Hey There Good Looking

Just got back to see her... she's looking great! She even moved her legs a little when we first got to her room. Hopefully that continues!!!

Surgery Complete!

Well, I don't have much more information other than to say that Gwen's now done with her surgery and that all went as well as could be expected.   I hope to be able to see her back in the NICU at around 8 PM.   Fingers crossed that things continue to progress well as she begins the healing process.

Surgery Update

Just a note that Gwen is now on the operating table at CMH. She will be getting a shunt to drain the fluid in her brain in addition to closing the myelomeningocele opening on her back. The operation time should last between 2.5-3.5 hours. After that, they expect it will take another hour for the anesthesia to wear off. She was in a feisty mood before leaving for the procedure which honestly put me at ease. As you can see from the photo, I was able to hold my little angel for a short time before she had to leave for the operation.

Thanks so very much for your well-wishes! I can't use my cell phone most of the time that I'm here per hospital policy but I have got all your messages... and I appreciate them all!

When we get an update on Gwen, I’ll be sure to post it.

An update on Gwen and the rest of the family

Just a note that Gwendolyn is doing quite well right now… Her vitals all look great and she’s continuing to kick her legs and scream with reckless abandon every time she dirties a diaper. Her surgery is scheduled for later this afternoon (Wed), starting sometime between 3-4 PM.

Other than the fact that I’ve been told her “defect” is very low on her spine and that her current strong leg strength is a very positive sign, there’s still a long road to go before we know for sure what limitations she’ll have. They still aren’t sure if they will insert a shunt to drain the fluid from her brain with today’s surgery or wait to see if the corrected spine allows her fluid to drain naturally.

The plastic surgeon said she didn’t think Gwen would require a skin graft to close the opening after surgery, which is very positive.

Anesthesiology told me that since she’s breathing perfectly on her own, they don’t anticipate any issues when they knock her out for the surgery or in her recovery afterwards.

Well, I guess that’s all the news for now on her.

Our little “runt” Braelyn is also doing exceptionally. It’s amazing that even though she’s “tipping the scales” at a minuscule 4lbs, 6ozs, she’s been free and clear of any issues. She even stayed the entire night yesterday in the same room with her mother and I. As for mom, she’s also doing well. She’s still learning the ins and outs of breastfeeding but has been doing great with it. She hopes to be able to come and see Gwen in the very near future once she’s cleared for 4-hour daily “breaks” to travel to CMH. With that said, please remember to keep us all in your thoughts and prayers!

Gwen resting at her new hospital home

Still Waiting to See Gwen

I still haven’t got to see Gwen at CMH. She’s having an IV issue and until they get that taken care of (so they can do the proper blood work), it’s a sterile environment... A.K.A, “No Daddies Allowed.” Still, they have scanned her head (we don’t have results yet) and the neurosurgeon has come to look at her back (but I obviously wasn’t able to speak with him to get briefed). The plastic surgeon should see her soon as well. On a promising note, Gwen is moving her legs, feet, and toes thus far… hopefully that will be the case after her surgery.

Heather has been transferred from “recovery” to her regular room. It seems as though Braelyn got her first bath just a little bit ago and now those two are resting comfortably.

Thought you’d all enjoy a few photos… so here you go (hopefully they'll post in the correct order):

In addition to the Castellano "nose," Gwendolyn seems to have the Castellano "lungs" as well!

;)

Mom meets Braelyn for the first time.

Mom says hello & goodbye to Gwen before she gets sent to CMH

Dad, Mom & Braelyn

Welcome Braelyn & Gwendolyn!!!

On September 29, 2009, at 12:28 and 12:30 PM respectively Heather and I were blessed to welcome Braelyn McKee Castellano and Gwendolyn Marie Castellano into the world.   Braelyn weighs 4  lb, 6oz and measures 17" in length Gwendolyn weighs 6lb, 13 oz and measures 19 3/4" in length   Mom's doing great and, aside from the obvious with Gwen, so are the girls.   Gwen has been transported to Children's Mercy Hospital. As soon as I get details as to when the her surgery is scheduled to take place, I'll let you all know.   Once I have a moment to upload photos, I'll post them on our blog site.   As always, we so appreciate your thoughts and prayers!!!   Chuck & Heather

Our Delivery Date is Set... AGAIN!

Well, apparently the only constant in the world is change. Our delivery date has now been moved up two days. They decided the extra time would help ensure that Gwendolyn's surgery could be completed by week's end as opposed to the previously scheduled Thursday delivery date. So, now the cesarean is scheduled for Tuesday, September 29th at Noon. As a quick update, all went well with Thursday's scan. Gwen's hydrocephalous was pretty constant with where it's been measured previously. We have a full growth scan coming up this Monday, followed by stress tests next Thursday and again the following Monday (the day before the cesarean). Assuming all goes well with those, we should be good to go. So, fingers crossed that we'll actually make it to the delivery room on Tuesday, September 29th!

