Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Introducing Ella Caroline (15 weeks early)


While visiting my family in the mountains this past weekend, I was so miserable I went to the local ER and was diagnosed on Sunday with preeclampsia and things happened very quickly. I was transferred by ambulence to a larger hospital in Asheville with excellent high risk/NIKU care.  I ended up delivering Ella Caroline at 12:12 am Monday. She weighs 1.25 lbs and was immediately labeled a “rock star” for how well she is doing given her rate of prematurity (25w2d – her estimated due date was July 21) !

I am still fighting the effects of the preeclampsia and am pretty weak. I am having good moments but they are taken with my visits to Ella and pumping (and dealing with insurance/medical leave) so I am not texting or typing well yet. The greatest joy was visiting Ella today. When I saw Ella for the first time this morning, she knew me.  She was crying and I reached in and touched her tiny little head with one of my hands and her arm with my other hand. I spoke softly to her and she immediately calmed and peacefully rested. She knew my voice. She recognized her mommy J

I know that I am completely behind on reading and responding to all of your loving messages and I can’t wait to read them. I have been gaining strength, but I will likely be in the hospital through the weekend. Ella will be here for a couple of months. We don’t know yet if we will be able to transfer to Charlotte at some point or if we will remain in Asheville for her NICU time.

My dogs are in good care with my parents enjoying the mountain air. I will get to each and every message as I regain energy.  I have had fabulous support between my mom and my BFF and appreciate all of the offers of support to come help in Asheville as my friends are available. I will be taking you all up on it.

I am currently trying to keep things very calm and peaceful and get a lot of rest as keeping my blood pressure down is a must. Thank you all so much for all of the love, support and prayers. Please keep them coming!

(Typed by my BFF - who flew up from Florida yesterday… I just don’t have the energy to type yet)

48 comments:

  1. You & Ella (love the name!!) are in my thoughts. Of course she is a rock star- she is like her Mama.

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  2. OMGoodness! I am so happy you and Ella are doing well but I can hardly believe it when I read your post. I hope thing continue to go well.

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  3. Oh, wow! Thinking of you both and wishing you rock stars all the best!

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  4. Sending you and your beautiful Ella lots of good thoughts.

    Congrats, Momma. :)

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  5. Congrats! You and Ella are rock stars!

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  6. Congrats!

    Thinking of both you and Ella. That you will get your strength back quickly and that Ella will continue to be a rock star!

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  7. I am so so glad you both are well. I'll be keeping you both in my prayers for continued health for you both and her stellar growth. Her name is beautiful and you both are rock stars.

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  8. Congratulations, BB! Such a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. So glad you both are safe. Prayers of strength and good health are flooding your way.

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  9. Wow, congratulations, talk about a surprise delivery! Love her name. I'm glad to hear both of you are doing okay, and look forward to many more updates in the future. Thinking and praying for both of, take care!

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  10. Oh wow - congrats on Ella (what a beautiful name), Take acre of yourself. Sending lots of good wishes and good health to you both.

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  11. Wow, sweetie!!! I don't know what to say except that her name is beautiful and I am glad that she is doing well and recognizes her mommy! You are both in my thoughts and prayers. I'm not available until June, but if you need me.....

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  12. oh, bb! not at all what i was expecting to see on your blog today! congratulations on ella's arrival. i'm so sorry you got so sick and that she had to come so soon. glad to hear she's a rock star already and hope that she - and you - hang in there while she grows and grows and grows and gets ready to come home in a couple of months. sending you all of my thoughts.

    mo

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  13. Oh, goodness! I am glad to hear she is doing so well for a baby so small. congratulations, new mama.

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  14. Sending you and Ella all of the healing and positive vibes I can. Love her name!

    Oh, and congrats!

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  15. Welcome, Ella!! I love the name! Keep on rockin'!!

    I hope you can get some rest and build back up your strength.

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  16. Oh welcome to the world little Ella! Praying you and baby Ella have healthy recovery over the coming months. Congratulations!

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  17. Wow, what a whirlwind the past few days must have been for you. Congratulations on the arrival of Ella, and I am wishing you a speedy recovery, and her a smooth NICU course.

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  18. Welcome to the world, Miss Ella! Lots of thoughts and prayers headed your way.

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  19. Oh, my goodness! Congratulations on the birth of your little Ella! I'm so sorry to hear that you are still struggling to get better after such an ordeal. I hope you heal soon and that Ella continues to thrive so that she can go home with her mom.

