Brynlee Jo Bucklen

Hi loved ones!  Many of you have been asking if we would start a blog to keep you all updated on Brynlee's progress.  So here goes, let's see if I can bring you up to speed.

I was "flight-for-lifed" to Presbyterian/St. Luke's Hospital in Denver on Friday, June 28th at about 2 a.m. with severe preeclampsia which was later diagnosed as HELLP Syndrome.  Here is the one picture I took while in the helicopter...

Long story short, my body and the baby's placenta were warring against each other and the only cure was for them to take the baby by c-section or I was facing my liver potentially rupturing, seizures, strokes, and other really bad things.

So...on Sunday, June 30th, 2013 at 4:32 p.m. Brynlee Jo Bucklen was born, weighting 2 lbs 1 oz.  She was 13 inches long and her vital statistics were amazing considering she was born 12 weeks premature.

Darren was awesome...he was in with me during the surgery and then he went with Brynlee and her doctors to the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit).  I didn't get to see her for over 24 hours because I was still on an IV and lots of drugs to help me recover from the symptoms of HELLP.  Darren was with her for every "care check" (when we get to go be with Brynlee every three hours or so, take her temperature, wipe her nose and eyes, change her pulsox meter to the other foot, and change her diaper).  The nurses taught Darren all he needed to know, and he caught on right away.  He was and is so great at calming Brynlee down.  She already loves her daddy.

I am almost all the way recovered.  I am out of the hospital and I am still getting my blood checked once in a while and having some doctors appointments.  Brynlee is doing really well, though she has some up and down days, which is to be expected for how premature she is.  She is back to her birthweight.  She was only on a respirator for about 6 hours the first day but she has been on CPAP (oxygen being pushed into her lungs and a crazy mask thing) most of the time, though she has had some times where she just gets to be on a canula (oxygen just in her nose).

Yes, it is kind of scary - she has lots of tubes and wires and she is so fragile!  But we are trusting the Lord and so thankful that He has given us this little miracle and he is keeping her safe and healthy.  Modern medicine is amazing!  

We have gotten to hold her a couple times, but only on her really good days.  She is fed through a feeding tube and it will still be several weeks before we try to feed her with a bottle or breastfeeding.  

Darren and I are staying at the Ronald McDonald house which is 2 blocks from the hospital and a very awesome facility.