FRIDAY JULY 28,2007

I SWEAR I'M HUNGRY NON STOP. I'VE GAINED AROUND 21 POUNDS SO FAR!!! I EAT AND IT'S SO HARD FOR ME TO FILL UP UNLESS IT'S SOMETHING NOT NUTRITOUS AND VERY FILLING AND YUMMY!! JOE FINALLY FELT THE BABY KICK ON WED NIGHT. IT'S STARTING TO KICK MORE OFTEN DURING THE DAY, I LOVE IT!! I'M STARTING TO NOT SLEEP MUCH AT NIGHT AGAIN, JUST LIKE THE FIRST TRIMESTER. CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S THE THIRD TRIMESTER, YEAH!!!
FRIDAY AUGUST 3, 2007--WELL I'M 30 WEEKS AND 3 DAYS TODAY AND I FEEL GREAT!! I STARTED THINKING THE OTHER NIGHT THE BABY COULD ARRIVE ANYTIME AFTER 36 WEEKS, THAT IS ONLY LESS THAN 6 WEEKS AGO. THIS HAS GONE BY SO QUICK!!I HAVE DREAMS ABOUT THE BABY BUT IT NEVER GETS DETERMINED WHAT SEX IT IS, I REALLY HAVE NO IDEA. MY BDAY IS ON SUNDAY I WILL BE 34--34 AND HAVING MY FIRST BABY!!

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 8, 2007--WELL IT'S OFFICIAL, NOLAN JOSEPH WAS BORN ON SUNDAY AUGUST5, 2007, MY BDAY!!! HE WAS BORN AT 30 WEEKS,5 DAYS. 3LB3OZ, 17INCHES LONG, AT 12:55PM. HERE'S THE STORY:MY HUSBAND JOE HAD TAKEN ME TO CINCINATTI FOR MY BDAY ON SAT NIGHT. I WOKE UP ON SUNDAY AND MY SHORTS WERE COMPLETELY SOAKED, PLUS I WAS HAVING MILD CRAMPS. I CALLED THE DOCTOR AND WE DECIDED TO PACK UP AND HEAD BACK AROUND 730.(CINCINATTI IS ABOUT 3 HOURS FROM TOLEDO)IT WAS A LOT OF CRAMPING, BUT I KNEW I WAS GOING INTO LABOR. SO SCARRY HAVING A 3 HOUR RIDE TO GET HOME, IN THE RAIN. WE GOT PULLED OVER ABOUT AN HOUR INTO THE DRIVE BUT THE COP LET US GO. AROUND 930 I STARTED FEELING SMALL CONTRACTIONS AND WE GOT TO THE HOSPITAL BY 1030. THEY SAID I HAD DIALATED TO 2 AND THEY GAVE ME SOMETHING TO TRY AND STOP THE LABOR FOR 48 HOURS. IT SEEMED TO GIVE ME SOME TIME IN BETWEEN MY CONTRACTIONS, BUT THEY WERE STILL VERY PAINFUL, AND I WAS IN SHOCK, NOT EXPECTING THIS AT ALL. I HAD GONE TO THE DOC ON TUES AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THEY HAD PUT ME IN THE PRE DELIVERY ROOM AROUND 1130. THEN THE CONTRACTIONS WERE 5 MIN APART, BUT SO INTENSE, ALOT OF BACK LABOR. WHEN THE NURSE CAME TO GIVE ME A SHOT OF A STEROID I TOLD HER IT FELT LIKE I WAS NEEDING TO PUSH. SHE LOOKED AND WAS SHOCKED MY MUCUS PLUG HAD BROKEN. SHE TOLD MY HUSBAND SHE WAS GOING TO GET THE DOCTOR TO TAKE ME TO DELIVERY, BUT SHE DIDN'T TELL ME. I GOT ANOTHER CONTRACTION AND I COULD FEEL HIS HEAD, READY TO PUSH BUT IT WAS ONLY ME AND JOE IN THE ROOM. I STARTED YELLING FOR HELP, SHE CAME BACK AND THEY RUSHED ME INTO DELIVERY, THEN MY WATER BROKE, THAT RELIEVED SOME PRESSURE. WHEN I GOT ON THE DELIVERY TABLE SHE SAID THE CROWN OF THE HEAD WAS SHOWING. THEN THEY SAID WHEN YOU FEEL A CONTRACTION, PUSH. I WAS IN COMPLETE SHOCK. 3 PUSHES(4 MINUTES)AND HE WAS OUT. HE IS SO BEAUTIFUL!! BUT IT IS GOING TO BE A LONG ROAD AHEAD. THEY NEED TO DO A TREATMENT ON HIM, HIS ONE VALVE IN HIS HEART HAS NOT CLOSED. THEY CAN DO UP TO 3 TREATMENTS, IF NOT HE NEEDS SURGERY. THIS IS ALL COMMON FOR PREMATURE BABIES. IT'S SO HARD TO LOOK AT HIM FIGHTING SO HARD AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO, EXCEPT PRAY. WHEN I GET HOME I WILL DOWNLOAD SOME PICS ONTO MY SITE. ONE OTHER THING I DIDN'T HAVE TIME FOR AN EPIDURAL. IT WAS SO PAINFUL, BUT MY RECOVERY WAS IMMEDIATLY. IT MADE THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE WORTH IT. THANKFULLY IT WAS QUICK. I NEED TO GET BACK TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT I WILL BE IN TOUCH.