Our Delivery Date is Set

Heather got an update during yesterday's stress test really pounding home the fact that we are getting close to becoming parents. We now have an appointment at St. Luke's Hospital on Thursday, October 1st for a 10 AM cesarean. That date was suggested by the doctor because it coincides with the start of our 38th Week of pregnancy.   As we let that information marinade over us yesterday, it was honestly part elation and part "Holy carp… this IS happening soon!" that began sinking in.   Regardless, we'll caution that even though October 1st is the officially scheduled date for delivery, there's still a few scenarios that could accelerate the process:   1)      Braelyn and Gwendolyn could decide to come on their own before then (it's rare for a multiple birth pregnancy to go past 38 weeks). Even though Heather still hasn't had a contraction yet, that's certainly a possibility.   2)      At the end of next week, they'll do a scan of Gwendolyn's hydrocephalus (a.k.a. water on the brain) to make sure it remains constant. If the doctor has concern that it's increasing, they could decide to deliver them sooner.   3)      The following week, they'll do a full growth scan of the girls. At that point they'll not only reexamine Gwen but also chart Braelyn's overall growth. For those new to this blog, Braelyn's previously had periods of stunted growth attributed to the fact that she's so cramped in the uterus. If either Braelyn's growth or Gwen's hydrocephalus are causes for concern at that point, the doctor could decide to deliver them sooner.   So, as we sit here now, October 1st is the official date that we'll become parents… But it's far from a given that we'll actually be able to wait until then to deliver our angels.   Well, I guess we'll just keep everyone posted… it'll obviously be a case of no news is good news, so hopefully our next entry won't be until October 1!

34 Week Update

Strange in a way… here we are 34 weeks into a pregnancy that's had its share of stressful moments and yet we just today had our first official stress test. Okay, so this "stress test" has a lot more to do with trying to estimate when Heather's labor will begin (more on that below) than it does to gauge our sanity… but still!   ;)   On a serious note, this 34 Week plateau is a big one for us. If Braelyn and Gwendolyn were to come soon, they'd obviously be preemies. However, studies show that they should catch up to their peers developmentally by the time they enter the first grade.   Our next (and maybe final) big hurdle comes at 36 weeks. That's when their lungs should be fully developed. That would eliminate the need for them to be placed on respirators (and an ICU stay by Braelyn along with her sister) immediately after birth.   Anyway, today's doctor's visit was a lengthy one but informative. In terms of the stress test, all went great. The official purpose of the test is to make sure that when they move, their heart rates go up. If they didn't then it could have signaled a issue in the blood flow between the placentas and the girls. This "riveting" test requires Heather to lie down fairly motionless for at least 20 minutes (today's lasted 30) while a nurse monitors the rates. While all was great today, Heather will be back every 3-4 days from here on out to continue the monitoring. If the rates were ever to fall during a visit, they'd look into why and could possible decide that it's time to deliver… although that would obviously be worst-case.   As for the typical monthly growth measurement scan, the girls seem to be doing great. Braelyn came in at 4 lb. 12 oz. and Gwendolyn tipped the scales at 5 lb. 6 oz. Braelyn is now up to the 35th percentile in growth and Gwen is right at the 50th.   In terms of Gwen's hydrocephalus, the doctor said that it remains "moderate" in size. Both the girls were pretty active, which is especially nice but not uncommon to see from Gwen. They could only see one of her little feet in today's scan but thus far there's no clubbing. That is also a good sign as it means the muscles in her legs are still functioning.   We were told that the goal is still to deliver the girls in the 38th week unless nature decides otherwise. The doctor seemed to feel that if for some reason Heather goes into labor before that mark, then they wouldn't do anything to delay it. Our next growth scan will be in the 37th week… if Braelyn is continuing to grow, they'll plan on retrieving the girls the following week. If Braelyn's growth seems to be stunted, then they'll just plan the cesarean a week early instead.   So, I guess the "CliffNotes" version is that the girls and their mother are doing tremendous under the circumstances… and that the last week this month is still the target delivery time, although if nature calls between then and now we aren't stopping it.   On a disturbing note for Heather, it seems as though Gwen is truly taking after Chuck's side of the family… even before birth. In addition to the revelation we had from a scan earlier this summer that she's got the infamous "Castellano nose," it seems from today's scan as though she's also got considerably more hair as compared to her sister. Add that to the nurse's observation during today's stress test that Gwen seems to be "a pretty feisty one," and it all spells what could be a devastating trip through the "terrible twos" on our horizon. I guess you reap what you sow sometimes!   Well folks, that's all that's fit to print for now.  We're not sure when the next "newsworthy" moment will come but hopefully it won't be for a few more weeks. Still, we'll be sure to post any news on the blog and share it with you all when it does happen.