What a week!!!

I finally have a few minutes to put up more pics and what all has been happening.

On Thursday the 24th, I went for my regular NST and ultrasound. They did the ultrasound first, I scored a 4 out of 8, you are scored based on fluid, breathing, movement, and tone (you get 2 for each), we got 2 for fluid because the level was actually normal and 2 for breathing. So then I had my NST, absolutley NO movement, at this point I am thinking Dr Swindle is NOT going to like this. So they put me in a room and I wait for him, by this point it is almost 5. So he comes in looks at everything and I can tell by his face he does not like the results. (Sidenote....Thursday was probably one of the busiest days we have had at work in awhile) So he says that he wants me to go to the hospital for further monitoring, I say now is not a good time for me...he says too bad. So I ask do I need to call my husband he says yes. As I am leaving I try to call Donald, who is at a baseball game, luckily only at Valwood. Of course....no answer...so I try Chuck's cell phone. Apparently Chuck cannot hear me too well, when I say I need to speak to Donald...have to repeat several times before Donald gets on the phone, I say in a LOUD, CLEAR voice, they are sending me to the hospital. He says he is leaving and will meet me there.
On the short drive to the hospital I called Bev's house and let them know and called Billye. Once I get there they check me in, rather quickly for SGMC I might add and they take us up to Labor and delivery, Donald got there while I was checking in.
Once we get to labor and delivery, I hear them say that I will be staying overnight....not too happy about this. In my mind I was way to busy at work, things to do at home, not to mention Amelia....So they get me all hooked up to the monitor, Amelia comes to see me, Dr Yarborough comes in and goes over what is going on, and Donald goes to the school to get some lesson plans ready and home to change clothes (I tell him to grab the camera...just in case) So about 11:30 we go to sleep thinking everything is good, Avie is moving heart rate is good, they said I will probably just repeat the ultrasound in the morning and be good to go.
Fast forward to about 1:15 when the nurse comes in rather quickly I think just to check on things and says the heart rate has dipped and gives me an oxygen mask, Donald groggily wakes up and ask why I have a mask on, at this point I am kinda confused b/c we were sound asleep. Fast forward to 1:30 when 3 nurses come in, turn all the lights on and say they have to start an IV. At this point I am thinking I am probably not going to make it to work before lunch....
Around 5 they come in to take me down for the ultrasound, it takes about 30 minutes, she pushes me in the hall and Donald and I are waiting for labor and delivery to come back I hear her call ans say I scored a 2...I tell Donald this is not going real well.
We go back up and wait until about 7 when the shift changes and our new nurse, who was GREAT, comes in. She said that Dr D(we will call him that) wants to start a little pitocin to make sure the baby responds well with the heart rate. I say who, she repeats of course it is the Dr I do not care for. So they start it and within 10 minutes they see exactly what they need she does response....but so do I!!!
At about 8 the Dr comes in and goes over everything and says he has talked to my Dr(who was turkey hunting) and they think we should go ahead and take the baby. My response to that was today?? So we make quite a few phone calls to get everybody, especially Mimae there. I then call Trey, from my office, and tell him I will not be there today or for awhile. I also tell him who the Dr is which he finds quite amusing....So now we wait, and wait and wait, apparently for anesthesiology which is fine with me cause we are not starting without them. At about 9:40 they take me to the operating room, at this point I have had no medicine and am getting very jittery, when the open the doors it is like entering Antarctica. The anesthesiologist ask me a bunch of questions and then starts to explain what he is going to do, I stop him and tell him I really do not want to hear about or see the needle just do it. I guess about 10 minutes later they bring Donald in and start.
Now...this is a little detailed....I remember when I had Amelia there was a lot of pressure but I was able to talk to Donald and felt in control. With Avie, I thought I was dying, I literally was crying out in what I think.thought was pain...who knows. I just remember it was BAD. I do remember hearing her cry, loudly and that is about the last thing I remember.

