***Written by Chris McDowell, Jill's Mother***
Yesterday the doctors noted a heart murmur which they were hoping was due to low hemoglobin. She received her transfusion yesterday and was pretty stable. pH level in her blood gases were just barely under the norm, but they were consistent with her heel stick which they said was good. This morning they felt the heart murmur was a bit more pronounced and during morning rounds the nurse changed her diaper and there was some blood in the stools. They quickly began ordering different tests to try and determine the cause. The xray revealed that her intestines are fine (so no NEC at this point). The echocardiogram showed that the ductus arteriosis (an opening in the heart that helps shunt blood away from the lungs and to the body when the baby is in the womb and begins to close within a few hours to a few days after birth) was actually more enlarged than it has been. They knew it was open -- this can take a while with the preemies, but because it is more open it is shunting blood away from intestinal circulation (thus the blood in the stools). If this does not improve to a certain level then Noelle is in danger of going into congestive heart failure. One drug that helps with this also restricts blood flow so due to the fact that her intestines are already sensitive they will not use that. She is not a good candidate for surgery at this point -- she weighs 440 grams and they have not done this surgery on a baby less than 500 grams. At this point in time they feel their only option is treatment with ibuprofen (it's specially formulated). It will be given once every 24 hours (over a 30 minute window) and for the next 3 days. They also put her back on the jet ventilator which will help them regulate her blood pH levels which could help with the closing of the PDA (patent ductus arteriosus).
This is life in the NICU. Things can seem to be going along nice and steady and one thing can tip everything upside down.
We truly know that God has given a gift of 20 days thus far and our prayer is if it be His will that He would graciously guide the doctors and through His strength Noelle's body would respond to the treatments.
We appreciate your love and prayers so much.
God Bless.
Yesterday the doctors noted a heart murmur which they were hoping was due to low hemoglobin. She received her transfusion yesterday and was pretty stable. pH level in her blood gases were just barely under the norm, but they were consistent with her heel stick which they said was good. This morning they felt the heart murmur was a bit more pronounced and during morning rounds the nurse changed her diaper and there was some blood in the stools. They quickly began ordering different tests to try and determine the cause. The xray revealed that her intestines are fine (so no NEC at this point). The echocardiogram showed that the ductus arteriosis (an opening in the heart that helps shunt blood away from the lungs and to the body when the baby is in the womb and begins to close within a few hours to a few days after birth) was actually more enlarged than it has been. They knew it was open -- this can take a while with the preemies, but because it is more open it is shunting blood away from intestinal circulation (thus the blood in the stools). If this does not improve to a certain level then Noelle is in danger of going into congestive heart failure. One drug that helps with this also restricts blood flow so due to the fact that her intestines are already sensitive they will not use that. She is not a good candidate for surgery at this point -- she weighs 440 grams and they have not done this surgery on a baby less than 500 grams. At this point in time they feel their only option is treatment with ibuprofen (it's specially formulated). It will be given once every 24 hours (over a 30 minute window) and for the next 3 days. They also put her back on the jet ventilator which will help them regulate her blood pH levels which could help with the closing of the PDA (patent ductus arteriosus).
This is life in the NICU. Things can seem to be going along nice and steady and one thing can tip everything upside down.
We truly know that God has given a gift of 20 days thus far and our prayer is if it be His will that He would graciously guide the doctors and through His strength Noelle's body would respond to the treatments.
We appreciate your love and prayers so much.
God Bless.
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