Newest pictures and tonights "stats" for Emry

Emry is doing FANTASTIC!! She weighed in tonight at 1,000 grams or 2 lbs 3 ozs! Way to go baby girl! She had her first bottle of breastmilk tonight and ate 15 of 18 mils. Little chunky monkey :) We are so proud of you Emry!

Please don't forget that you can follow Emry's Prayer page on facebook by clicking on the tab at the upper left. Tonight we have posted a specific prayer request for the daughter of a friend; Gracyn. She is having extensive surgery in the morning and could use your prayers! So please go "like" Emry's page to read about this prayer request (you will also see a SWEET picture of Gracyn) and read updates and prayer requests as they come because I don't always have the time to post a blog at the moment Emry might need prayers. If that all makes sense? Thank you all for your love, support and prayers! It is overwhelming at times! -Jamie

Another scare...

Emry had an x-ray this morning because her belly was a little bloated. On the x-ray they saw a little air so they just did another x-ray this afternoon to compare. We had this same "NEC" scare a few weeks back and it's scary! Please pray that there is nothing there and that this goes away!! Thank you!

Emry's Prayer and Benefit Page

Happy Easter Eve Everyone! :) I've added a "widget" to the left of the blog that you can click on to access Emry's facebook page. A few friends are going to have an online auction within the next couple of weeks and I will be posting urgent prayer requests and updates there as well. Sometimes it's easier for me to write a quick status update there rather than logging on here on the blog. I think more people will see it quicker on facebook as well! Please let the girls know if you are interested in donating items for the online benefit. You can email them at emrybenefit@gmail.com.

Please continue praying for the brady and apnea episodes to go away. Holly said she had a few today where they had to stimulate Emry. These episodes are mostly "normal" for preemies but still scary for all of us that have to watch!

Also, please pray for our area (Northwest Arkansas)...it's been raining like CRAZY and storming HORRIBLY! We are having flash floods, lots of lightning, tornadoes, etc..Very scary! Please pray for everyone to stay safe! Especially with all of the families heading to church tomorrow and to spend time with their families.

Thank you for all of the prayers, kind words, sweet stories and comments! Your love and support for Holly and Jeff mean more than you will ever know! We enjoy reading everything you send us, even if we don't get a chance to write back.

Have a blessed Easter!
~Jamie

Prayer Requests and Updates

Holly asked me to put a prayer request out for Miss Emry. She's been having an average of 0-5 bradys over a 24 hour period in the past week but she's had several "desats" (click on the link for more info) last night and a few today so Holly said to PRAY PRAY PRAY! Just got a new text that said she has had 2 bradys today and 3 desats with 2 stimulation's... Kind of discouraging when she has been doing so good but God is in control! We just have to believe!

More Emry updates and info:

*She weighs 800 grams or 1 pound 12 ounces. Woo!
*She gets a multi vitamin through her feeding tube
*She is FREE from everything but her feeding tube- no i.v., picc line, oxygen! Just monitors and the feeding tube! That is awesome!
*Dr's are still amazed by her!
*She's starting to look a lot like big sister, Alli!
*She has to be 4 pounds to come home and 3 pounds to wear "real" clothes!
*Her feedings are at full feeds for her weight which is 14 milliliters every 3 hours (over a 30 minute span)



Speaking of feedings!!! One day last week they started letting Emry "nurse" while feeding her through her feeding tube. It is called Non-nutritive breastfeeding. This helps her to associate nursing with eating. To every one's surprise, Emry actually nursed for quite a while! Holly said she learned quicker than Alli had! HA So they are starting to let Holly breastfeed a few times a day. They usually do not introduce breastfeeding until 34-36 weeks gestation and Emry is only 33 so they said not to get frustrated if she doesn't do it all the time because what she is doing is really good!

March of Dimes also came this week to take 1 month pictures of Emry. The photographer was so impressed with her that she stayed forever taking pictures! The nurse said she was the most photogenic baby she had ever seen because Emry was turning and watching the camera like she was just waiting for the next picture to be taken :) They even put clothes on her and got some great shots of her like that! Doctors and nurses on the floor all came to watch too :) Sweet Emmy girl! We are so proud of you!

I'll try to get on here later or in the morning and post some new pictures!

PLEASE continue to pray for Emry! We want these brady episodes and desats to go away for good!!

Happy Easter! ~Jamie

Bye-Bye Brady's...perhaps, maybe, hopefully?!?!

Emry has been doing really well the past two days! Praise the Lord!! Over the course of 3 days, Emry has only had about 10 bradys!! So HOPEFULLY she is outgrowing them! Way to go Emmy!! Keep up the prayers!!

Other Emry updates and stats:

*PICC LINE was removed (WOO!)

*Her feedings have been spaced over an hour (compared to the 30 second feedings she was getting). This will help with any reflux and might possible be helping with the bradys as well.

*She is still on NO oxygen

*She is under the hood for humidity (to help with her nose drying out)

* She is getting 11.5 mls of breastmilk

*She weighs 1 lb 8 ozs.

* And last but not least the Dr's say she's a ROCKSTAR!!

Please keep the prayers coming. We believe in the power of prayer! They are definately helping! Today she has a ultrasound to check for bleeding on brain. So far they have checked her at day 3, week 1 and now week 4. This is routine but we'd still LOVE to have your prayers that everything will go great with this ultrasound like it has the past 2 times!

Thank you all! -Jamie

***CORRECTION: Just looked at Sweet Emry via webcam and seen this little note from the nurses! SO no oxygen hood right now!! YAY!***

1 pound 8 ounces!

