April 30

4am, Susie knows she is in “real” labor, 4:20am time to push, 5:28am Audrey is born and immediately transferred to the UofU NICU for stabilizing, she scores a 9 (out of 10) on her “Apgar” score (a terrific sign of great health and vigor), breathing great on her own, weighs 6.7 lbs and 19.5 inches long, Justin arrives 5:45am and is immediately invited to observe her in the NICU.
6am Audrey is brought in to meet Susie, Justin gives her a priesthood blessing, then Audrey and Justin go with the Airmed team to be transferred to Primary Children’s Hospital.

1pm Audrey’s first surgery. Her EA/TEF is Type C, with a single fistula (unwanted tube) connecting the lungs and distal esophagus. Surgeons repair the fistula first. They then discover that the gap in her esophagus is too large to connect at this time. (After stretching, the gap is still 1.5 inches.) A G-Tube (feeding tube) is inserted directly into her stomach near her belly button to allow for later feedings. This will be how she will be fed for up to three years, depending on when her esophagus can be reconnected and how long it takes her to learn to eat successfully, but they will wait to start using the G Tube for now, until it is determined that she has a working digestive system. For now she will receive nutrition through her IV. Surgeons also observe that all of Audrey’s small intestines are grouped on the right side of her abdomen.

For the surgery, an incision is made between two of her ribs under her right armpit. Her right lung is deflated and she is put on artificial ventilation (iron lung), with a tube down her throat. When she comes back from surgery, she is kept on morphine to help her stay still-- every time she starts to ‘come to’ and tries to breathe on her own, she gets the hiccups! The nurses don’t want them to aggravate her incision, so they keep her under for a little longer and continue the artificial ventilation.

Susie's parents had already been half way here, driving from Oregon, the night before Audrey was born.  If things had gone according to plan they would have been here well before the birth, but it turned out great that they arrived just after she got out of surgery.  In the midst of all the stress of those first few days, it was wonderful to have them urge us to take a few moments for a treat here and there.  When I was discharged from the hospital, they helped me move into the Ronald McDonald House.  They made sure I ate regular meals and rested more than I otherwise would have.  Thank you, Mom and Dad, for watching out for my health in the middle of all of this.

Birth Story

Audrey's first name is for Audrey Hepburn, the lovely-inside-and-out actress who was made famous overnight in her debut lead performances both on stage and screen.

True to form, our own baby Audrey made her debut with a big splash and on her own schedule, bright and early on a glorious Saturday in the middle of a blizzard. I was awoken in the way I had become accustomed the past few weeks; with a painful contraction around 2:30am that told me it was time to visit the ladies' room. As typical, the contractions continued thereafter for a few minutes before settling down, and I fell back asleep. Most nights this would happen at least twice. This morning it happened at 2:30, at 3:15, and again at 3:45a.m. I lay there hoping this would be the last bad contraction, but another one came close on its heels. Finally I sighed and pushed the nurse call button. She went to get a monitor machine and by the time she got back I was immobilized by pain. She called Justin at my request, and five minutes later I felt the need to push. My awesome nurse knew I had had four babies, most without any pain meds, and bless her, she really believed me. She took the initiative and overrode protocol, grabbed another nurse and wheeled me over to Labor and Delivery at 4:23. The doctor on call tried to stop us in the hall and asked to go back to my room and check me, but relented when I moaned a definitive NOOOO. Labor and Delivery nurses gathered in the room and started to ask me lots of questions, to which I said: Drugs now. Talk later. They said they had to give me an IV. I think it took them about an hour to unwrap a syringe, and at least another hour to decide where to poke me, at which time the young nurse found a set of nerves on my wrist I did not know I had, and a way to make me scream worse than childbirth. I guess you could say we explored several options of pain management, including distraction. It took only two more attempts for them to find a suitable place for the IV, and a few long minutes later I was finally able to unlock my muscles enough for them to learn that yes, this baby really was coming, and no, there was not time to place an epidural in my spine after all. A few intense pushes later, and that sweet baby girl was sprawled out in front of me, looking as surprised and in shock as I was. It was 5:28am.

Brand new. She is about 20 minutes old in this picture.

This is about 15 minutes after birth.  She had just had an IV placed, and they put a suction tube in her mouth that will continually drain the saliva from the "pouch" (her short esophagus).

I never got to hold her; she was destined for bright lights and a devoted following. As she whisked off to meet her public, my OB was up to her elbows inside me doing her best to stop me from bleeding to death. Success ensued, and the evidence was cleaned away just moments before Justin walked in the door. He'd been having lots of fun of his own, playing in 8 inch deep snow on the freeway in his little commuter car. He was immediately welcomed to come meet Audrey and observe her progress in the NICU. A few minutes later he came in to see me as the vanguard to announce her imminent arrival. We quickly discussed her name so that he could give her a name and a blessing as per the tradition of our faith. Her name would be Audrey Rose Dianna, to honor some of the strong women who have laid a wonderful example for her. At last she arrived!! Head on her hands, calm and snug on her belly, dark eyes wide and looking around at all there was to see. She knew our voices. I was allowed to touch her and to kiss her tiny arm. Time stood still for a few precious minutes while we touched, we prayed, we cried quietly, and we felt the angels watching over us.

Our first meeting! They had taken her straight from birth to the NICU--literally, through a sliding glass window built into the wall-- and brought her out to see me after making sure she was ok, and placing her suction tube, IV line and monitors. Then they wheeled her in to meet me for a couple of minutes before she was transferred to the children's hospital across the skybridge. She was all snuggled in on this warming pad, but her eyes were wide open and staring all around at everything. It was very sweet. Justin said a special prayer over her to give her her name and ask a blessing on her.

 Evening of the first day. She loves her warm spot and this cuddly position.