Hospital Pics

Well, Lyla gets better every day! She is totally back to her normal eating schedule and she's just a happy-dappy girl. :) She had another urinalysis done and it looks very clear and normal. All her blood counts are back into normal range, so the antibiotics are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Praise the Lord! Thanks for your prayers. Here are some pics from in her hospital room yesterday. Enjoy.

Uncle Faz and Auntie Bryana

Victory!

Happy Girl  :)

Doing better...

Well, today Lyla seems to be feeling better--she's even more like herself and up to her little Lyla antics--smiling and talking, and definitely eating better too. Her blood cultures are negative after about 48 hours so the infection most likely did not spread to her blood, which is very good news. It's basically contained to her urinary tract and possibly her kidneys. She no longer has any fever and her weight today was 11 lbs 1 oz. She's getting her IV antibiotic twice a day and they've reduced her IV fluids so that she will take more by mouth. We're still anticipating she'll need to be in the hospital until at least Monday so she can finish her course of antibiotics. The results of her kidney ultrasound were that her right kidney (which was the one we thought was non-functioning due to blockage and dilation) has become less dilated which is good, but her left kidney is more dilated, possibly because she has the infection. But her kidney function lab work still came back totally normal. Yay! After the infection is all cleared up Lyla will remain on some antibiotics by mouth prophylactically until she has some tests done to further examine exactly how well her kidneys are functioning. She is more prone to getting urinary tract infections because of some abnormalities in her bladder and urinary tract. :( We will try to avoid them as much as possible! It's sometimes hard to not feel like it's my fault though that she got the infection. Anyway, thanks for the outpouring of love and prayers and emails and encouragement. We know the many prayers for Lyla are being heard. And I'll continue to update daily!

Photo update!

Happy belated Easter!  HE IS RISEN!  

John 3:16 "For God SO loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."  What an amazing promise--that is what Easter is all about.  Praise the Lord! 

 

Lyla in her Easter dress.

Do you like my pretty new bracelet?  (Thanks Millers!)

What an Easter angel. :)

I came home for a little bit to pick a few things up to bring back to the hospital, so I thought I'd post some pics from the last week.  Enjoy. :)

A few more pics...

Grandma Cathy came to visit for a week--Lyla sure had fun with her as you can see!

Lyla really got into sucking on Grandma's finger--it was so funny and cute. :)

And a few more...

Our little bunny (thanks for the adorable hat Karn!)

Our friend Rich came home from Oregon for a few days and stopped by to see Lyla. :)

Four Generations--Great Grandma Nita, Grandma Cathy, mom and Lyla Jane

Lyla holding her own bottle!

Great Grandma Anita stayed with us for a few days--Lyla really took to her.  We had so much fun!

Update from the hospital...

Sorry about no Easter pics yet--we've had kind of a whirlwind few days. I will get some pics posted when I get a chance--Lyla looked soooooo pretty in her little Easter dress! On Sunday she started to get a little fussy and just didn't seem like herself--not a lot of smiles and coos like usual. It took her along time to finally fall asleep that night and then during the night she woke up several times which was also unusual for her. She felt hot to me so I took her temp and it was 101.9 F. I called her care coordinator on Monday morning and told her about the fever and that Lyla was lethargic and a bit fussy. She got Lyla in to see her doctor that afternoon. She had blood drawn and a urine sample taken. Her white cell count was pretty high indicating infection, and her urine was cloudy indicating a possible urinary tract infection. The doctor said she needed to be admitted to the hospital. She is now in a pediatric hospital room. She was started on IV fluids and antibiotics. They obtained blood cultures to see if the infection has spread to her blood. This morning (Tuesday) they did an ultrasound to take a look at her kidneys, since they are compromised (have been since birth). So far we know that she will need to be at the hospital getting the IV antibiotics for at least 7 days, to be sure that the infection clears up and her kidneys aren't adversely affected by the infection. I will keep updating the blog and will let you know when we get the results of her cultures. She was not a happy camper last night, but she is doing much better today and acting more like herself-- even smiling once in awhile. Please keep her in your prayers. We know that God is watching over her and continues to hold her in His hands. Love, Jenny Joel and Lyla Jane

