Molly Faith Mays

I saved sister's story for last, since she gave me the most scares in the NICU. I didn't mention this before in Luke's post, but the first week I wasn't sure if I would bring 2 babies home from the hospital. Molly gave me so many grey hairs and wrinkles that first week. Her lungs were so much more weaker than Luke's.

In the delivery room she did not make a sound. It took the Neonatologist, Respiratory Therapist and Nurse Practitioner awhile to stabilize her. Luke was born second, but taken to the Nicu 5 to 10 minutes before Molly. There was the Neonatologist, RT and 2 NP's in the D/R, but only 1 Nurse Practitioner had to be with Luke (the doctor that did my spinal block helped the NP get him intubated). All the others worked to get Molly stabilized. I have to admit I was scared my baby girl wasn't going to make it.

Her weight was 994 grams (2 pounds 4 ounces) and 34.5 cm (13.5 inches) long. She lost down to 880 grams (1 pound 15 ounces) by day 5. The evening of day 3 she was extubated and placed on C-Pap, but only lasted a day before she had to be intubated and placed back on the Ventilator. Then that evening she had to be placed on the Oscillator. This is a step back from the Ventilator. She needed to rest. The evening of day 7 she went back to the ventilator. Day 10 she was extubated again and was placed on the high flow nasal cannula. I was so worried she wouldn't last, but she did. Praise God! She was amazing. My little miracle.

Molly had the same typical preemie issues like her brother, but hers was always worse. She had a large PDA (opening in the heart) that she took medicine to close. She also took caffeine to control the her destats and bradys. Bless her heart I am pretty sure she was poked numberous more times than her brother with scars to prove it. She also had reflux pretty bad. She was given Reglan to help. She had to have 5 blood tranfusions. Like her brother she had no brain bleeds. God is Good! She also passed her hearing and eye tests with flying colors.

Molly Faith came home on 04/22/08 after 68 days in the Nicu. She came home on oxygen and a pulse-ox monitor. Her weight was 2073 (4 pounds 9.14 ounces) and was 45.7 cm (17.9 inches) long. Talk about a happy day. I had my whole family under 1 roof. Molly come off of oxygen for good on Mothers day. She still had destats, so we still had to have the monitor. Molly was diagonsed with BPD Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (Chonic Long Disease). We have been told by her pediatrician that she will have more good lung issue than scared lung tissue by age 2. This is what we are hoping and praying for.

Molly is a strong little girl. I am so honored to be her Mother.

As I mentioned in Luke's story this is why Todd and I have choosen to be careful for 1 more Flu and RSV season. It is better to be safe than sorry.

I love my baby girl very much! She is the light of my life and I do not know what I would do with out her.

BTW - I have added a slideshow at the bottom of this page of some of their 1st pictures.