Good job Emmy girl!! Her brady's were better today too :) Keep the prayers up!

Rollercoaster Ride

Good news first! Emry has gained some weight she is now 640 grams or 1 pound 7 ounces!! GO EMMY my girls call her Emmy) !! :)

Thought it would be easier to just "copy and paste" conversations between my sister and I today instead of trying to explain all of it! HA My brain is tired and I can't think of how to put all of this into words tonight!


Received the following text from Holly this morning:


Talked to nurse. Upping her feeds. Haven't seen drs yet but she is still having bradys. she had more last night than usual and they had to bag her once but the nurse said it was prob from the mucus and that they haven't been suctioning her cause of the secretions in her throat. :(


I asked her what the secretions were caused from and she said:


From them suctioning the drainage. She had 3 bradys while I was in there and one she started turning blue. VERY SCARY!

SO with all of that being said...let's pray for Emry tonight! She needs our prayers. These episodes are "normal" for preemies like we've said before but still it's very discouraging and scary to actually witness them happening to your baby girl. As I told Holly tonight...Do not get discouraged! God's got it under control! It'll be a rollercoaster ride for a while but just hold on! Don't lose faith!! And we need to all agree and believe this together!

Things to pray for:
*For Emry to outgrow the bradycardia problems
*For healing in her nose/throat secretions. She had been doing a lot better with the bradycardia stuff until they stopped suctioning her as much because of the secretions. If those are healed, they can suction with no problems.
*Emry to keep growing and getting stronger!
*Health for our families!! Alli was sick this week which made it really hard for Holly and Jeff and making sure they protected Emry. My family has been battling horrible sickness too and we just all need to be well so we can help with Alli when needed.
*Encouragement and strength for Holly and Jeff and the rest of us too!

Thank you all!
Jamie

Doing good!

Emry continues to do well! They have started her feedings again and say the issues with her belly are gone! Praise the Lord! Holly said her brady's are still happening but they don't seem as frequent or as bad as they have been. What a little fighter!! We love you "Emmy"!! Keep up the prayers! God is answering them!


Also, please pray for Emry's 1 year old cousin, Cade (my son). He was just admitted to the hospital with some breathing problems and low oxygen..His problems seem so SMALL in comparison to what Emry is going through but I believe God cares about the "small" things too!

Thank you for all the prayers for our family!

New Update!

Talked to my sister this morning. Emry's x-ray came back good this morning! PRAISE GOD! She still has some air in there but it is better. The nurse told them if she did have NEC that x-rays would have been a lot worse. So that is GREAT news!!

She is still having bradycardia episodes BUT she is coming out of them on her own quicker than she has been! Great news too!

They just performed a routine ultrasound on her brain (to check for bleeding) Please pray that we get a good report there too!

And THANK YOU ALL so much for the prayers and comments! It's overwhelming! Holly said she tries to get on her blog, facebook, and email but she can not read them very long because it makes her cry too much! She wanted me to let you know how much she appreciates all of the comments, prayers, calls, texts, emails and donations that are being given to Emry's benefit. She is overwhelmed and so very grateful to all of you. She asked me to print everything off for her so she could read and make a book for Emry. You guys are great! Keep praying! I came across this verse on facebook this morning and it was so fitting for us right now: Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.. John 16:24...LOVE it!
~Jamie

Urgent Prayer Request

Just got off the phone with Holly..Sweet baby Emry has had a semi-bad day...


First of all she is still having bradycardia episodes. They are pretty frequent. Thankfully, she usually comes out of them on her own but a few here and there requires stimulation to get her heart rate back up. Several of you have asked what bradycardia was..I am providing a link here: Bradycardia. The doctors aren't super worried about this, as it is fairly common in preemies (they even said ALL of us have these bradycardia/apnea episodes). They have talked to Holly and Jeff that they may have to intubate her to help her body not work as hard. If this happens Holly said she would have to be sedated during intubation. The doctor also said he was very surprised that she hadn't required this yet as small as she is.

Second prayer request: They had to suction some mucous last night and today and after doing it this morning, they noticed that her belly was a little blue. So, they sent her for x-rays and discontinued her feedings. X-rays show that she has some air in her stomach which is defintely not a good thing. Could be serious. They said it could be from the suctioning they had done but that it could be something called Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). I wasn't sure what that was so I looked it up and you can read about it here. They are going to do another x-ray in the morning and see if the air has went down..It is a VERY scary situation but we are just going to keep trusting and believing that it is NOT this condition.

Thirdly, please pray for my sister and Jeff. I know this is rough. Pray for peace, guidance and comfort for these highs and lows that comes with having a preemie.

Like, my Mom said, we can NOT give up praying for her. God is still working in her and for her. Our job is to pray and pray and pray! Everything happens for a reason and God will work this together for the good. He promises us. Please agree with us in prayer!

If any of you have experience with NEC and want to encourage us...PLEASE DO! I have been reading every comment and email and text to Holly. They help so much and I know she appreciates it but she just isn't able to respond right now.

Standing on this promise:
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Ephesians 3:20

Thank you all SO much!
Jamie

New Prayer Request

PLEASE pray with us this morning for Emry...she's having more bradycardia episodes. The drs came in last night-I think they are getting more concerned about the frequency of episodes. They put her back on oxygen and have raised it a little to try to help with this. Just PRAY that they'll stop and that she will outgrow them TODAY! Pray for Jeff and Holly too..I know they are worried..

Thank you all! ~ Jamie