Cutie Pie

Lyla in her Sunday dress--what a cutie. :)

Rolley-Polley

Lyla was in a rolley mood this morning and I was able to catch a roll on video. :)

The little princess taking a snooze

Check Up

Lyla's check up today went well.  She is now 1o lbs 10 oz!  What a whopper!  She also got 3 shots which she took like a trooper, but she's a little fussy tonight.  Please continue to pray for her muscle tone and development--she's a little behind in that area, but the doctor said that she is really exceeding expectations considering she has Trisomy 18!  We told her that Jesus keeps working on her!  Thanks for all your thoughts, prayers, and love.  Enjoy the pics of the peanut.

Lyla's first sink bath. :)

Smiley girl

What a snuggler

Road Trip!

Last weekend we took Lyla on her first out-of-town trip.  We went to Marshfield (where I grew up) for the weekend to visit friends and family.  Lyla did exceptionally well the whole weekend--she was a trooper.  We just stopped once on the hour and 45 min ride up to feed her.  Jerry & Nancy Petcher opened their home to us for the weekend, which was just perfect.  Lyla slept in a pack n play both nights and did great!  She slept from 9 pm to 4:30 am both nights and then went back to sleep after we fed her until 8-8:30.  What an angel!  We arrived on Friday night, then on Saturday morning Joel spent the day with my friend Tanya's husband, Tim, collecting maple sap.  He has a maple syrup business and on that day they collected 700 gallons of sap!  It was a gorgeously warm day and Tim said that was the most he's ever collected in a single day!  It was neat to see how the whole operation works and just fun for them to be outside in the beautiful weather.   While they were doing that, Tanya and her kids Haley and Jack, and Lyla and I went visiting.  It was a very busy but very fun day!  I was just sorry that I didn't get any pics of Joel and Tim and the maple syrup operation or any of Rhoda and Lyla--maybe next time. :)

My friend Tanya's daughter, Haley, with Lyla.  Haley liked pretending that Lyla was her little sister. :)

We went to visit our good friends Paul and Shelly and their two boys Andrew and Colin.  This is Paul with Little L.  We forgot to get pics with Shelly before she went to work.  Doy!

Haley with Andrew--they were instant buddies. :)

This is the youngest Petcher girl, Tammy.  We got to visit her and her fiance Eric.

Eric, Tammy, and Lyla--they're getting married November 7th!

This is the eldest Petcher girl (now Ferge), Tara--she's holding Lyla and I'm holding her daughter Abigale who just turned one.  They came from Manitowoc to visit her family and us. :)

Lyla in her Sunday dress--we went to Tim & Tanya's church.

Jenny, Lyla, Tanya

And onto my Uncle Russ and Aunt Vicki's house.  Here is my cousin Nicole with Lyla.

Lyla was giving lots of smiles to Nicole with her girls Makenna and Avery.  I tried to get a pic of Lyla with my aunt Vicki but my camera's batteries died before I could get it.  :(

PS--We're sorry that we weren't able to visit more family and friends while in Marshfield--there just wasn't enough time!  Next time (maybe summer?) we'll try to visit those we didn't get to see this trip. :)

4 Months

The birthday girl in her Sunday dress. :)

Well, yesterday was Lyla Jane's 4 month birthday!  It was a very busy day for us so I wasn't able to post anything, but one day late ain't so bad, right?  :)  

She is still smiling a lot, and talking a lot.  Sometimes she likes to smile and talk during feeding time so it takes a little longer to eat. :)  I'm guessing she's close to 10 1/2 lbs now--she has a doctor's appt on Tuesday so we'll find out for sure then.  She's been eating more and more--I think she's not afraid to eat more now because she doesn't have the gagging/choking episodes as often or as severely as she used to.  All in all, she just continues to be an absolute joy.  She makes us smile and laugh and give thanks every day. 

Friends

Recently we went to visit our friends Joel and Cari and their three little ones Soren, Gunnar, and Freja.  They are truly a busy little family, and very much a blessing to us. :)

This one was actually taken before Christmas when Joel came to our house to drop off a meal for us--I think it's a neat pic.

