Getting Closer

This is the posting that we've been waiting to send out for quite some time. We're getting closer to getting Madeleine home. I'm typing this on my blackberry while I stare at Madeleine so this posting may be a bit disjointed. However, Kirsten met with Madeleine's surgeon and neonatologist and they laid out the plan for getting Madeleine home. Here are the main steps:

1) Re-attachment surgery is going to be delayed until Madeleine weighs around 4-5 kilos (10 lbs). By waiting, it should enable Madeleine to grow and she'll be much better prepared to have surgery as the typical waiting period reduces from around three weeks to four to five days. We'll have to deal with the colostomy bag in the interim but that's not such a big deal.

2) Madeleine needs to eat. They are increasing feeds by 5 cc's every 24 hours and she'll reach full feeds of 40 cc's every 3 hours on Monday afternoon. They try feeding Madeleine through a bottle every time and she is getting markedly better with the bottle.

3) Finish antibiotics and get the PIC line out. Madeleine should be finished some time in the next week. The PIC line will come out once everyone is convinced that she won't need further antibiotics and/or nutrition through the IV. Our goal is to get it out by next Friday.

In terms of when she can come home,we're shooting for the end of June. It is possible that she'll be ready earlier- the longest issue will likely be feeding and the earliest she could be home is late next week (highly unlikely). More than likely we're looking at around the 27th. Two weeks from Friday.

As always, this post comes with the caveat that all dates can change if Madeleine gets an infection. We're hopeful that this doesn't happen but we're pretty much prepared for anything.

That's all for now- I'll post pictures tomorrow morning and will type more when I'm in front of a real keyboard. Tonight- we're going to celebrate a bit asa it feels good to have a healthy kid...

Brent