Jude is home!
The events of the past two days have pushed blogging down on my list of priorities, so I apologize for the tardiness of this update. After our really bad day on Friday, Saturday was a day of making things right. We had a terrific nurse who listened to our story, and within a couple hours had all the pieces in place that allowed Jude to be released on Saturday evening. We transported him to our home in the mini-van around dinner time on Saturday, to much rejoicing by all involved.
He's had no further difficulty regarding his body temperature, and seems to be a perfectly healthy and happy baby. Thank you all for your prayers and support.
To God be the glory.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
Jude Report 5
As I write this at 9:45 on Friday night, Lindsey and I are waiting to feed Jude one more time at 11:30 p.m., after which time we'll head home (without Jude).
Today has been a day of not very much information and a fair amount of frustration. The Labor & Delivery unit of the hopsital was super busy today with 12 deliveries and a life-flight to another hospital. In all the chaos, I think Jude simply took a back seat in terms of priority. We have been unsure of the next step for our boy, or for us.
Thankfully, things quieted down a bit late in the evening, and the night nurse in the special care unit is very helpful, and optimistic about Jude's ability to maintain his body temperature. At 8:00, she moved him from the incubator to an open-air crib, where she'll monitor him to be sure his temperature is remaining in an acceptable range. This seems like a step forward.
Lindsey and I will miss one feeding at 3:00 a.m., and return to the hospital at 6:00 a.m. (and every subsequent 3 hours until his release) to feed him again. The neo-natal doctor will be making rounds around 7:00 a.m., so we hope to have some clearer picture at that time as to Jude's progress and the liklihood of his returning home with us.
Please pray with us tonight that he will be able to maintain his body temperature in the open-air crib, and that we'll be beyond this challenge in the Lord's time (which we hope is quickly!).
God is merciful. Thank you for your prayers.
Today has been a day of not very much information and a fair amount of frustration. The Labor & Delivery unit of the hopsital was super busy today with 12 deliveries and a life-flight to another hospital. In all the chaos, I think Jude simply took a back seat in terms of priority. We have been unsure of the next step for our boy, or for us.
Thankfully, things quieted down a bit late in the evening, and the night nurse in the special care unit is very helpful, and optimistic about Jude's ability to maintain his body temperature. At 8:00, she moved him from the incubator to an open-air crib, where she'll monitor him to be sure his temperature is remaining in an acceptable range. This seems like a step forward.
Lindsey and I will miss one feeding at 3:00 a.m., and return to the hospital at 6:00 a.m. (and every subsequent 3 hours until his release) to feed him again. The neo-natal doctor will be making rounds around 7:00 a.m., so we hope to have some clearer picture at that time as to Jude's progress and the liklihood of his returning home with us.
Please pray with us tonight that he will be able to maintain his body temperature in the open-air crib, and that we'll be beyond this challenge in the Lord's time (which we hope is quickly!).
God is merciful. Thank you for your prayers.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Jude Report 4
Here are some pics for your enjoyment:
If you haven't yet, please read the post before this one, Jude Report 3 to know how you can be praying for us.
If you haven't yet, please read the post before this one, Jude Report 3 to know how you can be praying for us.
Jude Report 3
We've had a fun time hanging out with Jude in the hospital room last night and today. We've also enjoyed a few very thoughtful visits from friends, and Madeline and Collin got to come up this morning and meet their new brother. It was an exciting time.
Jude is apparently having difficulty maintaining his body temperature, which is giving the docs some cause for concern. They've put him on a warmer in the nursery about three times and let him hang out in our room for about an hour to see if he holds his temperature, but when they check him he's dropped about a degree each time.
The nurse is calling our pediatrician, and the suspicion is that they'll place Jude in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for a while to pinpoint what's causing the problem (they think it might be an infection that hasn't manifested itself in other ways yet) and get it taken care of.
We're grateful for doctors and ICU's who can immediately provide this sort of care. It is a little disconcerting and disappointing to think that we might be going home tomorrow morning without Jude, but we trust that they'll take the necessary steps to get him past whatever is causing this issue. And, in any case, we live about eight minutes away from the hospital.
Please pray that whatever's causing his body temperature to drop will be quickly and effectively eliminated, and that he'll be able to join his family at home very soon.
Thanks.
Jude is apparently having difficulty maintaining his body temperature, which is giving the docs some cause for concern. They've put him on a warmer in the nursery about three times and let him hang out in our room for about an hour to see if he holds his temperature, but when they check him he's dropped about a degree each time.
The nurse is calling our pediatrician, and the suspicion is that they'll place Jude in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for a while to pinpoint what's causing the problem (they think it might be an infection that hasn't manifested itself in other ways yet) and get it taken care of.
We're grateful for doctors and ICU's who can immediately provide this sort of care. It is a little disconcerting and disappointing to think that we might be going home tomorrow morning without Jude, but we trust that they'll take the necessary steps to get him past whatever is causing this issue. And, in any case, we live about eight minutes away from the hospital.
Please pray that whatever's causing his body temperature to drop will be quickly and effectively eliminated, and that he'll be able to join his family at home very soon.
Thanks.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Jude Report 2
He's here!
