Last night I was about to blog about Danielle. I wanted to tell you that she went home on Marathon Monday. She was doing so well after 9 weeks of bedrest in the hospital and the doctors were really surprised that she had made it to 32 weeks, so they decided to let her go home. Danni has been really enjoying at home bed rest . . . in fact, I think I recall her referring to this as pansy bed rest. The "real" hard times are being stuck inside of the same four, stark white walls, with alarms ringing and lights on around-the-clock.
Several weeks before she went home, while she was at Memorial Hospital, she bled again. She was just a few days over 27 weeks along and we were thrilled that she had made it as far as she did, but were obviously still quite concerned for the baby. Luckily, her bleeding stopped on it's own, but the doctor warned her: "This is kind of like baseball, it's three strikes and your out."
Before I had a chance to write an update I got a call from my mom last night. After many foul balls, she finally struck out. Danni started bleeding right after dinner. The ambulance came, started 2 IV's, strapped her to the gurny and headed to a trauma level hospital. She said they even rode with the sirens and lights flashing (Andrew would have LOVED it!).
Not long after her OB arrive, he rushed her off to surgery and delivered her baby. She was one day shy of 34 weeks. Perspective is such a funny thing. If this had been a completely normal pregnancy, we would have all been shocked when she delivered a 34 weeker. But, since we have all been praying our hearts out that she would be able to carry this little one just a little longer, we are so thrilled that she lasted for 10 1/2 weeks past her first bleed.
Her name is still to be determined. But she is a beautiful, tiny, little love. She was born at 4 lbs. 1 oz and 17 inches long. Danni was able to hold her for a second to kiss her and smell her and then she was taken to the NICU where they could help her breathe. She is on a CPAP machine that helps her lungs to breathe more efficiently.
Danielle is doing well. She is anxious to be able to get up and walk around again--like a normal person. She's been on her back for close to three months and she's ready to start running!
What an answer to so many prayers.
