Together Again

Kaden and Karsyn are together again….and are “podmates”!!!!  Kaden was transferred to Texas Childrens yesterday.  We were and are very glad to have the twins in one place and already feel very at home at TCH.  However, we were very sad to leave Women’s.  When you spend hours upon hours every day in the NICU you seriously begin to look at the nurses, doctors, practitioners, and other employees as family.  They were my friends.  The people I talked to, cried and laughed with, and trusted with my precious babies.  They were very good to us and leaving yesterday was very emotional.  We will miss them dearly and are so thankful for the time, love,  and compassion they showed our family.  And, we look forward to building these bonds with our new nurses at Children’s!

Both babies are doing well.  Kaden handled the transfer well.  They have made some changes to some of his settings and discontinued some of his medication.  So far he’s adjusting, and they’re going to give him a few days and then start a few other changes to get him in line with their “protocol”.   His lungs are still a little hazy and their hoping to be able to get rid of some of that fluid this week. 

Karsyn is still doing great.  She seems to be handling  all the changes they’ve thrown at her beautifully!  We spoke with the neurosurgeon this morning.  He was very nice and took a lot of time to explain everything to us.  They will be placing a reservoir in her head early next week.  This reservoir will allow them to go in very easily and drain spinal fluid directly from her brain.  This draining of fluid will relieve pressure in her brain and help prevent any further brain damage.  As we were talking and looking at the brain ultrasound he said he had seen “much worse”.  I just stared at him a moment and then asked him to repeat himself.  He explained again that yes she had a grade 4 and that there was more significant bleeding on the right side (which we knew) but that he had seen bleeds MUCH (yes he emphasized it) worse than hers.  This is where I began to cry.  Yep he’d only known me for 3 minutes and I’m already crying.  I explained to him that we’d been given a very dire diagnosis for Karsyn.  The worst of the worst and were under the impression her bleed was about as bad as it could get.   Less than two weeks ago we were told she would probably never be off the ventilator, and would more than likely never do more than she is right now.  Basically that she would be little more than a vegetable for her entire life.  And now she is off the ventilator, responding well to everything  being handed to her, and her bleed is not the worst he’s ever seen.  Hope.  God is truly amazing.  Don’t get me wrong.  We are very aware that Karsyn will face difficulties and only time will tell the magnitude of these difficulties.  We are not naive, but we are very thankful for a God that works miracles.  Thankful for a God that hears the pleas of parents just given news no one should ever hear about their children.  Thankful for friends, family and strangers that have knelt before that same God on behalf of our children.  Thankful for a God that continues to hold our hands and guide us down a path we feel completely unprepared for.  And more than anything we are thankful that we aren’t facing any of this alone.  His presence is so evident in the outpouring of love and support we’re receiving.  In our weakest moments God plants angels in our path.  Angels that take on many different forms.  Smiles from strangers,  kind words, thoughtful messages and emails, generous gifts, or shoulders to cry on.  Angels are coming out of the woodworks and we are beyond thankful.  God never gives you more than you can handle….I’ve said this phrase countless times in the last month.  I’m convinced it’s true….with the help of those he carefully places in your lives!

Here are a few pictures of our little munchkins in their new homes!! 

Karsyn relaxing in some of her new duds!! 

Cuddling with mommy!

Kaden relaxing with Daddy!  

Not the best picture, but Kaden relaxing in his first outfit!