Addison's Surgery is Booked

On Monday we met with the Neonatologist and the two Pediatric Surgeons and were advised that Addison is scheduled for her PDA Valve surgery Friday morning at 8:00 am. The doctors are going to perform the surgery right in the NICU unit so there will be less stress on Addison trying to move her out of NICU and down to the OR. The doctors advised that it is a difficult surgery as Addison is small and it is a very small valve that they are operating on. We actually got to see an xray of one baby who has received it and the clamp on the valve is no bigger than a small staple. It really is amazing what these doctors can do.

This surgery is necessary for Addison to have room to improve on her respirations, and heart and lung abilities that normally would have developed had she gone full term. She will have a tough recovery as the doctors advise that babies who receive the surgery normally get sicker first before they get better, as it causes more stress on the heart as it has not been used to working/pumping that hard. Lets pray that Addison can beat those odds and prove them wrong.


She has been remaining fairly stable this week, with a few bumps in the road. Without the valve closed the nurses constantly have to play with Addison's Oxygen and CO2 levels to make sure she remains balanced and can breath a balanced output on her respirator. The poor thing has been off food again because she was having problems digesting and doctor's don't want her sick prior to surgery. The best remedy was to stop her feeding again (breastmilk) and as a result she had lost some weight. It gets frustrating for us, but then we think how hard poor Addison is fighting and we just put our frustration back into strength for her.

As you can see she was sporting a cute little striped toque this week for mom and dad and of course we could not miss the photo op!! She even went so far as opening her eyes at just the right moment for this one. The cute factor is just beyond belief!!!!! Mom and Dad unfortunately missed that Addison had learned that she could still get her thumb into her mouth, despite the tubes and suck on it, but the nurses luckily know that mom is a photo crazed loon and took some pics for mom and dad to take home. We will share them once we get them scanned in.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words via cards and emails, as well as your kind gifts of food and gas cards. They really have come in handy with all of our travelling to and from London, and for those times when we get home late and just don't want to cook. We thank you for your patience and would love to accept any calls or visits when we manage to be at home, everyone's support is truly amazing.

News with a little comic relief!!!

It was a good weekend for Addison. Nice and quiet and relaxing. She continued to fight and persevere. All of the tests that were completed on her blood, stomach and breathing tube contents for bacteria have come back negative (after the 48 hour waiting period). No infection for our little girl, great news.

The doctors completed an xray and listened to Addison's heart valve and it still appears that the valve is open and her lungs remain "sticky" with fluids. It appears that surgery will be the only option in order to get the valve between her heart and lungs closed. Not what we wanted to hear, but it will make our little girl's heart and lungs better. We now await another ultrasound and consult from the heart surgeons, but we anticipate that Addison will have her surgery this week or early next. It will be a difficult surgery to perform but we know Addison will come through!! She remains stable on her respirator, but she may have to make a change on machines again for her surgery, which Addison won't like. She is already showing her stubborness and telling the respiratory staff which machine she prefers and wants to stay on.

Mom and Dad had some great moments with their little sweetheart, reading books and talking with her over her "isolet". They got in some diaper changes and some great "touch time" with her. Daddy said that is the most he has been able to touch his little girl since her birth. Though the pics do not do Addison's growth justice, she really is coming along with her own little milestones. She is now approximately weighing in at 790 grams or 1lb and 12 oz. Her little feet and hands look quite small in comparison to Daddy's, especially with Daddy's wedding ring on her foot.The nursing staff say that we are very lucky as she has beautiful shaped head for a little preemie. As proud parents we told them that we already knew that.

She lost her wee little umbilical cord this weekend and now is sporting a cute little belly button. It really is quite appropriate since Mom and Dad are reading her "The Belly Button Book", which she really seems to enjoy. She opens her little eyes and puts a little furrow on her brow as she listens to our voices and tries to find us through all the bright lights. It really is adorable even though we know at this stage she cannot see us, she certainly responds to our voices.

Well when we got home after our visit at the hospital on Saturday night, we found that the boys (our dogs) had been busy in our abscence. They too must really be feeling the stress and the lack of attention they have been receiving. We came in and gave them our usual loving greeting.....and then we found the stuffing!!!! At first mom was very worried they had found some of Addison's wonderful stuffed animal gifts or the beautiful quilt given to us by Ardis, but luckily they had not. What they had found was an open bedroom door and two wonderful pillows. Greg and I could not help but laugh at the mess and of course snap a photo to share with everyone.

Hallowe'en At NICU-London

Mom and Dad went to visit Addison today and share with her her first Hallowe'en. Although candy treats were not abundant in the unit, smiles and friendly faces of all the nursing and medical staff were. The staff gave mommy and daddy a cute little Hallowe'en outfit for baby Addison to wear, which they will tuck away for next year. Still a little on the big side. Addison's nurse Deb had her adorned in beautiful orange and black, spooky Hallowe'en blankets with a little orange knit hat, donated by wonderful ladies who knit and quilt items for all the little munchkins in NICU. It was very festive.