The day began later than we planned, and the process unfolded more slowly than we anticipated, but at 6:27 p.m., Jude Gray Carlson saw the light of a hospital room filled with doctors and nurses, and was greeted by his parents and his Daisy (his maternal grandmother).
He weighed 7 lbs, 8 oz, and measured 18 3/4 inches.
He's healthy, Mom's happy, and God is good. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Perhaps tomorrow I'll get some pictures up.
The day began later than we planned, and the process unfolded more slowly than we anticipated, but at 6:27 p.m., Jude Gray Carlson saw the light of a hospital room filled with doctors and nurses, and was greeted by his parents and his Daisy (his maternal grandmother).
He weighed 7 lbs, 8 oz, and measured 18 3/4 inches.
He's healthy, Mom's happy, and God is good. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.
Perhaps tomorrow I'll get some pictures up.
Jude Report 1
We were scheduled to be at the hospital at 5:30, but were delayed because there weren't any free Labor & Delivery rooms. We arrived and got settled into a room at 8:00 this morning.
Getting an IV set up was, as usual, the most difficult part of the process thus far. Lindsey's veins are notoriously difficult to tap, and after blowing one in her left hand, they managed to get one in her right hand to cooperate.
She's been on pitocin (the medicine that causes contractions to increase) since 10:00 am, and at noon she received an epidural (so the increased contractions aren't excruciating). They just broke her water, and her contractions are getting pretty strong and happening about every 1 to 2 minutes. In terms of the "stats" of baby preparedness, she's a little more than half-way there. It shouldn't be long.
I'll update this blog later in the afternoon, and certainly once Jude has arrived. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
God bring Jude!
Getting an IV set up was, as usual, the most difficult part of the process thus far. Lindsey's veins are notoriously difficult to tap, and after blowing one in her left hand, they managed to get one in her right hand to cooperate.
She's been on pitocin (the medicine that causes contractions to increase) since 10:00 am, and at noon she received an epidural (so the increased contractions aren't excruciating). They just broke her water, and her contractions are getting pretty strong and happening about every 1 to 2 minutes. In terms of the "stats" of baby preparedness, she's a little more than half-way there. It shouldn't be long.
I'll update this blog later in the afternoon, and certainly once Jude has arrived. Your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.
God bring Jude!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Best of Times, the Worst of Times...
I'm torn.
You see, on one hand, last night was a gloomy night for America. Senator (soon-to-be President) Obama's radical position on issues related to abortion (most notably his oft-stated commitment to the Freedom of Choice Act and his opposition to the Born Alive Infants Protection Act) frighten me for the future of life in our country. With one signature, Obama may wipe away three decades' worth of Pro-Life policies designed to protect the rights of the most helpless, voiceless class of Americans - the unborn. This is morally reprehensible and personally heartbreaking. So on behalf of millions of unborn Americans, I am saddened and frustrated.
On the other hand, last night was a terrific night for America. 150 years ago, American society didn't consider black men and women fully human, much less American citizens. Last night, we elected an African-American man the leader of our nation. I can't overstate the magnitude of this occasion. I rejoice with the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jesus of Nazareth at this enormous step toward racial harmony. Racism is an evil paralleled by few others, and last night marked a huge victory for the United States of America in the war against it.
Senator McCain's concession speech was a model of humility and grace in the midst of fervent contest. It was classy and elegant and right. Senator Obama's acceptance speech was solemn, grateful, powerful - in a word, inspiring.
So you see, in many ways November 4, 2008 was a great day for the United States of America, with many glorious victories. And yet, these victories are tainted by the ominous reality of the future of millions of unborn Americans. It falls to Christians across the nation to humbly and wholeheartedly support our President, and at the same time to pray fervently for God to change his heart (and his mind) toward the unborn.
America - I give you my deepest sympathies.
And many congratulations.
You see, on one hand, last night was a gloomy night for America. Senator (soon-to-be President) Obama's radical position on issues related to abortion (most notably his oft-stated commitment to the Freedom of Choice Act and his opposition to the Born Alive Infants Protection Act) frighten me for the future of life in our country. With one signature, Obama may wipe away three decades' worth of Pro-Life policies designed to protect the rights of the most helpless, voiceless class of Americans - the unborn. This is morally reprehensible and personally heartbreaking. So on behalf of millions of unborn Americans, I am saddened and frustrated.
On the other hand, last night was a terrific night for America. 150 years ago, American society didn't consider black men and women fully human, much less American citizens. Last night, we elected an African-American man the leader of our nation. I can't overstate the magnitude of this occasion. I rejoice with the likes of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jesus of Nazareth at this enormous step toward racial harmony. Racism is an evil paralleled by few others, and last night marked a huge victory for the United States of America in the war against it.
Senator McCain's concession speech was a model of humility and grace in the midst of fervent contest. It was classy and elegant and right. Senator Obama's acceptance speech was solemn, grateful, powerful - in a word, inspiring.
So you see, in many ways November 4, 2008 was a great day for the United States of America, with many glorious victories. And yet, these victories are tainted by the ominous reality of the future of millions of unborn Americans. It falls to Christians across the nation to humbly and wholeheartedly support our President, and at the same time to pray fervently for God to change his heart (and his mind) toward the unborn.
America - I give you my deepest sympathies.
And many congratulations.
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