Prayers For My Nephew Brodie---updated

[the lords sheep]

Praise God!

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='StColette' post='1857733' date='May 4 2009, 06:16 PM']Has your sister been able to see the little guy?[/quote]

I talked with my sister for awhile this evening. She did get to see Brodie after his surgery. I also arranged with her that I'm going to save my excess milk when this baby is born and give it to her for Brodie (since I can freeze it and bring it to her when we visit). Hopefully that will give them enough to last awhile, even after she goes back to work. It's better than having it go to waste.

[eagle_eye222001]

Good.

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[franciscanheart]

what is the significance of your milk?

[Archaeology cat]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1857812' date='May 4 2009, 11:33 PM']I talked with my sister for awhile this evening. She did get to see Brodie after his surgery. I also arranged with her that I'm going to save my excess milk when this baby is born and give it to her for Brodie (since I can freeze it and bring it to her when we visit). Hopefully that will give them enough to last awhile, even after she goes back to work. It's better than having it go to waste. [/quote]
That's so great that you'll be able to do that!

[missionseeker]

colostrum, i think.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='hugheyforlife' post='1858304' date='May 5 2009, 10:50 AM']what is the significance of your milk?[/quote]

When I start nursing a baby I end up really engorged (sorry guys, it just happens) and since my kids won't drink it it just goes to waste. (Meaning I pump enough to relieve the pain but it just sits in the fridge till I dump it down the drain.) Instead of throwing it away I can save it for Brodie and instead of using formula they'll have a little more milk to give him when Sara goes back to work. After she had Fiona my sister went back to work and after a few months her supply decreased and they had to start using formula. Breastmilk is so good for babies that I think with Brodie's health it would be especially good for him to get as much as he can before they are forced to switch/supplement. I'm not sure how much I'll really be able to give them, but I'll do what I can for Brodie.

[IcePrincessKRS]

The latest update:

[quote]Brodie is still getting better. The nurse said he is doing great. He opened is eyes for us this morning...as doped out as he is I think he still knew us by our voices. Sara should get cleared to leave around 1. We are going to head home for a little bit and then come back this evenin to stay with mom and dad...we'll say goodnight to Fiona and then go say goodnight to Brodie.[/quote]

(note on the "doped up" part, Brodie has been heavily sedated the past couple days to help get him through the worst part of the surgery pain. Because of the surgery h hasn't eaten anything except a little sugar water [as of yesterday], but has had plenty of IV fluids, and Sara said they might be able to give him some milk today or tomorrow.)

[the lords sheep]

Oh! Poor thing! Prayers!

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='the lords sheep' post='1858595' date='May 5 2009, 03:54 PM']Oh! Poor thing! Prayers! [/quote]

yeah, there are a lot of scary parts to his surgery. His chest still isn't sewn up (they will do it in a couple days, I believe, but I think it was left open "just in case" they needed to go back in and fix something) so Sara and Joe haven't been able to hold him since the surgery. Still, we're so thankful that he came through the surgery (before he was born he was given an 85% chance of survival) and that he's doing so well. My sister said for the last several weeks of her pregnancy she ate as much fattening foods and had a big milkshake every night to bulk him up as much as possible before he was born so that he'd have a little extra weight to carry him through the tough parts after surgery.

[CatherineM]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1858373' date='May 5 2009, 09:49 AM']When I start nursing a baby I end up really engorged (sorry guys, it just happens) and since my kids won't drink it it just goes to waste. (Meaning I pump enough to relieve the pain but it just sits in the fridge till I dump it down the drain.) Instead of throwing it away I can save it for Brodie and instead of using formula they'll have a little more milk to give him when Sara goes back to work. After she had Fiona my sister went back to work and after a few months her supply decreased and they had to start using formula. Breastmilk is so good for babies that I think with Brodie's health it would be especially good for him to get as much as he can before they are forced to switch/supplement. I'm not sure how much I'll really be able to give them, but I'll do what I can for Brodie. [/quote]

That's really nice of you. My brother John was born at 6 month, and in the 40's, that was a serious issue. He had to have breast milk, and my mom was just dry. I'm not sure how EEE's could go dry, but she had to buy it. There were women who were licensed to do it, and they had a room in the state capital basement where they went to express it. My aunt lived 3 hours away, and her AA's produced so much that she leaked everywhere, but they weren't allowed to use it because she wasn't licensed, and keeping it cold wasn't as easy 60 years ago in an Oklahoma summer.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1858844' date='May 5 2009, 08:04 PM']That's really nice of you. My brother John was born at 6 month, and in the 40's, that was a serious issue. He had to have breast milk, and my mom was just dry. I'm not sure how EEE's could go dry, but she had to buy it. There were women who were licensed to do it, and they had a room in the state capital basement where they went to express it. My aunt lived 3 hours away, and her AA's produced so much that she leaked everywhere, but they weren't allowed to use it because she wasn't licensed, and keeping it cold wasn't as easy 60 years ago in an Oklahoma summer.[/quote]

It occurred to me because I know she's been pumping to get her supply started, and statistically speaking pumping just isn't as effective as the baby's suckling (barring complications I will begin nursing my baby as soon as s/he's cleaned up and they hand him/her over). Knowing how going back to work affected her supply with her last baby... I just want Sara to be able to provide the best for Brodie, so if I can help even in a small way I'll do what i can. I think it would bug me to see it go down the drain when I know Brodie could benefit from it.

[IcePrincessKRS]

Joe posted this as his facebook status, I thought it was sweet and decided to share it with you guys.

[b]
Is a his parents house. Will go home soon for a couple of hours. Then we are going to head back to the PICU to visit with Brodie. Fiona is gonna hang with me in the play room. Then we'll put her to bed at my parents house. Then it is back to INOVA to read to Brodie. A lot of back and forth but it is all worth it.[/b]

(they are staying at his parents house because it's closer to the hospital)

[franciscanheart]

[quote name='IcePrincessKRS' post='1858863' date='May 5 2009, 06:24 PM']It occurred to me because I know she's been pumping to get her supply started, and statistically speaking pumping just isn't as effective as the baby's suckling (barring complications I will begin nursing my baby as soon as s/he's cleaned up and they hand him/her over). Knowing how going back to work affected her supply with her last baby... I just want Sara to be able to provide the best for Brodie, so if I can help even in a small way I'll do what i can. I think it would bug me to see it go down the drain when I know Brodie could benefit from it.[/quote]
i was just talking to some girlfriends tonight and thought of you. if there's any left over after your baby and brodie, apparently some hospitals will also take it. you can take it to them in coolers and they do something with it (did they say they pasteurize it?) and use it for babies there.

i didn't know you could do it but apparently you can. it's apparently also good for ear infections and cuts. that's what they say. i had no idea! haha.

someone else who was chatting with us also said that there are people who can buy it from you for other medical purposes.

anyway, a little off subject but kinda not.

glad brodie is doing well. send my love.

[IcePrincessKRS]

If I wound up with a lot extra I would look into that, but I probably won't produce quite that much. lol

This was the update from Joe this morning:

[b]sitting with Brodie. Pray that he looses the extra water. It is the next step in his recovery process. What a sucky way to spend your fifth day of life![/b]

Also this from the mom of the other baby that had surgery the same day as Brodie:
[b]
Patrick had more tubes removed so we should be getting out of ICU soon. He is still improving, though groggy and sometimes in pain it seems. We hope to be able to hold him today![/b]