This is Freja--look at those blue eyes!  She's about 3 months older than Lyla.

Soren, Gunnar, Joel and Freja--they love their daddy. :)

Cari and Lyla 

(Cari made an amazing Chinese meal for us--she's quite a cook.)

Patty-Cake

Beaver Creek

The weather was so beautiful here the other day that Joel and I wanted to take advantage of it, so we decided to take a little excursion to one of our favorite places in the world, Beaver Creek.  It's a little Minnesota state park about 40 minutes away from home.  Beaver Creek holds a lot of sentimental value for Joel and I.  It is where we went on our first date and it is where, on January 16th, 2005, we became engaged.  It is a beautiful and peaceful place that we never get tired of visiting.  And we realized the other day that we have visited Beaver Creek during every season, each with its own special beauty.  We just love to go there and marvel at God's creation.  There is a hiking path which runs alongside an amazingly clear creek--and there are lots of trout in it which Joel always likes to point out.  I don't know how he can see them but he always does--it's those hunter's eyes I guess. :)  It was fun for us to think about how, when we were on our first date there, we never would have imagined that we would be back in that same place some day with our baby daughter, Lyla Jane.

If you listen closely you can hear Lyla snoring. :)

Lyla in her cozy wrap (from Auntie Abby)

She slept the whole time. :)

On one of our excursions to Beaver Creek a few years ago, it happened to be one of those mornings when the fog and mist was rising off the creek and the sun was shining down on it just perfectly--it was so neat, like a post card or something.  Well, Joel and I were walking along the trail admiring the beauty of the mist on the water with the sun streaming through it, and there in the middle of the creek stood a deer.  We got all excited because it was an absolute perfect photo opportunity.  I mean it could win awards.  Well, it turned out that our camera focused on the branches in the foreground rather than the deer in the mist, and by the time we figured out how to get the shot the deer had heard us and run away.  Anyway, all this to say that it reminded us of the song "As the Deer" taken from Psalm 42:1  "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul thirsts after you, O God."   

The beauty of His creation is a reflection of God and it does make us thirst for Him.  We're so thankful that we are able to enjoy it with our little Lyla.

Talkin'

Visitors :)

Well, yesterday Lyla and I received the special blessing of getting a visit from the Petchers. Jerry & Nancy are my adopted parents (they live in Marshfield) for when I'm missing my real parents who are all the way out in Arizona! They have been friends with my parents since before I was born. We were talking about how they have even changed a few of my diapers when I was a baby! Tanya is their middle daughter who has been my dear friend since birth. (We've also been tennis partners since about age 8 and intend to be until about age 98!) :) And she brought her youngest--handsome little Jack. It was such a blessing to have them here--they are just like family. And of course they came bearing gifts and delicious food for lunch, which Nancy whipped up, including her world-famous cereal bars. Yum! What a treat. Good food, fellowship, fun, and lots of Lyla love--what could be better? :)

Nancy and Lyla

Tanya and Lyla

Jack snuck in this one!

Jenny, Lyla, Tanya, Jack

PS--I did get some cute pics of Jerry and Lyla, but I suspect he sneakily went in and deleted them.  It was so sweet to see how when Lyla was fussing, he held her and walked with her and sang to her until she was comfy and fast asleep.  Thanks "grandpa" Jerry!  :)  :)  :)

This verse reminds me of the Petchers, especially the living a life of love part--

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."  Ephesians 5:1

    

Smiley Girl

She brings so much joy to our lives.

 Just a little tiny hello.  :)

Praise Report

Well, today Lyla had her appointment at the clinic to get her weight and blood pressure checked. Good news--she gained 7 oz in one week! She now weighs 9 lbs 5 oz! Her increased calorie formula seems to be doing the trick. Also, her BP is in very normal range so she will not need to go on BP medication. Yay! And her renal labs came back normal which means her kidney is functioning just fine. God is so good! We are so thankful that our little trooper is doing so well. :) As always, thanks for your prayers. Enjoy the pics of our happy dappy Lyla.

She's been smiling so much lately!  

She wore that cute little dress to church.  It's from our friends Mark and Karn.  Too cute!