As most of you knew Heather was put on bed rest last thursday (May 12) because of her high blood pressure. Monday (May 16) we went back to the Dr. to have her blood pressure checked again and the best we got was 162/112 (that was the best out of three) and she was leaking 4+ protein in her urine (which is a big indicator of preeclampsia). Her doctor told us she wanted us to go to the Hospital to be monitored for 24 hours and see if we couldn't get it to go down. We got all checked in and settled in our room and we started to get her BP down and get lab work down to make sure her kidney's and liver were still functioning properly. Lana (Heather's Dr) came in and said she had gotten her lab results back and she said her kidney's and liver were looking great but she was worried about the protein so she said we would be residing at St. Francis until Harper got here.
Tuesday morning we didn't get much sleep not knowing what the next day held (and the nurses were in and out all night!). Lana came by about 7am and told us that she had Dr. Beeson (a high risk OB) and Dr. Jackson (from the NICU) coming to talk to us about what all was going on and that we would most likely be having a baby by the end of the week. By lunch time we had talked to both Dr.'s and had an ultrasound to make sure Harper was still growing and not under any stress.
Lana came by a little after 1pm and told us that her and the other Dr.'s had conversed and it was best to get Harper out. The ultrasound had shown that she was under stress and her BP was fluctuating. Heather had a reaction to a Steroid drug in HS and we couldn't get enough info on it fast enough to see if it would be safe to give Heather the Steroid shot to help Harper's lung mature, so they made the decision...C-Section at 3pm. (They gave Harper surfactant after she was born to help her lungs mature, since Heather couldn't have the steroid). We frantically called our families to tell them we were having a baby in less than 2 hours. Our friends were nothing short of fantastic, they went to our house got clothes, camera's, her baby book, etc.
3 o'clock comes fast and Heather was in the OR getting prepped and ready. While I was waiting outside until I could go in and be with her. A few minutes later (it felt like hours though) I was by Heather's side and a few minutes later at 3:37pm we had our baby girl, weighing 2lbs 1oz and 15 inches long! She cried 3 times and that was music to our ears!! Dr. Jackson, Nurse Jenna (which is her Aunt Kiki's sister 
and has been in the NICU for years and we personally wanted her to be there to take care of our baby girl!) and a few other NICU Nurses wisked our tiny precious baby girl away, cleaned her up and put her on a ventilator brought her to Heather so she could kiss her and tell her she loved her and then off to the NICU we went! After we got there they asked me to wait in the waiting room while they got her all prepared for visitors and us to see her.
and has been in the NICU for years and we personally wanted her to be there to take care of our baby girl!) and a few other NICU Nurses wisked our tiny precious baby girl away, cleaned her up and put her on a ventilator brought her to Heather so she could kiss her and tell her she loved her and then off to the NICU we went! After we got there they asked me to wait in the waiting room while they got her all prepared for visitors and us to see her.
Heather was stitched back up and back in the room a little after 4. I stayed with Harper until about 8 and then came to be with Heather and show her pictures of the Daughter we longed to have. Needless to say we didn't get much sleep that night either! Heather woke up in the middle of the night and had a "Mom moment" and needed to call the NICU to make sure Harper was okay. Just before we called they had taken her off the ventilator and she was on a C-Pap and breathing 21% oxygen (we breath 20%) and the nurse said "She is doing so great!" That is just what Heather needed to hear, since she could physically go see her until after she was off the Magnesium (which they give after a spinal tap so you don't cease).
Wednesday night after we were moved to our post pardom room, Heather got to shower and she rested for a while and then we made the trip over to The Children's Hospital to see our baby girl for the first time as a family of three. That was very emotional for Heather but the nurse let her hold her in her hands and immediately she grabbed Heather's finger. We talked to her and she opened her eyes for us a little more than she had earlier in the day for me. Before Heather went over last night I had been over to see Harper and I got to change her diaper and take her temperature. I personally was very happy that Heather go to see Harper last night because everyone else had been over to see her and I know it was killing her she couldn't see her and everyone else was.
Apparently Harper is a fiesty little nugget! She had pulled her feeding tube out a few times and her temperature monitor she pulled off twice right after the Dr. walked out of the room. The NICU nurses have been great and always tell us that she has herself a little personality!! *Which I think she gets from her momma!!*
So in your prayers if you would just keep praying for our Precious baby girl and the Dr's and nurses that take care of her and for Heather to keep her BP low and stable.
We have felt everyone's prayers and we can't tell you how much that means to our new family of three.
So much has happened in the last 11 days, I will post more later!
Much Love,
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