Updates!
This page is to keep you all
updated on what's going on with Sophia's progress!!
I will try to keep it as up to date as possible!!
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September 30, 2003! ~ IT'S A GIRL!!
Sophia Paige Kinker was born today at 3:48am!
She was 1lb 12 oz and was 13.5 in long!
She was born at 25 wks! She is currently in the NICU!
October 1, 2003! ~
Sophia was baptised today! Chaplain Pat,
Gramma Dust and I were there for it!
Daddy had to work.
October 7, 2003 ~
Sophia is a week old today! She has come along way!
She is still on the ventilator, but doing some
breathing on her own! She is also down to only
2 IV's. She was on 5! The drs started feeding
her on Friday. She was getting .3cc an hour.
The dr did an ultrasound on her head today too.
There was some bleeding, but the dr said it
will more than likely go away on its own.
We won't know what kind of affects it will
have until she starts walking and talking.
October 9,2003 ~
Sophia had an echocardiogram
done today.Dr K noticed a slight heart murmur and
needed to know if Sophia would need meds to fix
it. After getting the results, she said Sophia
won't need the meds! YAY! Today they upped
her feedings to 2cc and she was on her tummy tonite!
October 10, 2003 ~
Today the surgeon is supposed to come and put
in a central IV line. Dr Karkerra tried 3 times
unsuccessfully. Once that is put in they can
put Sophia in an isolette. I can't wait!
They've upped her feedings again. 2.5cc now!
She also gained 27 grams from yesterday to today!
I'm so excited about that!!
October 11, 2003 ~
Sophia was doing great last night! And Wayne
called this morning to check on her. They
changed her feedings to FULL STRENGTH! and
they bumped it up to 3 cc an hour instead
of 2.5! YAY!! She also gained another
7 grams! Woohoo!! My girl is starting to gain!!
They are still waiting on the surgeon
to come and do her central line. It's
making me mad that it's still not done!
Geez!!!! Oh well..what can I do!!
October 11,2003 cont'd ~
The surgeon was there this morning and he put her
central line in! YAY!! They also were able
to put her in an isolette and she is off the bili
lights! It was so nice to go in today and see her
little face! She's had little shades on this whole
time because of the lights! She's been
tolerating her feeds very well and dr
said she's been having good bowel movements!! :)
She has to get up to 7cc an hour and be
tolerating it before they will take out
the central line! It could be as early
as 3 days or as long as 2 wks!Also, she
has gained weight! She is now 6 grams over
her birth weight! She now weighs 797 grams
- born at 791! I'm so proud of her!! Grow baby grow!!
October 12,2003 ~
Sophia is doing good today! We went to see
her after church this morning. Aunt Kim
and Gramma Dust went too. Grandpa was fishing!
Sophia is back on the bili lights, but
now they are blue ones that go over her
isolette. The nurses turn them off when
we come visit which is nice! They moved
her feedings to 4cc. I'm so happy, but
she's lost weight again. The nurse said
it's because she moves around so much
and it's causing her to burn calories.
Tonite when we went, G&G Dust went with
and Sophia was really antsy. The nurse
gave her a pacifier tonite!! She said
she noticed that Sophia sucks on her tube
so she thought she'd try the paci to
see if it would calm her. It did a bit
They have also tried covering her tummy
with a blanket and tucking her arms
and legs under it! She likes that a
little. She really likes being on her
tummy and her side! She's like her mom!
Oh and here's the best part! I GOT TO
CHANGE HER DIAPER TONITE!!!! I'm so
excited about that! I can't wait to
see what tomorrow holds for us!
October 13,2003~
Well Sophia was being a little bratty tonite!
LOL...she kept moving her arms and legs all
over the place! The nurse had to suction her
tube tonite, but she said it hadn't been done
all day and that was good! I did get to change
her diaper when I was up there this morning!
I think she waits to poop until she knows
that I'm up there! :) They have also upped
her feedings again..she's now at 5cc! YAY
She's almost to the 7cc! They also took
her off the fats and protein supplement
that was going into her IV! So now she is
only getting sugar water or whatever is in
the IV bag! She's improving soo much! That
makes Mommy and Daddy very happy! I also
think she will be off the bili lights soon
too. Dr K said she wanted her bili levels
under 4. They were 4.2 yesterday and 4.0 today!
