Priase the Lord

Bright eyed and beautiful; everyone can tell that this little girl is feeling MUCH better. The only way to tell that she is sick is her sad little club of an arm where her IV is.

One more day to go! All 3 of us are so ready to bust this joint and get back to out normal routine. Avila's routine hasn't changed much; she still eats, poops, smiles and sleeps - mom and dad on the other hand are ready to check out of hotel CMH and go home to our other child Maverick and enjoy the ocean while it's still sunny!

Great news upon great news to share! Not only is it wonderful to go home tomorrow, we are bring a perfectly normal, healthy little girl home - no we did not trade Avila in for a better model - the last test came back NEGATIVE and proved the DR.'s assumption wrong; she does NOT have kidney reflux! Still not sure how she got the bladder infection, but Dr. White is going to count it as baby infection and the only followup that is needed will be another ultra sound of her kidneys. The first ultrasound showed that the left side of her kidney was enlarged. He just wants to check it in about a month to make sure it's healed as well.

Praise the Lord for His many mercies! And thank you to all the saints who have been praying for our little girl. We have been encouraged by your prayers, visits to the hospital and phone calls.

Please continue to pray as it looks like she's shaping up to be a little drama queen!

What is Kidney Reflux?

Here is the little mini IV pump that gives her the meds once a day. After it's finished they detach the IV pump and she's free to roam the hotel/hospital room again. They are treating her for a bladder/kidney infection. The Dr. thinks it was caused by a birth defect referred to as Vesicoureteral Reflux (Kidney Reflux). Not too many people have heard of it; I never had until now. So here is a little info on what might be happening in Avila's little body. The Dr. is pretty confident this is the problem; however we will know more after a test she's getting today.

Urine is normally created by the kidneys, flows down through tubes called ureters, and enters the bladder. The bladder is a holding tank. When the bladder muscle contacts and the sphincter relaxes, urine flows down and out of the body through the urethra. Why doesn’t the urine flow back into the ureters when the bladder contracts? The ureters enter the thick-walled bladder at an angle. The long path through the muscle acts as a valve. The ureters close as the bladder contracts -- an elegant system.Reflux happens when the muscle-valve doesn’t work. The path of the ureters through the muscle may be too straight or too short, or the muscle in that area may be too thin or too weak. Sometimes the person has an extra ureter with poor valve function. When the bladder contracts, some of the urine is propelled down and out, but some is ejected back up into the ureters.

How long it is expected to last depends on the severity of the reflux. Reflux is classified on a scale of Grade I to Grade V. In Grade I reflux, the urine flows up a short way through a normal-appearing, undilated ureter. In Grade II, the urine makes it all the way to the kidney, but the structures still look normal. By Grade V reflux, though, the ureters are dilated like elongated water balloons all the way up the kidney, where the normal structures are compressed and pushed out of place.Grade I and Grade II reflux will likely go away on their own. Grade III reflux is more likely to resolve the younger the child is when it is diagnosed. Grade IV reflux may also go away, especially if it is only on one side. Grade V reflux rarely disappears without surgery.If reflux does heal on its own, the average age is 6 or 7.

Imaging studies are needed to diagnose reflux. These are often wise to obtain in young children who have had urinary tract infections. Most will need both a renal ultrasound and a cystogram (a study where a catheter is put into the bladder, some marker is put into the urine, and pictures are taken when the bladder contracts).

*** Note to readers: The above was copied from a medical website. I don't talk or write that "smart".

Hospital Update

Avila got unhooked from her constant IV drip on Saturday. So in honor of this big event I went home and brought her vibrating chair with her beloved cow. It was so cute to see her get excited about her "reunion" with cow.

Not being attached to the constant IV drip has been nice because we are able to get up and walk around the room with her. It came a perfect time because the same day they took her off the IV was day the Lord blessed us with a much larger hospital room (one of the perks of being a long term patient). With this large room we don't really fee like were in the hospital; I actually am pretending we are in a hotel on vacation. It's a relaxing place where the hotel attendants (nurses) bring you unlimited juice or water and all meals are provided as well. It's an all-inclusive hotel minus the alcohol! It's too bad the hotel doesn't have a pool or any access to the outside, but at least there's a TV and Internet. I'm sure I've gained 10 pounds already from all this inactivity. Apparently the same is happening to Avila. She's gained a pound already since we've been here. She's becoming a bit of a fatty. Praise the Lord for a healthy baby!!!

