Ryan and Melissa Family

Hello Family and Friends,
We wanted to make a way for all of you to get the latest on our family happenings and have created this blog so you can have easy access to the news and pictures. Here's the story from the last little bit to the latest. We'll try and update frequently. Thanks for all your love, support, concern, and prayers. We love you.

This pregnancy has had some surprises. When we had our targeted ultrasound at about 24 wks gestation, the tech found an abnomality with the babies left kidney. We were refered to a perinatalogist for another ultrasound and possible dianosis. The Dr. looked at the baby and everything looked good. The kidney was likely just blocked or kinked somewhere and we would just have to wait until birth to retest and go from there. They also discovered that he had a 2 vessel umbilical cord. (Most babies have 3 vessels, 2 arteries and 1 vein. Our little guy just had one of each). We were told that it wasn't a big deal, we would just have to watch toward the end of pregnancy to make sure he was getting enough nutrition to grow still.

After a few more prenatal check-ups, we found out that I had extra amniotic fluid. Not usually a problem, but because I had a c-section with Tyler we would have to watch to make sure there wasn't so much fluid that it stressed my scar to the point that it could rupture. Normal fluid levels are measured in the depth of the pockets of fluid in the 4 quadrants of the amniotic sac, and range from 5-25 cm once totaled. On January 12th, my fluid measured at 40 cm!! When I went for my prenatal vist on Friday the 16th, the doctor said the risk was too high and she would induce me the next morning. She placed a catheter in the cervix to help it dialate overnight.

We checked in at 6:30 the next morning. If I remember correctly they started the pitocin before 8. I didn't really feel any contractions. Between 9:30 and 10 my doctor came and broke my water. Good thing it didn't happen on it's own, because there was a lot of it!!! I was dialated to 4 cm, thanks to the catheter. Labor pains kicked in from there. I called for an epidural about 11:30 and had it in not long after 12. It helped quite a bit, but I had a "window" that was not numb. They tried to add medication, add a stronger medication, but the window stayed. The anesthesiologist decided it was best to just replace the epidural completely. That was at approx. 4:30. I had only dialted to a 5 by then. The progress was discouraging, but the next epidural was much better. I still had one spot that was troublesome, but manageable. When the nurse came in an hour later she recommended that I add a little pump of the pain med. I did so, and then she checked progress again. To our great suprise I was at 10 and the babies head was visible. She called for my doctor who was at a hospital down the street doing and delivery and had another delivery to do there before she could be there. So we waited a while. When she finally made it there and dressed for delivery, I pushed twice and our little Andrew was here!! 6:58 pm, 6 lbs 1 oz, 19 in.

He looked great and was doing well. In the initial checking, though, the tech found that she could not get the suction tube down his to his stomach. An X-ray was ordered and confirmed what the pediatrician suspected. Andrew's esophagus (eating tube) was in two pieces. The top ended just below his throat in a little bubble. The bottom had attached to his trachea (wind pipe). So while air could get into his stomach, food could not. This explained all the extra fluid. Babies usually swallow the amnioic fluid, but because Andrew could not swallow it, it collected in the sac.

The hospital staff was great and let us hold Andrew as long as they could, knowing that he needed to go to NICU where he would be transfered to Primary Children's. We were with him about an hour.

The staff from Primary Children's Lifeflight team (he went by ambulance because it wasn't life threatening) brought him to my room again before they left and explained things very well. He would be evaluated again and then have surgery.

The surgery was postponed yesterday because of a flood of emergency surgeries yesterday, and was performed this morning. They were going to separate the bottom of the esophagus from the trachea and attach it to the top. When they tried to do so, the tubes were too short, and could not meet. So what we thought would be a two week stay is now a min. of 2 months stay in NICU. The surgery went well and they were able to separate the bottom piece. They also placed a feeding tube into his stomach. Once that heals he will be able to be fed. We're hoping about Saturday that will happen. Now they will wait for the two pieces to grow until they are long enough to meet. They will test to measure the growth in 6-8 weeks. For now he is being fed through IV. He also has a tube down his throat to suck the fluid out of the top of his esophagus. He will have a breathing tube to help him breath until he is less sedated from pain medication. The nurse explained it this way: They want to do as much work for him as they can, so that his body can heal more quickly.

We learned that babies with this type of problem often have other 'midline' problems. So they check all of them for brain, heart, kindey, and anal defects as well. We knew there was a problem with the kidney already. All the other tests came back normal. For that we are so grateful.

The kidney ultrasound was diagnosed today. I can't remember the name completely, but it's polycistic something or other. His kidney does not function, and will eventually fade away. Fortuneatly his right kidney is perfect, and your body only needs one kidney. So we will just have to take care of the one he has.

I hope I've remembered everything. The positive outlook ahead is this:
Feed by tube in 5 days.
Hold him once the drain tube from the incision site, and breathing tube come out. (3-5 days).
Test for esophagus growth in 6-8 weeks.
Repeat surgery when the tube is long enough.
Begin regular (by mouth) feedings 5 days post surgery #2.
Go home as soon as he will eat full feedings on his own. (2 weeks post surgery).

We love you all.

Will post pictures in the morning. For now it's time to sleep!!

P.S. I was released from the hospital yesterday afternoon thanks to a very understanding doctor. I am doing well with my recovery. I will say recovery is so much easier than with a c-section. And despite the problems with my epidural, I love them!!

We are so grateful to our Father in Heaven for this new addition to our family and know he is watching over all of us during this stressful time. We know of his love for us. And although this is not the perfect outcome for our Andrew he will be able to be a normal, healthy little boy after this short time. Thank you to all of you for all of your prayers as well.