Here We Go A-Marching

This morning we participated in the annual WalkAmerica event held by the March of Dimes. Not long after the girls were born we learned about the March of Dimes and its purpose: preventing prematurity. Soon after that, we learned that the March of Dimes funded the research that is responsible for discovering and producing man-made surfactant, a chemical we produce naturally that coats our lungs, preventing our air sacs from drying up and becoming brittle, and which allows are lungs to re-inflate each time we exhale. It is a chemical that we don't start producing until thirty two weeks gestation, so the girls were unable to produce it when they were born. Both girls received doses of surfactant after they were born and have benefited from it tremendously. It is very likely that neither Cadie or Maddie would be alive today without Surfactant. If they had survived to this point, they would have a future of being on a ventilator at least until adulthood, if not their entire lives. Because of this, we are VERY supportive of the March of Dimes. We owe them our daughters' lives. Our team met at LaFortune Park this morning to walk in support of the girls. Our team included: Mommy, Daddy, Nana(my mom), Grandma and Grandpa (Jeff's parents), Grana and Poppy (my dad and step-mom), Auntie Lolo (my sister), and Mollie and Steve (the girls' god-parents). In just three weeks, our team managed to raise $2400! There was quite a turn out; we even saw some of the EOPC nurses. I designed shirts for our team, then found out today there would be a t-shirt contest. Of course we participated! We actually placed second in the Most Creative category. We were the only family team that participated amongst a large number of corporate teams, so we were very proud of our placing. It was a great time for a great cause.


We visited the girls before the Walk. Madeline has been bumped up to eleven ml's of milk. The nurse reported that Maddie had quite the blowout this morning. Apparently she just wouldn't stop pooping; she even got a little on the nurse. That's my girl! She doesn't take poop from anyone! Of course, we visited the girls again after the Walk. Maddie was sucking her thumb; it was so comforting to see her doing "normal" baby things. Cadie's report revealed she is now getting fourteen ml's of milk and that she'd had a blowout of her own. Is this something to look forward to when they come home? Madeline had her first round of steroids today. Dr. K expects the small dosage to help her lungs mature and strengthen faster, and we already noticed a difference during our visit. Ideally, the steroids will help her get off the ventilator soon. No steroids have been ordered for Cadie so far, but she hasn't struggled as much as Maddie, so we'll see. More good news: the girls no longer score high enough to be considered "minimal handling!" According to Dr. Cline, though, they are going to stay on minimal handling for just a bit longer because they aren't quite ready. This means we could be holding our girls within the next couple of weeks! The minute they start allowing us to hold them, they are going to have to drag me out of there to get me to leave every day. I can't explain how hard it is to sit by their beds every day, not allowed to pick them up and hold them. Jeff confessed he wants so badly to lean over and kiss them; but we can't.