Update From Janet: Welcome Baby Madison!

We're at the half-way point on our travels back to Arizona, and luckily our hotel has reliable internet.  So I had the chance to check my email, and here's the latest update from Janet and Baby Madison:

"Hi Everyone,
 
The night before yesterday was a busy night.  On Monday evening starting at 7:30 pm I had minor cramps which increased at 9:00 pm.  I was sent to Labor and Delivery, which is standard procedure to check for monitoring of the fetal heart and contractions.  They were concerned because I started bleeding and then I was sent for an ultrasound.  Edmond was there by my side, and so were the attending doctor., amnio specialist, ultrasound tech and nurse.  I was a little nervous that day because they were running so many tests in one single day since 12:00 noon! By this time it was 10:00pm.  I thought I was leaking warm amniotic fluid since my water broke, but when my husband checked, he alerted the staff during myultra sound I was leaking a lot of blood.  So I was rushed to Labor and Delivery once again.

I started labor at 10:30 pm and was put on the contraction/fetal monitor again and IV fluids.  They started me on magnesium sulfate at 12:00 midnight, which I needed for Madison at least 4-hour dose to help mature her organs. Around 4:00 am they decided to induce me with pitocin because they feared any longer would cause infection to the baby.  I was glad that I finished the maximum dosage needed to receive magnesium because it has proven results.  At around 11:00 pm I was on the epidural and it made a world of difference. Finally I called the nurse around 4:45 am and I felt Madison slowly push down. By that time I was 4 cm dilated.  At 5:00 she was knocking at the entrance.  I was rushed to O.R. immediately and the entire room was full of the NICU doctors, anesthesiologists, nurses and more doctors!  By the time I was setup, the doctors told me to push, and within two pushes my baby was born.
 
Madison Kim was born at 5:30 am on Tuesday, July 6th 2010.  She is 1 lb and 11 ounces, 13" inches.
 
She is exactly 26 weeks and 0 days and was rushed into NICU after stabilizing her with a breathing tube. Edmond and I were able to say hello before she left.  She was making facial expressions and opened her eyes! Though she is very tiny, she  has a full set of hair!
 
By 8am, Edmond and I were able to see her before I was transferred to the post partum floor.  It was reassuring to see her before we situated ourselves because she was in stable condition.  However, because she is very young gestationally she is under close watch and have to pray there are no complications.  Each day is a new challenge for Madison.  She is currently intubated which echoes the womb, swaddled in a receiving blanket and humidity.  Last night at 12:00 midnight when I dropped off my first breast milk (colostrum), she was sunbathing under LED lights.  This is suppose to help her liver grow strong.  Eventually she will be off the breathing tube and they will try to let her breathe a little on her own with the CPAP. She might go back to the breathing ventilator to help train her lungs and resume on the CPAP. In a few days they will do a brain ultrasound to test for any brain bleeds. The neonatal doctor said that everyday, every hour will be an extra step towards her recovery.  Everyday will be a different story but hopefully for the good.  We have such wonderful doctors and nurses here.  Edmond and I have felt so blessed despite the early delivery, but she is stable and working very hard towards recovery.
 
Edmond and I are so grateful for your constant prayers and support.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for continually praying and thinking of baby Madison.  Because of your constant encouragements through email, texts, phone calls, visits...it gave me hope each day to hang in there!  God has been so amazing through all this because there has been so many "close calls" but each day I counted as a blessing and a prayer answered.  I have met so many friends and those who I've grown closer through these tough times.  I really can't express the full gratitude in my heart.

Just now I received a call at 9:30 am from my original doctor who I believed has chosen every step of the way wisely for my pregnancy plan.  I truly believe God really had full control of this situation, choosing the right doctors from the beginning to the end. Even things I needed to get by each hour, day, week to month.  

In the future, as I'm slowly picking up my strength, I will be putting a "Madison's road to recovery" update on my blog instead of emails.  She will be in the hospital at least to her due date (10/12/10) and may possibly be released from the hospital mid-September if all is progressively going well.  Please continue to pray for a stable, speedy recovery for baby Madison!  I will be visiting her everyday to deliver my milk which will help to make her immune system strong.

Thank you everyone!

Love,
Janet, Edmond and baby Madison"

I know that Janet had really hoped to make it to 28 weeks, but it sounds like things are going as well as could be hoped for!  Please continue to pray for Janet and Madison--as they are both relying on medical interventions to help Madison to continue to develop now that she is here.  Wow!  She's here!  I think that's still sinking in for me!

Today's blessing (in addition to learning of Madison's early-but-safe arrival) was an absolutely beautiful drive through South Dakota, Wyoming, and Colorado.  My husband drove the whole way, which gave me the chance to admire the amazing scenery around us...and take a few little naps.  Tomorrow's drive will be a bit longer, but we hope to make it home by the early evening.