A dramatic entrance...

Yes... I realize it is 12:37 AM. This is really the only time I have to give updates. The last few days have been a roller coaster ride to say the least. I'll briefly touch on some the events we have experienced so far. I should start by saying everyone is healthy and safe now, although there were times when Ellie has given us some good scares. Everything was going ok, but I was not progressing in labor... at all. Turn the pitocin up... tons of contractions... no movement, turn it down... no contractions... even less movement. We were ready to endure it the full 24 hours they would allow after the broke my water until the unexpected happened. For some reason... which is still unknown the lost the fetal reading. Nurses are running everywhere, trying this position... and that one. All i can hear is people telling me to breath deeply in my oxygen mask. (By this time I was hooked up to about 8 different machines including the fetal monitor and the oxygen). So I'm breathing... and waiting... and finally they get it back. We all relax and everything is ok. And then came the tears. It scared me so bad, but I knew everything would be ok. Surely that wouldn't happen again. More time goes by... no progression. Lost fetal reading again. Tried to hard just to focus on my breathing and fix whatever was wrong. After what seemed like an eternity they found it again. At this point The nurses get concerned enough to call the Doctor in to the hospital. He arrives and not moments after we lose it again. It took him only moments to determine that we needed to get this baby out NOW! They immediately rolled me down the hall and started operating. Minutes later Ellie was here (12:41 a.m.), but not in great condition. Joey and I didn't find out until the next day, but they actually had to resuscitate her. Finally after the amazing team of nurses and doctors got her going we heard her cry for the first time. All I could see was a head of hair and some fingers move on the table. They took Ellie and Joey to the nursery right after that. I was a little heartbroken to find out that I couldn't go see Ellie until I was able to walk... which wouldn't be until much later that day. They got us settled in our room and we attempted sleeping. Didn't work so well. We rested, but I don't know that you would call it actual sleep. Finally around 6:00 I wiggled my toes and feet enough to where they allowed me to be put in a wheelchair and go to the nursery. Amazing! Meeting her for the first time was so ..... I can't even say. I still can't believe she is ours. After that we figured all would be fine and dandy and we would get to go home after 48 hrs (c-section release time). Little did we know the drama had just begun. It's hard to even recall everything that has happened in the last couple of days because there has been so much. Monday was just rough to be honest. One thing after another. She would just stop breathing, or she would choke on her own spit and turn blue, they didn't think her color was very good... I mean really one thing after another. It was a very scary and frustrating day. I was supposed to be able to feed her at 8 that morning, but then got put off till 11, and then they bumped it back to 3... everything just felt so crazy. After a long crazy day we finally got some answers. They had run more tests and everything was looking better. They determined she had Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension, and anemia. Apparently both of these things are easily fixed, and from our hospital. Such a relief. Then came Tuesday ( I would say today... but now it is 1:03 on Wednesday :)). Tuesday was the best day! So much improvement. She passed every test, her color changed, she became very active, and she finally breastfed for the first time. It really was the best day. Looking back it's hard to even think about all we went through Monday because today has been so great. She still is on an IV with her antibiotics, so we don't get to room with her, but she is just doing great and we spend a ton of time in the nursery with her. Not sure what tomorrow... I mean today will bring. I can only imagine good things. She is doing so great! Not sure when we will be discharged. I'm pretty sure they will discharge me as a patient tomorrow, but there has been talk of possibly keeping Ellie here for 7 days???? In that case I would be staying here as a boarding Mommy as long as they will let me. We should find out more later today. I'll keep you posted as much as possible. I would honestly like to say Thank you for the thoughts and prayers. We feel so blessed and know that it was through the power of prayer, and the grace of the Lord. Hope to have just as good of a report next time I post. I'll let you know when I can. Love you! ~MacGregors