In case anyone wants to take a peek! (a lot of the same pics that we have posted on FB, but wanted to let you all know about this site, too!)
http://the4evens.shutterfly.com/
Friday, June 17, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Oh that's right, I have a blog...
Well hello, blog world! Last you heard from us, we were 1 day away from having our sweet little bundles of joy. I had good intentions of posting great news and pictures the weekend they arrived (Easter weekend), but that weekend we kind of had our world turned upside down! (in good, but also very challenging ways).
Here's a brief synopsis of what has been going on with the Even family...this is part of an email we sent to our families explaining some of the information that we now have about Parker:
I think you all know that while I was pregnant we found out that Parker had a 2 vessel umbilical cord, which can be a marker for VATER and VACTERL associations, and we knew while he was in utero that there were some questions on the his kidney structure and that he had 2 hemevertabrae (the V & R of VACTERL). Because our perinatalogist already knew that there were some markers for possible VATER or VACTERL, she made sure that when Parker was born that the neonatalogists at Piedmont did a thorough look over on him, which is when we found out that his anus was not all the way open (the A of VACTERL). This was the reason he was transferred to Egleston the night he was born and underwent the surgery for a colostomy. Because of the surgery, Parker was not able to eat by mouth for about 5 days so he had a feeding tube, his BP was low from the surgery so he was on dopamine, his oxygen saturation was weak so he was on the ventilator for about a week, they inserted a picc line in his scalp to give him his meds and nutrition, and all the other little wires were for other IV's, monitors, etc. We also saw upon his birth that Parker is missing some toes on his right foot - he has a fully formed right foot, but only has a big toe (this is the "L" of VACTERL). Since I had a c-section, Chris actually saw Parker before I did and he and the nurse told me about his foot. I felt panicked when they were telling me, but Chris said to me, "it's ok - it's really cute and he's going to be fine." And he was right - we have all fallen in love with the right foot and we know that he will be able to adapt just fine!
Even though I have worked with babies in the NICU before, it was completely different seeing my own child in the NICU. The day I was discharged from Piedmont, we went straight to Egleston for me to see Parker for the first time since he was born...and walking in the NICU for that first time was completely overwhelming. I knew that they were taking great care of him there, but as a mother it was really hard to see Parker hooked up to all of that equipment.
For the first 2.5 weeks of the twins' lives, our days were completely involved with caring for Reagan at home, trying to get my blood pressure under control, visiting Parker at the hospital, and trying to eat and rest in between. My mom has been staying with us since I was placed on bedrest, and my sister, nephew, and Chris' parents were all here the weekend the twins were born. Thank GOD for great families who love and support us.
Chris, my mom and I all took the training on emptying and changing Parker's colostomy bag, and even though Chris and I were completely intimidated by the bag initially, it is not as hard to change as we were thinking. The bag is temporary, and on June 30th, Parker will undergo the surgery to have his anus opened. Once that procedure is completed, he will come home with us for a few weeks to heal, and will then go back into the hospital for one more surgery to take down the colostomy and put our little humpty dumpty back together again! :)
Parker will, of course, be following up with specialists for the earlier part of his life, and we feel so blessed that we live here in Atlanta where he is getting fabulous care. We have been nothing but impressed with the staff at Egleston which is a part of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
If you want to read a little more about VACTERL, here is a great website about it: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/heart-encyclopedia/disease/syndrome/vacterl.htm. Luckily, Parker's heart, esophagus and trachea look great, which are really the most serious parts of the association. We feel so blessed that he is doing as well as he is!
Reagan has been quite the champ, traveling to the hospital and extra doctor's appointments for her brother - one day I am sure she will make him pay her back in one way or another! :)
We continue to ask for your prayers for our family as we have had a stressful but very blessed 2 months. We will keep you updated on Parker's progress when we find a few spare minutes to get onto the computer! :)
We really appreciate all of your love and support!
Here's a brief synopsis of what has been going on with the Even family...this is part of an email we sent to our families explaining some of the information that we now have about Parker:
I think you all know that while I was pregnant we found out that Parker had a 2 vessel umbilical cord, which can be a marker for VATER and VACTERL associations, and we knew while he was in utero that there were some questions on the his kidney structure and that he had 2 hemevertabrae (the V & R of VACTERL). Because our perinatalogist already knew that there were some markers for possible VATER or VACTERL, she made sure that when Parker was born that the neonatalogists at Piedmont did a thorough look over on him, which is when we found out that his anus was not all the way open (the A of VACTERL). This was the reason he was transferred to Egleston the night he was born and underwent the surgery for a colostomy. Because of the surgery, Parker was not able to eat by mouth for about 5 days so he had a feeding tube, his BP was low from the surgery so he was on dopamine, his oxygen saturation was weak so he was on the ventilator for about a week, they inserted a picc line in his scalp to give him his meds and nutrition, and all the other little wires were for other IV's, monitors, etc. We also saw upon his birth that Parker is missing some toes on his right foot - he has a fully formed right foot, but only has a big toe (this is the "L" of VACTERL). Since I had a c-section, Chris actually saw Parker before I did and he and the nurse told me about his foot. I felt panicked when they were telling me, but Chris said to me, "it's ok - it's really cute and he's going to be fine." And he was right - we have all fallen in love with the right foot and we know that he will be able to adapt just fine!
Even though I have worked with babies in the NICU before, it was completely different seeing my own child in the NICU. The day I was discharged from Piedmont, we went straight to Egleston for me to see Parker for the first time since he was born...and walking in the NICU for that first time was completely overwhelming. I knew that they were taking great care of him there, but as a mother it was really hard to see Parker hooked up to all of that equipment.
For the first 2.5 weeks of the twins' lives, our days were completely involved with caring for Reagan at home, trying to get my blood pressure under control, visiting Parker at the hospital, and trying to eat and rest in between. My mom has been staying with us since I was placed on bedrest, and my sister, nephew, and Chris' parents were all here the weekend the twins were born. Thank GOD for great families who love and support us.
Chris, my mom and I all took the training on emptying and changing Parker's colostomy bag, and even though Chris and I were completely intimidated by the bag initially, it is not as hard to change as we were thinking. The bag is temporary, and on June 30th, Parker will undergo the surgery to have his anus opened. Once that procedure is completed, he will come home with us for a few weeks to heal, and will then go back into the hospital for one more surgery to take down the colostomy and put our little humpty dumpty back together again! :)
Parker will, of course, be following up with specialists for the earlier part of his life, and we feel so blessed that we live here in Atlanta where he is getting fabulous care. We have been nothing but impressed with the staff at Egleston which is a part of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
If you want to read a little more about VACTERL, here is a great website about it: http://www.cincinnatichildrens.org/health/heart-encyclopedia/disease/syndrome/vacterl.htm. Luckily, Parker's heart, esophagus and trachea look great, which are really the most serious parts of the association. We feel so blessed that he is doing as well as he is!
Reagan has been quite the champ, traveling to the hospital and extra doctor's appointments for her brother - one day I am sure she will make him pay her back in one way or another! :)
We continue to ask for your prayers for our family as we have had a stressful but very blessed 2 months. We will keep you updated on Parker's progress when we find a few spare minutes to get onto the computer! :)
We really appreciate all of your love and support!
the first picture of Parker and Reagan together!!
first Even family photo at home :)
smooch!
The twins with their older and wiser cousin Landry :)
Parker
Reagan
Reagan
Parker
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