Hospital Visit

Most of you at this point know that Avila is in the hospital being treated for a bladder/kidney infection. We are half way through our 10 day required hospital visit waiting for Avila to finish her new round of IV antibiotics. In just the few short weeks since this little girl was been born I have fallen in love with spending time each day with her, smiling at each other "talking" about our day. Not having those moments those first days in the hospital were extrememly hard for me. I am thankful to say that her and I are back to our old ways, chatting is up with each other every waking moment (her waking moments that is!)

Our first night in the hospital. She was hooked up to a heart monitor, oxygen monitor, respiratory rate monitor and an IV for fluids and medicine. I was heart breaking to see her with tubes and wires coming off of her. (Thursday - 2nd day in hospital)

Friday her color was getting better, but she still wasn't herself. She was still sleeping most of the day and night. not her typical day since she loves her awake time.

Friday night Grandma Nancy sent me a little bear in a bunny outfit. It really cheered her up - this was the biggest smile she could come up with. She's started waking up for little segments by Friday night. Just enough time to hug and bear and go back to bed.

Saturday was the day I noticed a turn in behavior for her. She was almost her normal self. She was awake much more. This was the first day since being in the hospital that she smiled. Her smile gave me such joy and gave me confidence that she was going to be just fine.

Watching her turn blue, having an ambulance come to the house and seeing her being poked and prodded not know what was wrong with her has caused me to trust the Lord in a way I have never experienced.

Thank you for all your prayers. She is feeling much better every day. She actually laughed for the first time today (Sunday). How funny, right......sick in the hospital and this is where the Lord planned for her to laugh for the first time in her life. Praise the Lord for His many reminders that HE is the One in control of this trial. And HE is the one that gives Joy in the midst of hard times.

Thank you again for all the love and prayers

Movie Time!!!

Here are a few movies of little Avila the only a mother and a few grandma's could love. WARNING: they may be a little boring to some. Not much but a moving blog and my voice in the back ground narrating.

Enjoy.

This first video is Avila and Maverick meeting for the first time. Maverick still isn't all that interested in her. The only time he takes notice of her is when she is crying. This is when his papa Maverick instincts take over. No matter where I am, when she start crying he will run to me and back to the baby until I pick her up. It's so cute. She's his new puppy.



This is one of my favorite videos because I think she is SO cute when she is just waking up. She makes the most precious little noises and faces.


More videos to come.

That's all for now.

Mommyhood

So I have to admit one of my biggest fears of becoming a mom was not the labor and delivery, it was what to do with a newborn when we got home. I honestly thought I would be bored out of my mind. And although there are MANY slow points to my day; nothing like life in an autism classroom, I find so much joy in just talking to little Avila. Learning all her little facial expressions and finding amazement in the way she has grown in just one week. I am loving being a mom.

Here are some photos for everyone to enjoy. Nothing too exciting. Let's all remember she if only a week and a half old, so she is still a blob in cute clothes.

Here she is at one day old. Actually to be honest I think she is only a few hours old in this picture.

This is her in her going home outfit. I was tired of being in the hospital so we left a day early. I think all of us were ready to be home and sleep in our own bed!

Even the baby was ready for her own bed too. This was right after we got home. She didn't stay in the bed too long. She was too cute to leave just laying there.

The happy family a couple days after being home. This picture was before Avila learned it was a good thing to sleep during the night. We were a little tired at this point. But we are happy...overjoyed even, to tell everyone that we are going on 6 nights in a row that she has only woken up one time to eat. This is a reason to give thanks! Sleep!

Bath time is not one of her favorite activities. She sure smells good after!

"I'm ready for my close up"
Already trying to be a baby Gap model thanks to the many adorable outfits everyone bought.

She loves her time with daddy! Blair is already teaching her to stand. She'll be playing soccer in no time! No rush, Blair just wants her to be ready.

A little rest after a hard workout with daddy.

A much needed date, just the 3 of us watching the sunset. Who would have thought we would have summer in January! It was a gorgeous day!

Mommy's little beach bum. I just love her!

Another favorite photo

I just love it when she's awake and alert like this. You can't tell, but her shirt says I love daddy and she does. Her favorite is when he sings to her. It puts her to sleep at night; mommy too!