THURSDAY AUGUST9--WELL NOLAN ISN'T DOING THAT GOOD AT THE TIME, HE HAS GOOD HOURS AND BAD HOURS. THEY INCREASED HIS OXEYGEN TO 60% LAST NIGHT, THEY HAD FOUND FLUID IN HIS LUNGS. TRYING TO GIVE HIM LASIKS TO CLEAR IT UP SO HE DOESN'T CATCH PNEMONIA. IT IS GETTING HARDER BY THE DAY JUST LOOKING AT HIM IN THE INCUBATOR AND NOT BEING ABLE TO TOUCH OR HOLD HIM, IT KILLS ME. PLEASE KEEP HIM IN YOUR PRAYERS!!!

SATURDAY AUGUST 11,2007--YESTERDAY THEY TOLD US NOLAN'S LUNGS ARE NOT RESPONDING TO THE TREATMENTS THEY ARE GIVING HIM, HE HAS A LOT OF HAZZINESS IN THEM. HE MAY END UP WITH CHRONIC LUNG DISEASE BECAUSE HE HAS BEEN ON THE VENTILATOR FOR SOME TIME. HIS PRESSURES WENT UP LAST NIGHT TO 17, BUT HE IS GETTING FULL OXEYGEN AND EXHALING CRABON DIOXIDE--WHICH IS GOOD. THEY ENDED UP DOING A BLOOD TRANSFUSION YESTERDAY, WHICH THAT SHOULD HELP HIS BREATHING BECAUSE IT IS GIVING HIM MORE RED BLOOD CELLS TO PRODUCE MORE OXEYGEN. THE NURSES ARE GREAT THEY LET YOU CALL WHENEVER YOU WANT , BUT I'M WAITING FOR MY HUSBAND TO GET UP(BEEN UP SINCE 630 TO PUMP)I'D RATHER HE CALL, MY EMOTIONS TAKE CONTROL OF ME AND IT'S NOT ALWAYS AN UPHILL SLOPE. WE FIND OUT TODAY IF HE NEEDS HEART SURGERY. I'M JUST SO SICK!! THE NURSE SHOWED ME HOW TO HOLD HIM IN THE INCUBATOR TO GIVE HIM HIS BOUNDARIES ONE HAD CUPPED UNDER HIS HEAD AND ONE UNDER HIS FEET, FLEXED AND KNEES PULLED UP TO MID FLEX. THAT REALLY MAKES IT FEEL AS YOU ARE BONDING WITH HIM, WHEN I LEAVE I FEEL SO GOOD, BUT 2 HOURS LATER I START MY EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER AGAIN. THANKS FOR LISTENING

SUNDAY AUGUST 12,007--WELL NOLAN IS STABLE AT THE TIME. THEY STILL HAVEN'T GOTTEN THE ECHO TEST BACK, BUT THEY SAID FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, THE VALVE LOOKS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT'S CLOSED, SO THAT WOULD MEAN HE DOESN'T NEED TO HAVE SURGERY, THANK GOD. TODAY HE GETS ANOTHER ULTRA SOUND ON HIS BRAIN TO CHECK FOR ANY BLEEDING. THEY DO IT AT 3 DAYS, 1 WEEK AND 1 MONTH AND SO ON. IT'S SO STRESSFUL!!! JOE AND I HAVE GIVEN HIS HEALTH CONCERNS TO GOD, WE REALIZE HE IS THE ONE WHO IS IN CONTROL, NOT THE DOCTORS. DOCTORS HAVE FLAWS AND GOD IS FLAWLESS, SO NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY, WE JUST HAVE TO KEEP OUR FAITH IN THE LORD. WE HAVE TO BE HAPPY WITH THE TIME WE HAVE WITH NOLAN, AND CHERISH EVERY MOMENT, NOT FOCUS ON THE NEGATIVE.

