Week Fifteen: December 28-January 3

Monday: We got a call from our primary nurse, Whitney, to let us know the nurse practitioner will be calling Primary today to find out when they can transfer Maddie. She is not protecting her airway as well as they previously thought during the swallow study. They need an ENT specialist to evaluate her and decide what course of action needs to be taken on her vocal cord.
While she is at the hospital they will do her term MRI. This will give everyone a better picture as to what the spots are they are seeing on the scans. At this time they do not know if they are decay spots or if they are spots from the machine.
Madelynn is at 4 pounds 13 ounces, and is just shy of 17 inches.

Tuesday: We have reached day 100 in the NICU.
Yesterday our primary, Whitney, let us know the ENT specialist will come to Maddie on Wednesday. We are gratefully to be able to keep her at IMC. We will have to wait for the evaluation results to know whether she will have to be transferred or not.
She is still at 4 pounds 13 ounces.

Wednesday: Madelynn is 4 pounds 14 ounces. The biggest thing happening today is the swallow evaluation. We don't know when they are coming in. We will be sure to post something when we know. I The evaluation showed Maddie to have a paralyzed left vocal fold. The right vocal fold is partially paralyzed. They think surgery to place a feeding tube into her stomach may be necessary until she can eat properly, and not have to work so hard.

Thursday: Madelynn is 4 pounds 15 ounces. During rounds this morning they decided to transfer back to Primary and have her evaluated there. The specialists there will determine what course of action to take. She will probably be transferred around two this afternoon.
Madelynn has made it to Primary. She will stay there until she comes home. We would rather her be at IMC, but it's not feasible at this time. She will be evaluated on Monday, and most likely have a G-Tube put in to her stomach to help with her feedings.

Friday: Maddie meant her aunt Amanda today! She came all the way out from California to visit the Hursts for three weeks. Thanks Amanda!




Saturday: While we were told yesterday Maddie would probably be receiving the Gastronomy tube on Monday, and we would just have to wait out the recovery process (two to four weeks) we were told today that wouldn't be so. The surgeon will not be able to consider doing the procedure until Maddie has reached six and a half pounds. Madelynn is five pounds two ounces today. It takes her about one month to gain a pound. Conservatively speaking we have another six weeks to wait while she gains weight, and then another two to four for recovery. There is an end in sight, it will just take us a little longer to get there than expected.
We started putting wall decorations up, and assembling the rest of her furniture and toys yesterday. We will post the pictures when we have everything completed.