Madelyn's Journey

I found out in august 2009 that my precious baby would have a condition known as gastroschisis. I searched everything that i could put my fingers on and didn't find a whole lot of information. I didn't know anyone who had a baby like this before. I only knew of a friend who was born like this years ago. I was so afraid I felt so alone. The doctors just kept telling me it would be okay. September 9 2009 we found out we were having a little girl. It was some kind of relief. Our baby was still thriving. Though I had my ups and dowsn it was in God's hands. The first week of december I was 31 weeks and madelyn was thrving anymore she wasn't growing. My amnio levels were very low. They thought her kidneys were shutting down. They wanted to do an amnio but I said no. I got two set of steroid shots and prepared for an early induction. But two days later at my sonogram the levels were back to normal so it was a relief.  The first week of January I was hospitalized because she kept failing her BBP's  and her NST was awful. My boyfriend at the time, my daughter's father met me their immediately. I was monitored for 48hours before they decided to let me leave. two weeks later we discussed induction I didn't want to go past 37weeks it was a huge battle before they finally decided that 37weeks 4days they would induce.  But  i ended up going into labor on january 23. January 25 at 1107 she was born via emergency c section. She had severe IUGR she was 3.9lb 16inches. I got to give her a quick kiss before she was rushed away with daddy following. He kept running back and forth between the two of us giving me updates on our baby girl.

She had her first surgery and hour after birth. The rest of her intestines went into a silo for six days. She was closed up at seven days old. her surgeon didn't think it would be possible because she was so tiny.Right after surgery she began to have problems. She was on 100% oxygen but was turning bright blue because her lungs were so squished. The doctors and nurses ( there were so many) began working on her at her bed side as we sat against the wall freaking out. She ended up just fine. she pooped five hours after surgery. But her blood gases were not coming back good and her heart beat was in the 200's she was maxed out on drugs. So her doctor decided it would be best for a blood transfusion.  After the blood transfusion she looked so much better and things began to fall into place. At nine days old I got to hold her. At ten days her daddy go to. By 11 days she just had a little but of oxygen flowing through her nose. By 14 days we started feeds. She wasn't gaining weight which made our stay longer. She tolerated feeds just fine. By 26 days our baby girl got discharged from the hospital. Ever since she has had no complications caused by gastroschisis she is truly my little miracle. I love her so much and she did so well <3