Welcome Clara Elizabeth!

She has FINALLY arrived to our family!  On August 3rd Clara was delivered by emergency C-Section here in La Grande.  Unfortunately, it was a rocky time and a rocky delivery.  After being in the hospital the week before and having the horrible allergic reaction, I came back the next day for labwork and then on Monday for an ultrasound on my liver.  My Doctor had taken a look at my lab results and my liver enzymes were pretty high.  So I went in for an extensive ultrasound and though that all was well.  On Tuesday morning I had an appointment with my doctor and she was concerned because my liver and spleen were quite enlarged.  She decided to send me back up to labor and delivery to get on the baby monitor and have a TON more labs done.  I figured that I would be able to go home that afternoon but the afternoon turned into evening and the evening turned into overnight.  I was getting pretty frustrated at this point because I was uncomfortable and missing my family and tired of being there.  My doctor told me on Wednesday morning that she figured I would be able to go home around lunch time.  About 2:00 she came into my room and said, "Bad news.  Your labs aren't good and we need to deliver this baby."  I was shocked and very unprepared for all of this to be happening but I called Mark who came straight to the hospital.  The doctors thought that I had something called HELLP Syndrome which was making me pretty sick.  We had the option of being flown to Boise to be delivered there or stay in La Grande and hope that Clara was well enough to stay there with us.  We decided to stay here in town - I was familiar and comfortable with my doctor and my family and support system were all here.  So...... all of the arrangements were made and at 5:18pm Clara was here!

I was so nervous laying there on the operating table.  All I wanted to hear was a good healthy cry.  It seemed to take forever but eventually there was a sweet little baby crying.  The only problem was that it wasn't very strong and deep down I knew that this wasn't a good sign.  The pediatrician on call determined that her lungs weren't healthy enough and made the call to have Clara flown to Boise to St. Alphonsus Medical Center where there is a NICU.  The lungs were missing a natural lubricant that enables them to expand and contract.

The Life Flight crew arrived about 8pm and gave Clara the necessary medicine (Surfactant).  They brought her in the incubator to my room so I could say good-bye and then they were off.  Mark immediately drove to Boise and I was left here in town in recovery.  Fortunately, my parents came and picked up Emma and Samantha and took them back to their home.

When Clara received her medicine she started perking up right away and breathing became much easier for her.  This was our first miracle!

Mark stayed at the NICU in Boise for the next few days and he would call me with regular updates.  She seemed to be doing really well except that she started having trouble eating and required a feeding tube.  She also struggled keeping her temperature up.

On Saturday afternoon I was finally released from the hospital.  Mark drove back from Boise and we spent the next day making arrangements to be back in Boise on Monday.  I was so anxious to see my sweet girl - I couldn't wait to get there and to finally hold her!

Clara was in a heated incubator but we could take her out every few hours to help change her diaper and give her a bottle.  Gradually the doctors were able to increase her formula intake because she was digesting well.  She had initially lost about a pound and was slowly gaining her weight back - one ounce at a time.

By Friday (August 12th) Clara was able to "graduate" to her own crib at room temperature.  Each feeding we would check her temperature to make sure she staying warm.  Luckily, she was doing wonderfully and had a consistent 98 degree temperature.  Now it was just a matter of having her be without her feeding tube for at least 24 hours.

Aunt Tracie made the trip up from Salt Lake City to be with us and meet her niece.  It was great having her with us and she provided a good shoulder to cry on. :) 

On Saturday morning the doctors told us that she was doing well enough to be discharged!  We couldn't believe it!  In a matter of just a couple of days she had completely changed course and we knew she was ready to come home with us.

We said a grateful goodbye to the Ronald McDonald House.  They took great care of us and we feel so blessed to have been able to stay there in our time of need.

Clara passed her car seat test - they monitored her breathing in her car seat for a couple of hours to make sure that the air was circulating as it should in her lungs while sitting up.  She passed her hearing test as well.  This was all great news!  We changed her clothes, said good-bye to the doctors and nurses, and we were headed home!

This was the most stressful time for our little family but we constantly felt the love of our Heavenly Father and we knew that we all were in good hands.  We were blessed so much with great friends and family who really came to our rescue and offered so much help.  We are so grateful to be home with our sweet girl!