Below is our first glimpse of Avie Laura 7lbs 4 ounces 19 inches long.
Here is when they brought her over to me, I have no memory of this...at all. I am not sure when they let you start bringing your camera in because they did not with Amelia.

First photo with Daddy.

Here are 2 excited girls, however on the video all you hear is Amelia saying "Daddy why are you wearing that" (scrubs) and Abby saying "How's Audrey" Since we were not prepared and did not have time to get our Big Sister shirt on, while they were waiting at school for their pickups Melissa Bundrick made them Big Sister and Big Cousin stickers.

I think an even bigger excitement was when they got to wear the little hat.

First time Amelia got to hold Avie.

and give her kisses.

Three of the A-team, Anna could not come back. At this point I was on Demerol and apparently Friday night had quite a few visitors.....scary to think about what I said...

On Saturday the Pediatrician came in and told us Avie had a cleft palate, To say we were shocked would be an understatement, now I understand (maybe better now) that this is not the worse thing in the world, but when it is your baby it is basically unimaginable pain you feel. he also told us he had heard a heart murmur and they were ordering an echo to be done sometime later that morning. He also said the ear, nose and throat doctor, Dr Allen would be coming to see us. He asks us if we have any questions, but at that point we were so confused and shocked we could not even think. The nursery nurse brought Avie in about 20 minutes later and went over a few feeding issues with us. That whole day we were kinda numb and luckily we did not have many visitors. That morning they did the echo and told us they were sending to Medical College of GA to be read, that afternoon Dr Allen came by, he was great he answered our questions and told us what we could expect. he does not treat clefts b/c he said you want a specialist, he said he would make a referral to Atlanta. So I called the office google queen Summer and she did research and said that Childrens healthcare of Atlanta(Scottish Rite) had the best.

On Sunday, at 5:30am the Dr came in the room and said I could go home as long as the pediatrician and Dr Allen said ok as long I was comfortable with feedings. I said I am not going to be anymore comfortable today than Monday so we decided to go home.

chubby cheeks

Daddy and his girls.

We made it home got all settled, fast forward to Monday morning around 2:30 Amelia starts throwing up. It was awful, she was basically lifeless (except when throwing up and crying for her Daddy) until Wednesday evening.

Abby and Avie

ON Thursday we got a copy of the echo report from MCG, Avie has a small low muscular ventricular septal defect, which means she has a small hole in the (I think) left lower ventricle in the muscular part. I called Lori, Donald's sister who is a nurse, and she looked it up. We looked on Web MD and typed in "muscular ventricular septal defect" and got some additional info. we have an appointment with a Pediatric Cardiologist on Thursday the 8th.

So on Thursday afternoon we took Amelia to Amy's to spend the night and we headed to Conyers to stay with Donalds aunt b/c our appointment in Atlanta was on Friday morning. They take a team approach so we met with a Geneticist, feeding specialist, nutritionist, social worker, and the plastic surgeon. She looked so little in her hospital gown.

1 week old.

They said she will have surgery between 6-9 months of age to close the hole. They tried to find the murmur but could not. they said when it is small and in the muscle the hole can close an open. She had ti have blood drawn, which was terrible....for me. They said the main thing we have to focus on right now is her feeding, she is till not back up at birth weight and they feel like not getting enough to eat, which made me feel real good. We had been writing about all her feedings down so they knew exactly how much. But they came up with a plan we have added a supplement with her bottles and hopefully by Monday, when I take her to our Pediatricians office to be weighed, she will have gained a few ounces. So basically as far as the cleft all we do now, is wait and help her gain weight. The Dr said his office will call us in a few months to set everything up. I think b/c of the heart issue hers will be at Eggleston rather than Scottish Rite. He said they generally keep them overnight, but b/c of how far we live we would probably stay 2. Going made us feel a lot better, until the car ride home when she spit up and cried from Macon all the way to our drive way......

We appreciate all the prayers, please pray for us over the weekend as we have a strict schedule to stick to as far as feedings and pray that Avie will gain some weight b/c the alternative, us having to insert tubes up her nose to feed, is not something I want to do.