UPDATE - Thursday 2:30 pm:
Both girls are doing as well as can be expected.
Tricia has been completely taken off the paralytic drug and 1 of 3 sedatives. Nathan was talking to her today and told her that baby Gwyneth was here and safe and she turned her face towards him and opened her eyes. She also squeezed his hand and smiled when he asked her to. Her heart rate also dropped 5 points when he walked in the room. What a blessing that she is responding to him!
Today they will continue to wean Tricia off the last 2 sedatives. Please pray that when she wakes up, so does not fight the ventilator. I'm sure it will be an emotional moment when she realizes she is a mommy! Also continue to pray for baby Gwyneth. One of the doctors that delivered her told Nathan yesterday that she was the best 24 weeker she'd ever seen. Pray she keeps up the good progress.
Thank you!
UPDATE - Wednesday 9:08 am:
If you get a chance, go to Nathan's blog. He has an amazing slide show of the baby. It's incredible that someone so tiny can survive.
From Nathan
I arrived at 7:30 this morning to get a brief glimpse of my sleeping wife and then to spend a few minutes with my baby. Both are continuing to hang on.Gwyneth seems to be doing very well. Unless you've been there, you can't imagine the amount of care she is receiving. So many things to watch for and constant attention just blow my mind. She has a wonderful chance of surviving these first few months and growing into a beautiful, healthy girl.Tricia's ventilator was reduced before I left last night (good), but was raised again before I arrived this morning (not so good). If she can simply gain a little momentum to be awakened, I can relax. Until then, she could go either way.It's amazing to consider that both of my girls are in almost exactly the same state. Both are lying on the backs, almost totally unaware of their surroundings and of each other, both are on ventilators, both have multiple IV's, pic lines, arterial lines, etc., both will have a feeding tube (prayerfully Gwyneth will have one very soon).As I spent time sitting by Tricia's last night, I talked to God in a way that I never have before. I spent time praying for my two girls, for each family member and friend who has spent time with us the past few weeks, for all of our friends and family who have not been able to be with us, and for the thousands we have never met who are thinking of us. I prayed for the entire medical staff, as many as I could remember by name. And, as I did yesterday afternoon as Gwyneth and Tricia were being physically separated for the first time, I told God that I will accept whatever He chooses for my girls, and asked that He would consider the desire of my heart.Again, I will write more about yesterday when I can. Right now, I'm hopefully going to go spend some time with my wife and find out what the plan is for the day.Thank you all.Nate
UPDATE - Tuesday 3:15 pm:
From Nathan
1lb 6oz She is stable, and I'm waiting to go down to NICU to see her. The delivery doc brought us a picture...she has hair (go figure with the two of us). That's all I know.Tricia is sleeping in ICU. The next 24 hours will be critical for Tricia. She's doing well on the vent, but until she's awake, we won't know fully what the future looks like. I spent 5 minutes with her before they kicked me out to do some things.I'll give more details later, but 75 people in the OR tells you something of the miracle that today has been so far. Lots of tears, both of fear and of joy.Your prayers over the next few days will be the most treasured.Nate
UPDATE - Tuesday 2:45 pm:
The baby is here. She is 1 lb 6 oz. As of now she is stable, but things can change very quickly. Tricia is in ICU and still on the ventilator. Things a looking much better, but please don't stop lifting them up in prayer!
UPDATE - Tuesday 1:45 pm:
They are doing the emergency c-section right now. Please pray!
UPDATE - Tuesday 12:01 pm:
They are taking Tricia back any moment. They are going to intabate her in the OR. If she takes to the ventilator, they are going to try to sedate her and keep her calm until Friday. On Friday she will be at 25 weeks and the baby's chances of survival improve drastically!
If her body rejects the ventilator, she will be in big trouble. They will do an emergency c-section and take the baby and then help Tricia as much as possible.
UPDATE - Monday 12:07 pm:
They have decided to take the baby this afternoon or Tuesday morning. Please pray for safety for both the baby and mom. It is critical that Tricia some through this surgery successfully. Please pray that the baby will be strong enough to survive this early. She's 24 1/2 weeks!
I would like to ask you all to join me in praying for some dear friends of my friends Zach and Brandie.
Nathan and Tricia live in the outer banks. Nathan is the worship pastor at a church down there. Tricia has cystic fibrosis. She was scheduled to have a lung transplant in the very near future when she found out she was pregnant. The surgery has obviously been postponed until after the baby is born. The only problem is, that as we all know it certainly doesn't get easier to breathe when you are pregnant and it is taking a lot out of her body, that was already fighting hard to survive. She is and will remain at Duke University Hospital until the baby is born. They are hoping to make it to 26 weeks so the baby will have a shot at making it. Please pray that God will help this baby mature ahead of schedule and that Tricia's body won't be so depleted by this that she is no longer a candidate for the transplant.
Thank you for your prayers! I have added both of their blogs to my list if you want to check up on them or post a prayer to their blogs.
It's times like this that I stop and thank God for my amazing healthy family and am challenged to think, would I be so steadfast if I were in their shoes.
