Updates on my health
January/February
1/26/03 A lot has happened in a month...it's been a while since we updated the website because there doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Here's a quick summary of what has been going on with me these days...
On January 8th my mommy had to take me to the Emergency Room late at night (my daddy was on call at a hospital that night). I had been crying and screaming and I wouldn't take my bottle (which is usually never a problem). My pediatrician told my mommy to take me to the hospital so that a doctor could check me out. Being born premature makes me high risk for a lot of other problems, so they wanted to play it safe. Anyways, it was a terrible ordeal. I was so hungry and tired, but I kept getting poked and prodded left and right. The doctors didn't see anything obviously wrong, so they decided to do a barium enema to rule out an intestinal problem. My mommy really did not want to do it, but the doctor thought it was necessary. To make a long story short, I cried a whole lot that day. The radiologist had to strap me to a table with my hands and legs strapped tightly so that I couldn't squirm during the procedure. They had to stick a tube up my rectum and pushed barium through my intestinal tract. Then, they took x-rays to see if there was any intestinal problems. Thankfully, the x-rays showed that everything was normal, and soon after they discharged me from the ER. The next day I was back to normal (except that I was really pooped from the previous night's ordeal). We never really knew what was wrong, but hopefully that will not happen again.
On January 23rd I went to the eye doctor. He told my mommy that I needed glasses. I am nearsighted (-7) which is worse than both my mom and dad's eyesight. He thinks that my nearsightedness could get a lot worse because of the severe ROP (eye disease) and the laser surgery that I had. I should be getting the glasses in about a week or two. I'm supposed to wear them anytime that I'm awake as well as an eye patch for 2 hours a day to prevent crossed eyes. There are still some other issues concerning my eyes besides the nearsightedness...I still have a wall of fibrous scar tissue in my right eye that could become a problem in the future. Right now the inside of my eye is considered "solid" so everything is being held in place...however, as I get older the inside becomes more liquid so this wall of scar tissue may still pull on my retina and detach it. There is still some mild dragging in both eyes. The doctor is really hoping that the macula doesn't get dragged into the area that was lasered because then I will most definitely have poor vision. So far he hasn't been able to locate the macula because it may not have formed yet. There are still so many things that need lots of prayer. Please pray that I will not mind the glasses and that my eyes will completely heal and not have any kind of impairment at all. The prognosis doesn't look that great, but we will continue to pray for more miracles!
On a lighter note (or should I say heavier note)...I weigh about 14 pounds now! The doctors are amazed at my growth which is not typical of a 26 week preemie. I now giggle and laugh at my parents when they make funny faces! : ) I also love to be held in my baby carrier facing out. I love looking around the room. Hopefully with glasses I'll see even better. I am developmentally doing well. I am doing all the things that 3 month old babies should be doing (which is another great sign of progress)! I have had a slight cold for the last month, but so far it hasn't been a serious problem. My next eye appointment is February 27th. I'll make sure to update the website with new pictures when I get my glasses. My parents were cracking up when the optometrist put the frames on my face because I looked so silly. The optometrist said that it's good that we can laugh about it, because most parents cry when they see their little baby with glasses. I'm really thankful to God for protecting me and helping me to grow stronger each day. Thank you for all your prayers....I really need them!
2/8/03 I got my glasses this week as you can see from the pictures. I'm supposed to wear them all the time. So far I'm doing pretty well with them on. The only time it bothers me is when I'm tired and I try to rub my eyes, and my glasses get in the way. Unfortunately there is NO selection when it comes to baby frames. The only choice my parents had was the color of the frames: pink, blue, or white. : ) The frames are bendable and have no hinges so that I can't hurt myself. My next eye exam is on Thursday 2/27. I'll be sure to keep you updated on my progress. I've been crying a lot these days at the top of my lungs and my parents figured out that I'm teething. You can see the beginnings of a couple of teeth on my lower gums. I've been a real crank these days, because it bothers me a lot. I guess I'm really growing up! Thanks for continuing to pray for me!