuesday, Rylynn has been progressing in a steady upward pattern which is perfect. Day by day she has been losing one medicine, one wire, and one tube at a time. Yesterday she was extubated and we were able to hear her cry! She had a wonderful day and now we will try to get her to start taking the bottle. So far she has done well, but will need to meet a particular feeding amount before we can take some of the wires out of her heart. That is the moment that Gilly and I are looking forward to. Once those wires are removed we can hold her! I just can't wait!
Yesterday the nurses surprised us and dressed her while Gilly and I went to breakfast! I couldn't believe how cute she looked!
We still haven't been able to change a diaper and as silly as that sounds, I am looking forward to dirty diapers and late night feedings. I also can't wait to hold her and comfort her when she cries.
It is impossible to describe all the emotions of the last week, but knowing that there are so many great friends and family sending their prayers and well wishes, it has made the tough times easier and the happy times more wonderful. Rylynn has overcome so many things this week, some are to be expected, some can not be explained by the physicians; I know that it has been the power of prayer that has gotten us this far.
I will try to post more frequently now and can't wait to put up some pictures. We look forward to you all meeting Miss Rylynn one day and for now just keep praying.
With love. . .

Adventures in Dallas

Since I've been here in Dallas, I've been getting settled into our nice little efficiency apartment that we'll call home for the next month or so. Gilly and I had a nice weekend here and he'll be back starting Wednesday to stay.

On Friday night, before Gilly came into town, Carrie (my college roommate) and I went our for some dinner and a little dessert. She knows how to treat a pregnant lady! As you can see in the picture, not only did we have some yogurt for dessert, but we enjoyed it alongside some unlikely company!!

I will continue to get some rest this week as we prepare for little Rylynn to arrive on Friday. The C-section is planned for 8:00 in the morning so we'll have a long and eventful day. Please continue to lift us in pray.

With love. . .

May Day!

So another change of plans...
After getting all of Rylynn's doctors around the table and planning for her arrival, it seems that May 1st is now the big day! This allows all parties to have their best team members available when they are each needed. I can't believe we're only a week away now! We will have one more appointment with our MFM next week and we will also be meeting with Rylynn's doctors once more to discuss the events of delivery day.
So this time next week we'll have our little girl here and we can't wait. Please continue to pray for us. We will keep in touch with you all.
With love. . .

Finally Finished!

As most of you know, Gilly and I have decided to wait to prepare a nursery for Rylynn, but I have been working on a small project for the last several weeks. I am borrowing a cradle that all of my sisters and I used when we came home from the hospital and I wanted to sew a bedding set for it. Here's how it turned out. It of course took much longer than I expected, but the important thing is that it's all ready for her!

I'll post to let you all know what the Drs say after our appointment tomorrow. Thanks again to all of you for the kind notes that we've been receiving. I can't wait to share them all with Rylynn one day.

With love...

Preparing for the Move

Gilly and I will be headed north for an appointment on Thursday with our MFM. I hope to have a routine exam and that we're still set for the 5th. I am packing my bags and planning to stay in Dallas so that I'll be close in case I were to go into labor between now and 39 weeks. The doctors are happy to hear that I will be close and hopefully this will allow me to relax a little more and not be such a nervous wreck.

I will miss Gilly, Hondo and Tobi terribly, but Gilly will be coming back up very often to keep me company. And I will enjoy spending some time with family and friends in Dallas before things really get nuts. I'll post after our appointment Thursday to let you all know how things go.

With love...

A Good Day in Dallas!

We met with Rylynn's cardiologist on Wednesday morning and the echo showed no signs of the hole closing anymore than it had. This is the best that we could have hoped for. This means that we got the go ahead to let little Rylynn stay in my tummy for as long as possible! We were thrilled that we would not have to head back up there next week for the birth. The bigger and stronger that we can let her grow, the better.
However, it sounds like she will be coming into the world with quite a splash. Because of the size of the little hole, she will be whisked away by a rather large team of doctors and taken directly to the cath lab for her first procedure. Picture this... security guards actually clearing corridors, a dozen doctors wheeling her through and Gilly following behind to be as close to her as possible! Sounds like we've got a little diva on our hands already!
After meeting with our MFM, we have scheduled the C-Section for Cinco de Mayo!! We have teased all along that we had hoped to have her on May 5th and now it looks like we may actually! Gilly's already planning her first Bday party filled with pinatas, sombreros and many more extreme ideas!! I will travel back to Dallas for two more appointments in the next four weeks, but if there are no changes we are hoping to meet our little girl on the 5th of May (39 weeks)! She is already 6lbs and the sonogram shows her to be growing perfectly!
We are looking forward to spending Easter with our families together this weekend to celebrate our bit of good news! Thank you all for the prayers that you have sent up. God has blessed us with a small victory and we feel a sense of happiness. Please continue to pray for us.
With love...

Update- 35 Weeks

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted anything new. The last few weeks have held little new development and Gilly and I have been trying to take time to prepare for our stay in Dallas. We've been able to visit with a lot of friends and family lately which has been really nice. We will head to Dallas on Wednesday for a day filled with appointments with hopes of some good news. We're hoping the Docs will see no more closing of the AS and let Rylynn have a few more weeks in my tummy.

And speaking of tummies. I've finally posted a pic of my big tummy. I have been scolded by my friends for not sharing my baby bump, so here you go!

Please keep us in your prayers as we take a look at her little heart on Wednesday. I will post once we have recieved directions from the Docs and have our game plan in place.

With love...