HIS VENT PRESSURE GOT MOVED TO 18 AND THEY HAD TO PUT A BIGGER VENT IN TO HELP WITH HIS LUNGS. THEY SAID WITH THE VALVE CLOSING(IF IT DID)IT SHOULD IMPROVE HIS LUNGS AND THEY SAID IF IT IS CLOSED THEY WILL START TO FEED HIM TODAY, WHICH IS GOOD!! THE NURSES ARE SO SUPPORTIVE AT THE HOSPITAL. THEY SAY HE IS WHERE HE IS SUPPOSE TO BE AT THE TIME. WE ARE GOING TO SEE HIM AFTER CHURCH TODAY, IT WON'T BE UNTIL 2 OR SO, I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE LITTLE MAN--I MISS HIM SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!!

SATURDAY AUGUST 18,2007 UPDATE: NOLAN HAS BEEN IMPROVING OVER THE PAST FEW DAYS. HE HAS STARTED BEING FED 6MILLILITERS OF MILK EVERY 3 HOURS. HIS BOWELS ARE WORKING GOOD, SO IT'S A START. THEY HAD TO TEST HIM FOR MENENGITIS, HIS WHITE BLOOD CELL COUNT WAS UP, THEY STARTED HIM ON 14 DAYS OF ANTIBIOTICS. HE HAS GAINED BACK TO THE WEIGHT HE WAS BORN AT. HIS VENT IS AT A PRESSURE OF 9 AND HE IS AT 30 PERCENT OXEYGEN, SO THAT IS STEADY. HE'S STARTING TO MOVE AROUND A LOT, IT'S SO NEAT TO WATCH HIM!!! I GROW TO LOVE HIM MORE AND MORE EVERY DAY. I HAD TO WORK AT 8 AM TODAY, SO I GOT UP AT 530 SO I COULD SEE HIM FOR JUST 20 MIN THIS AM. I LOVE SEEING HIM!! THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS, THEY ARE WORKING, IF ANYONE NEEDS ANY IN RETURN PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

MONDAY AUGUST 20,2007, UPDATE: I CAN'T BELIEVE NOLAN IS 15 DAYS OLD!! THEY STOPPED HIS FEEDINGS FOR NOW, HIS TUMMY ISN'T DIGESTING AT THE BEST SPEED. HIS BOWELS ARE WORKING, BUT THEY JUST HAVE TO WAIT THIS OUT. HE DOESN'T HAVE MENINGITIS AND SOME OF THE OTHER SCARRY SICKNESSES THEY TESTED HIM FOR. THEY HAD TO TAKE OUT THE PICK THAT WENT THROUGH HIS ARM YESTERDAY, IT INFILLTERATED(SWELLED UP)THEY WILL TRY AND PUT A NEW ONE IN TODAY OR TOMORROW. I WAS WITH HIM WHEN THEY HAD TO PUT AN IV IN HIS HAND FIRST AND THEN HIS FOOT. HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS CRYING, BUT WITH THE VENT HIS VOCAL CORDS KINDS PARALYZED. IT WAS SO HARD TO WATCH HIM GO THROUGH THAT. I PUT MY HAND ON HIS HEAD AND LET HIS TINY HAND SQUEEZED MY FINGER. I TRIED SO HARD NOT TO CRY. HIS BREATHING IS STABLE, BUT GOOD. IT'S JUST NOW WE'RE GOING DOWN HILL ON THE ROLLER COASTER-UPHILL IS NEXT. GOD WILL KEEP ME STRONG

TUES AUG 21:UPDATE:::WE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL LAST NIGHT AND WERE TALKING TO NOLAN'S NURSE. SHE HAD ASSURED US THAT NOLAN IS DOING WHAT HE SHOULD BE AT THE TIME OF 33 WEEKS. IF I COULD HAVE GOTTEN THE STEROID SHOT IT WOULD HAVE IMPROVED HIS LUNGS,BUT HE JUST CAME SO QUICKLY!!! NO CHANGES RIGHT NOW. IT WAS SO CUTE HE HAS A DRY ERASE BOARD IN HIS UNIT AND THERE WAS A MESSAGE SAYING WE LOVE YOU NOLAN, LOVE THE NURSES! THEY HAVE BEEN GREAT! WE STAYED WITH NOLAN FOR AN HOUR LAST NIGHT AND ON OUR WAY OUT WE STARTED TALKING TO SOME OF THE NURSES AND WE DIDN'T GET OUT OF THERE UNTIL 45 MIN LATER. THEY HAD TOLD US THAT THERE IS THIS OTHER BABY, BORN ON DUE DATE, WITH HEART MALFUNCTIONS. HE JUST CAME IN YESTERDAY, WHEN I WAS VISITING NOLAN. I SAW HIS PARENTS AND I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH. I KEEP THEM IN MY PRAYERS, I KNOW NOLAN IS A PREEMIE, AND HAS SOME PROBLEMS, BUT IT'S NOT LIFE OR DEATH, WE ARE SO FORTUNATE. NOLAN IS SUCH A BLESSING, I AM SO GRATEFUL!!