I hope they keep dropping so I can see my
baby girl's pretty eyes again!! While we
were up there tonite, Dr Pontee(my OB)
popped into the NICU to see Sophia! I
was happy to see him! He's a great dr!
Well that's all for today! More tomorrow!
October 14,2003~
Sophia is 2 weeks old today!!! She is
doing soo well! I'm so proud of her!
She gained another 7 grams from yesterday
and I hope she maintains it! She is also
off the bili lights! YAY!! I can see
her pretty eyes again! She seemed very
sleepy tonite. She kept closing her eyes
then slowly open them! So cute! They also
had 2 blankets tucked around her: one over
her arms and one over her legs! She seems
to like it! It keeps her from moving her
arms and legs too much! I would rather
the nurses do that than have her sedated!
Well, I think that's all for tonite! Mommy
isn't feeling very well tonite! :(
October 15,2003 AM ~
Well, I went up to see Sophia early this
morning...She was sleeping on her tummy!
So cute!! Her day nurse had found a little
crocheted hat for her to wear! It's soo tiny
but it looks cute! She has gained a little
more weight today! She's at 808 grams! YAY!
Dr Singhal was talking about taking out her
central line soon! I guess as long as she is
tolerating her feeds and gaining weight
he will take it out! I hope so! They also
changed her vent settings. Dr Singhal
said it's so she has to "work a little"
so I guess that's good! She also started
getting respiratory therapy yesterday!
They have this thing that vibrates and
they use it on her chest to help break
up the secretions! She seems to like it!
The nurses are also catching on to the
fact that Sophia likes to lay on her
side and tummy! LOL...FINALLY! Well,
that's all I have for now! I'll have
more later!!
October 16,2003 ~
I am sooooo happy today!! You'll never
believe what happened to me today!!
I GOT TO HOLD MY BABY GIRL!!!!
I mean actually sit in a rocking chair
and HOLD her!! I was so excited and
nervous that I didn't even cry! LOL..
My mom was crying !! And the best
part was that my brother was there!!!!
So be sure to check out the Pics page
for a pic of Mommy and Sophia!
October 19,2003~
Sorry it's been a few days since I
updated on Sophia! I needed a few days
to digest some news! To refresh your
memory, Sophia had some bleeding in
her brain. Well a blood clot seems to
have developed causing swelling in her head.
Unfortunately, it looks like she will have
to be moved to Chicago so that she can
have surgery. I am so upset and unnerved
by all this! The dr's at the hospital
have told me that they have to perform some
type of surgery to drain the excess fluid
off of her brain. My poor baby girl has
already been through soo much!
On the plus side of things..she's tolerating
her feedings and having good bowel movements.
Her breathing is doing well and she has a
great heart rate!
I did get to hold her a little bit today...
while the nurse changed her bedding I got
to hold her up! LOL...Sophia had pooped
all over her bedding! LOL...silly girl!
Well, that's about it for now! I should
know more tomorrow!! Please keep the
prayers coming..She needs them more now
than ever!! Thanks!!
October 20,2003
Sophia has been transferred to Children's
Memorial Hospital in Chicago. They took
her there this afternoon and I got to
ride with her! It was so hard..I cried
so hard when they got to the NICU at the
hospital here. My mom and grandma were
there with me.
Luckily the hospital is only 45 minutes
to an hour away from our house..but when
you figure the other hospital was only
10 minutes away!! it feels like a long way!
So far Sophia is doing well at the new
hospital..she seems calmer and had her
eyes open alot more like she was
checking out her new environment! LOL
Well, it will probably be a while before
I can find a free moment to update! I will
be keeping a journal at the hospital so I
remember everything that I need to put here!
Hope everyone is doing well!!
October 21, 2003~
SOPHIA IS 3 WEEKS OLD TODAY!!!!
