The Date is Set!

We are home safe from a short trip to Cleveland to see Ingrid's surgeon there. He was happy with her size and development (and smitten by her beauty) and is ready to proceed with her closure surgery!! We have scheduled her surgery for June 20 and expect to be in the hospital for about a week (5 days hopefully) and then in Cleveland for at least another week after she is out of the hospital.

Ingrid also saw a cardiologist in Cleveland: her VSD has closed, blood pressures in her arms and legs are good, and the echo of her coarctation repair looks good. There is a little turbulence around the repair but, because her blood pressures are good, there is nothing to worry about.

Ingrid is working on standing, cruising, scooting and, possibly crawling. She very clearly says "Dada" and "Kitty" and has a different inflection for "Doggy" and "Sister". We keep working on "Mama"!

I will post more regularly around the time of her surgery.

A Short Update

As you can see Ingrid is doing quite well! Her personality is blossoming!

She is a happy, friendly, playful, talkative little 8-month-old.

At last weigh-in she was 12 lbs. 15 oz.

She saw her cardiologist in Richmond today - her VSD (small hole between ventricles) has closed and her coarctation repair looks great.


We are going to Cleveland the last week in April so the doctors at Rainbow can assess when she'll be ready for her O-repair. Hopefully she'll be ready for repair in June.

Her O is looking good but hasn't really changed for a few months.

And that's about it here...I'll post again when I have news.

Front Page News

Jamaica family relieved at outlook for 3-month-old with rare omphalocele

Despite a few minor details it's a nice little article. (Photo and story by Larry Chowning)

She's a Celebrity

Smiling, laughing, reaching, grabbing, rolling, thriving!

And look at her O! It's almost totally covered with skin. Yes, it's large, but it doesn't slow her down at all.

For those of you who don't know yet: Ingrid's story will be told on "NICU" on Discovery Health channel Thursday, September 9 at 10pm EDT. She's famous!

Lookin' Good

Sorry about no post last week, but no news is good news!

Ingrid saw her Richmond pediatric cardiologist today. He said her coarctation repair looks good. There is some scar tissue, but he didn't think her artery needed a balloon to stretch it, yet. It seems that this procedure is in her future - maybe in a few months, maybe in a few years.

This is the doctor who diagnosed Ingrid's VSD in utero. Now, he says it is all closed up!! No holes in her heart!

And, Ingrid is up to 8 lbs. 5 oz.

Tidbits

Not much to report. Ingrid is doing great! She's holding her head up and is able to hold her weight on her legs for a few seconds, too! She is a great conversationalist: "Oh...Aah...Ow!"

Ingrid's omphalocele is looking great, too. We haven't dressed it in over a week. Most of her O is covered with skin and what little that isn't is covered with a tough scab. We were skeptical when, long ago, a doctor told us this would be the case, but here we are and her O is obviously healing.

Ingrid has been to church two times! We felt that we needed to personally thank some of the wonderful people who have been praying for Ingrid.

Ingrid is definitely thriving at home! Her sister continues to be helpful and loving.


Yes, Ingrid is quite comfortable with farm life. (If you look closely you can see her goat in the background!)

Well Baby

Ingrid is settling in to our routine here in Virginia. Eat, sleep, poop. She is often awake and alert and interested in her new surroundings. And Anna continues to dote on her little sister!

Ingrid had her 2 month (already!) "well baby" check up with her local pediatrician. She checked out well at 7 lbs. 12 oz. and 20 1/4 inches long. She is still little, but she is eating well and we are confident that she will grow and be healthy.

Her omphalocele is looking better and better. There is only a small portion that is not covered with skin yet. In fact, it is looking so good Mommy has started giving Ingrid baths in the sink! (Mommy is very careful not to get the O wet, though.)