WED AUG 22 UPDATE:: WELL I FINALLY GOT TO HOLD NOLAN FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST NIGHT!! THE NURSE ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO HOLD HIM WHILE SHE CHANGED THE INCUBATOR. I STARTED TO CRY!! AFTER 16 DAYS I FINALLY GOT TO HOLD MY SON!!! JOE HELD HIS TUBES FROM THE VENT AND IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE! HE WAS SO CALM AND BREATHING GOOD SHE DIDN'T RUSH ME AND LET ME HAVE SOME EXTRA TIME. I EVEN GOT TO GIVE HIM A KISS FOR THE FIRST TIME!ON HIS LITTLE FOREHEAD. HIS SKIN IS SO SOFT!!!! I JUST CRY THINKING ABOUT IT AND I CAN'T WAIT TO DO THAT AGAIN. OF COURSE THIS NURSE IS ON VACATION FOR A WEEK. I'M SO BLESSED! THEY STARTED FEEDING HIM AGAIN, I THINK I'M FINALLY SEEING THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

TUESDAY AUG 28 UPDATE::I WROTE AN UPDATE ON SUNDAY, BUT IT MUST HAVE NOT SAVED, SORRY. WELL NOLAN IS DOING GOOD, LITTLE IMPROVEMENTS EVERY DAY AND NOT TOO MANY SET BACKS. THEY HAVE STARTED FEEDING HIM, HE IS ON 13MILLILITERS 4 TIMES A DAY. SO HIS DIGESTIVE SYSTEM IS DOING GOOD, HE IS STARTING TO GET A LITTLE FUSSY SO THEY THINK HE IS STARTING TO GET AN APPETITE, YEAH!ALSO THE BIG NEWS ON WED LAST WEEK THEY TOOK NOLAN OFF OF THE VENT AND NOW HE IS ON A CPAP, WHICH IS JUST OXEYGEN. THE FIRST DAY WAS A LITTLE SCARRY BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID HE WAS GOING TO GO BACK ON THE VENT. TOMORROW WILL BE A WEEK AND HIS BREATHING IS IMPROVING DAY BY DAY, THANK GOD!! WE CAN FINALLY HEAR HIS CRY, WHICH BROUGHT ME AND JOE TO TEARS, IT IS THE MOST PRECIOUS SOUND! WHEN I WAS IN TO SEE HIM ON FRIDAY THE NURSE LET ME HOLD HIM FOR AN HOUR OR SO, IT WAS JUST ME AND NOLAN, IT WAS THE MOST SPECIAL TIME, ALTHOUGH WE CAN ONLY HOLD HIM MAYBE 2-3 TIMES A WEEK. JOE HELD HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME ON SUNDAY. WE FINALLY GOT TO SEE NOLAN BRIEFLY WITHOUT ANYTHING ON HIS FACE SUNDAY NIGHT WHEN THEY WERE CLEANING HIM, HE'S SO BEAUTIFUL!!! I HAVE CHANGED HIS DIAPER 2 TIMES, I LOVE JUST DOING MOTHER THINGS! TONIGHT WHEN WE SEE HIM THE NURSE IS GOING TO LET ME BATHE HIM, IT'S JUST A SPONGE BATH, BUT WE ARE GOING TO TAPE IT. I WILL GET A NEW PIC ON HERE, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT AND MY HUSBAND HAS TO DO IT. IF ANYONE WANTS A PIC YOU COULD SEND ME YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND I COULD SEND YOU SOME IN EMAIL. THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR MESSAGES, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITHOUT ALL OF YOU, YOUR PRAYERS AND SUPPORT AND JUST LISTENING TO ME. EVEN THOUGH I'VE NEVER MET ANY OF YOU YOU HAVE ALL BECOME CLOSE IN MY HEART. I WOULD HAVE HAD SUCH A HARD TIME GETTING THROUGH THIS WITHOUT YOU! EVERYDAY I REREAD ALL OF THE MESSAGESAND PRAYERS. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

THURS AUG29:QUICK UPDATE, THEY TOOK NOLAN OFF OF THE CPAP AND NOW HE IS ON THE NEXT STEP IN THIS PROCESS(I CAN'T THINK OF THE NAME, BUT THEY ARE REGULAR TUBES THAT GO THROUGH HIS NOSE) HE WAS BREATHING VERY GOOD ON IT, ALSO. THEY LET ME DO THE KANGAROO HOLD WHERE THEY PUT YOU IN A RECLINER AND NOLAN LAYS ON MY CHEST, SKIN ON SKIN, FOR 3 HOURS!!IT WAS THE MOST SPECIAL TIME!!I TRY NOT TO GET TOO EXCITED, BECAUSE HE MAY NEED TO GO BACK ON THE CPAP FOR A DAY OR TWO, BUT WE ARE HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION:)!!!!!!!