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  20. Congrats. What an amazing surprise. I wish you a speedy recovery so you can enjoy your beautiful baby.

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  21. OMG BB!!!! I almost fainted when I read this!!! I can't believe it, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow, wow, wow! So glad you are both doing great!!! I love the picture. Love it! Beautiful name!! xoxo

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  22. Congratulations! Ella is beautiful..Please keep us posted.

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  23. Wow .....a bit speechless but so glad to hear that she is fighter like her momma!!

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  24. Congratulations! Hoping you feel better soon. Can't wait to hear the tales of Ella kicking NICU butt!

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  25. Congratulations, BB, and welcome to the world, Ella! So glad she's doing well and that you are regaining strength. Focusing on getting lots of rest and calm sounds like a good strategy. Thinking of you and sending good thoughts to you both. Wanted to share this blog in case you hadn't seen it of triplets who were born early: http://thekoobers.blogspot.com/

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  26. Wow and congrats! I hope Ella continues to thrive and you manage to keep that peacefulness. You will both be in my thoughts. I look forward to your updates when you have the chance.

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  27. Congratulations! I am glad you are both doing well. I hope you can take it easy and regain your strength quickly and I hope Ella will continue to do well. I'll be thinking of you two.

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  28. Oh wow! What an amazing pair of champs. :) I hope you heal well and start feeling better soon and that Ella keeps on growing like the little fighter she clearly is!

    Congrats!

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  29. So excited for you and your baby girl. Congrats on Ella's birth. My twins were premature (35w6d) and I had severe preeclampsia (I also lost a lot of blood, resulting in me getting two blood transfusions and After delivery, My blood pressure remained very high so required me to be on Meds and monitored by a cardiologist). The recovery was long, but after about a month I got my energy back.

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  30. Congratulations & Welcome to the World, Ella...A beautiful girl with a beautiful name! Keeping both of you in my thoughts & prayers! Take care of yourself.

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  31. Thinking of you and Ella. I also had severe early onset preecalmpsia so I know how hard it can be.

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  32. So happy for you and so glad you're both doing so well!! Prayers for you both for a quick recovery!

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  33. Sending you both my thoughts and hoping that Ella continues to grow and thrive. Beautiful name and congratulations on the arrival of your baby girl!

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  34. OMG, so unexpected, but congratulations on your beautiful baby girl! I can imagine this is both an exciting and scary time, and my thoughts and prayers are with you. Take good care of yourself, and I hope that things continue to go well with your little rock star!

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  35. OMG!!! That is so unbelievably fabulous that she is doing great. I'm so happy for you BB, and pray that the next few weeks bring nothing but rapid progress forward!

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  36. Congrats, Mama! Welcome, Ella! Hoping for a quick recovery for you and a brief NICU stay for your precious girl. It is amazing the way they respond to mama's voice immediately. :-)

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  37. Wow! Congratulations!! Hope she (and you) continues to do so well. Lovely name.

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  38. Glad you're both doing well. She's tough, I'm sure... She'll be out before you know it! I have a friend who had a baby with extreme medical issues and he was in the NICU/PICU for the first year of his life. Looking back now (he's four), she says it few by... so I'm sure it will go fast and she will be home before you know it. I love the name BTW. Stay strong and just keep loving her. Congrats!

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  39. Keeping you and baby Ella in my prayers!

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  40. Oh my goodness! Sending you a big hug from NZ and wishing all the very best for wee Ella xx

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  41. Wow!

    Ella is such a beauty!

    I pray she stays strong and so does her mommy!

    Big Cyber Hugs!

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  42. Congrats! Keeping you both in my thoughts and prayers!

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  43. I will be thinking of you both. I was a NICU mom too, and it can be hard some days, so remember to take care of yourself as well.

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  44. I have been following your journey through IVF and now the birth of your daughter closely as my journey has been similar. I am so glad to see that your daughter is doing well and that you have finally become a mum. Must have been a shock that she came so early but so pleased that she is doing so well.

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  45. Your post was very moving...may God bless you both! It must be such a wonderful feeling to have had her recognize your voice...so sweet. Thanks for sharing.

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  46. Just found your blog via the LFCA - oh my word, I can't even... I had pre-eclampsia as well but not as severe as you did. Just sending you all my warmest thoughts and love.

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