Story(Long Post)

I was going to post some great pics of Madison's face tonight(she's had that tube over her nose off) but the usb cable for our camera is MIA. :( Instead I will fill in the details of what has happened the past few days as best I can.

On Monday, Kellie had an ultrasound that said her amniotic fluid was low. After going to see her doctor that afternoon, he sent her to Labor and Delivery for some more tests. The tests did not come back as he hoped so he ordered her to stay overnight for monitoring and an IV. The thought then was to repeat the tests in the morning at 8 and if there was improvement she would go home to bed rest and keep Madison in as long as possible.

At 4aM, Madison's heartbeat dropped into the 60's and Dr. Clark decided that Madison needed to come out. She was already breach so Kellie was going to have a c-section regardless. At 5:44am Madison was born at 4lbs 1 oz. 15 3/4 inches. We saw her for a few seconds in the OR and then they whisked her away to the nursery. Dr. Clark then stitched Kellie up and sent her back to her room where we saw Madison again but this time in a mobile incubator.

The doctors had decided that the best option for Madison was to transfer her to Integris Baptist Medical Center where they have a much larger Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit. Let me tell you the fun of having a recovering wife at one hospital and your newborn baby at a hospital 10 miles down the road. :(

At around 12 my parents and I drove over to Baptist to visit Madison. Currently there are only 3 times during the day when I can touch her. When we got there she was attached to a c-pap to highten the air pressure going into her lungs so that her air sacks would not collapse. She was breathing room air and not oxygen so that was very enciuraging. We took some pictures and headed back to see Kellie as there wasn't much I could do. At 4 we headed back to Baptistand this time I actually got to reach in the incubator and touch her. I was very excited.

When we saw her today, she had the c-pap removed and the staff said she was doing great.. My first question was "When do I get to hold her?" The nurse said now if I had the time. I told her I had all the time in the world. I really think I could have held her until my arms fell off but the nurse kicked me out before then. We came back at 4 but they had already fed her and did not want to get her up again. We got some great pictures of her face then which I cannot currently post. I will remedy this tomorrow.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around being a dad but I am so thankful for the gift that God has given. Thank you all for your prayers/wellwishes/food/and everything else and a special thanks to my parents(my dad is fixing the breaks in the Focus this weekend for us and my mom is coming to stay with Kellie next week so that I can work and be home when Madison gets out of the hospital which looks to be about a two week stay). We wish everyone could be with us and we cannot wait for you to meet Madison!