SATURDAY SEPT 1: I CAN'T BELIEVE NOLAN WILL BE 4 WEEKS OLD TOMORROW!! HE HAS BEEN IMPROVING DAY BY DAY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS! TODAY THEY PUT HIM IN AN OPEN CRIB, WHICH IS WONDERFUL. THEY ALSO TOOK HIS PIK LINE IV OUT HE IS ON FULL FEEDS OF 33 MILLILITERS. WHEN WE GO IN TO SEE HIM I CAN HOLD HIM EVERYTIME. I'M NOT AFRAID TO TOUCH HIM ANYMORE, I JUST LOVE HIM SO MUCH! I HAVE GOTTEN SO MUCH CLOSER TO HIM, IT'S GETTING HARDER TO LEAVE HIM AT THE HOSPITAL. HE FINALLY FEELS LIKE HE IS MY BABY, NOT THE HOSPITALS. I HAD JOE HOLD HIM FOR AN HOUR AND A HALF TONIGHT, HE WAS JUST SO COMFY ON HIS CHEST. NOLAN LOVES TO SLEEP ON HIS BELLY! HE IS STILL ON THE CANULLA FOR BREATHING AND IT IS GOING GOOD.:)
PREGNANCY SURVEY ABOUT YOU:

NAME: SANDRA(AKA SANDY/SAM)

AGE:34

HIEGHT:5'7"

PRE-PREGNANCY WEIGHT:152

ABOUT MY HUBBY

NAME:JOE

AGE:35

HIEGHT:6'0"

ARE YOU STILL TOGETHER:MARRIED ON

12/30/06:)

ABOUT YOUR PREGNANCY

IS THIS THE FIRST PREGNANCY?YES!!

WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT? FEB 5, 2007
WAS IT PLANNED? NOT THIS SOON

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION? HAPPY, SURPRISED, SCARED, EVERY EMOTION!!

WHO WAS THE FIRST PERSON YOU TOLD? MY MOM

HOW DID YOUR PARENTS REACT? ESTATIC!!

HOW FAR ALONG ARE YOU? ALMOST 30 WEEKS(IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO DO THIS)

WHAT WAS THE FIRST SYMPTOM? HAD NONE JUST A FEELING

WHAT IS YOUR DUE DATE? OCT 8,2007

DO YOU KNOW THE SEX OF THE BABY?NO, I DON'T WANT TO FIND OUT

HAVE YOU PICKED OUT THE NAMES? YES

IF SO WHAT ARE THEY? BOY:NOLAN JOSEPH, GIRL: CORA??

HOW MUCH WIEGHT HAVE YOU GAINED?21 POUNDS-UGH!!

DO YOU HAVE STRETCH MARDS? NOT YET

HAVE YOU FELT THE BABY MOVE? FINALLY AT 23 WEEKS

HAVE YOU HEARD THE BABY'S HEARTBEAT? YES AT 13 WEEKS

ABOUT THE BIRTH

WILL YOU KEEP IT? DEFINATLY!!!

HOME OR HOSPITAL? HOSPITAL

WILL IT BE NATURAL OR MEDICATED? AT FIRST I THOUGHT NATURAL, BUT I NEED TO SAVE THE STRENGTH FOR PUSHING SO I'M SURE I'LL BE MEDICATED.

WILL YOU BREASTFEED? DEFINATLY!!

DO YOU THINK YOU'LL NEED A C-SECTION? HOPEFULLY NOT

WILL YOU CRY WHEN YOU HOLD THE BABY FOR THE FIRST TIME? I CRY JUST THINKING ABOUT IT

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU WILL SAY TO HIM/HER? I LOVE YOU AND WE'VE BEEN WAITING A LONG TIME FOR YOU!

WOULD YOU LET SOMEONE VIDEO TAPE THE BIRTH? PROBABLY NOT, AFTERWARDS I WOULD

ARE YOU EXCITED ABOUT THE BIRTH OR SCARED? MOSTLY EXCITED, BUT SCARED THIS IS ALL GOING TO BE SO NEW!!