October 22,2003~
Well no news on Sophia's surgery....The
nurse practioner told me yesterday that
it might not be done this week..IF it's
even done! :) She said they were gonna
start with a series of lumbar sticks to
see if they could get fluid to drain(which
it did with the first one) and then send
the reports to the neurosurgeon! That's all
we know for now!
Good news though....She's doing very well!!
Tolerating her feeds..sleeping more...They
lowered her vent setting!! YAY...when she
left the other hosp her vent was set at 45
breaths per min and 47% oxygen...yesterday
it was set at 30bpm and 37% oxygen!! YAY!!
She has also gained more weight!! She is now
1 lb 15 oz!!! Almost to 2 lbs!! Halfway to
her going home weight! LOL
Even more good news!! I get to hold Sophia
today!! I can't wait...The nurses there
encourage what they call "kangarooing"!!
It's where you hold the baby skin to skin
with you!! I'm soo excited!! I just can't
wait!! To be able to hold my baby girl
against my bare chest is going to be such
an awesome experience!! I wanna run right
up there(yes all the way to chicago) and
hold her right now!! All day long! LOL...
Well I think that's all there is right now!!
BTW.in case I didn't mention it..I love this
new hosp and the nurses!! Sophia seems soo
much more calmer and happier there!! YAY CMH!!!
October 23,2003~
Well, Yesterday certainly was an interesting
day! They had to up her vent settings a little
..she's up to 40bpm now...she kept dropping
her heart rate so they raised the vent! She
seemed to do alot better...especially when
she was on her tummy! They also gave her a
diuretic to see if they can get some of the
"wet" sounds off her lungs! Last night she was
doing soo well!
Unfortunately I didn't get to hold her yesterday
but that's okay because I get to do it today!!
There are 2 reasons for not doing it yesterday!
1. because of the issues with her HR and 2.
because I wanted to do it when Wayne was there
..but he didn't get there til 5 and I didn't
get to her room til 5:30(let G&G Dust visit
before they left for the day)...the nurse said
they like to let you do it for like 2 hrs and
well..shift change is at 7 so it wouldn't have
given me enough time! :( but that's okay..I get
to do it today and my mom will have a camera
and the video camera if they allow it! LOL..
woohoo...
Also I talked to the neurosurgical team! They
have decided that they are just going to wait
and see what Sophia does. Her head circumference
has stayed the same over the past few days and
is remaining stable...They said surgery is the
last thing they want to do, so if she looks
like she won't need it..they won't do it! YAHOO!!
So we're in "wait and see mode" !
Also..Sophia weighed 2lbs today!! YAY!! I just hope she continues to gain weight consistently!!!
That's all for now!! More when I get home tonight!!
October 24,2003~
I got to kangaroo with Sophia tonite for the
first time!! For 2 HOURS!!!!!! It was great
because the first hour it was just her and I
and then Wayne got there for the second hour!
It was great..I loved it..I even gave her a
kiss on the head for the first time tonite!!
Also!! The nurse practicioner came in and
talked to me..she said that Sophia's head
ultrasound from yesterday looked BETTER!!!!
wahoo..go sophia!! She said they will do
another one on Monday morning and hopefully
it will look better too!! I'm soo pleased!!
Well that's about it for now!! I hope to
have good news on Monday!!
October 28,2003
Sophia is a month old today!!!
I talked to the nurse practitioner again
today!! She said Sophia's head u/s from
Monday looked even better than the one on
Thurs!! She said her ventricals are starting
to decrease in size which is really great!!
And all this without meds or surgery!! Keep
those prayers coming!!!
She did really great with kangaroo care
today!! I have gotten to kangaroo with her
every day I have been up there since Friday!
And Wayne will get to do it on Saturday when
we go up! I can't wait to see that!!!
Sophia now weighs 2lb 3oz!!! I can't believe
it!!! She is doing sooo well gaining weight!!
They have increased her feedings too from 5mL
to 5.5mL! yay!
Another thing the NP said today was that they
are going to try to start weening her off of
the ventilator soon! They need to work at
getting some of the excess fluid off her lungs
so she can breathe better!!! They started
giving her diuretics to help that!! I am so
happy!! My baby girl is doing so well!!! YAY!!!
