What is RSV?

I've spent all day online researching the definition of RSV. The best website I refer to is www.babycenter.com which proved once again to be the website that gave the most helpful information.

What is RSV and what does it do to babies?

RSV is the abbreviation for Respiratory Syncytial Virus or Bronchiolitis. For adults, we know it as Bronchitis.

This is what Baby Center says about RSV...

"The most severe cases of RSV are in babies under 6 months old because their lungs aren't fully developed yet and the damage from these infections can linger. Premature babies, twins and other multiples, and babies born with respiratory problems or congenital heart disease are at particularly high risk for contracting a serious infection. Research suggests that babies infected with RSV are more likely to develop asthma and other respiratory problems later in life. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States, RSV results in 126,300 hospitalizations each year and more than 4,500 deaths annually from respiratory failure in infants and young children. RSV isn't as serious a health concern for school-age children and adults because their immune systems are stronger. Adults and older children will simply get an upper respiratory infection characterized by a sore throat or cough. "

It also notes...

"...it's also the most common cause of two lung disorders, bronchiolitis and pneumonia, in babies between the ages of 2 and 7 months. Bronchiolitis (a disease that swells the smallest airways of the lungs and fills them with mucus, blocking airflow) and pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs, can be dangerous — even deadly — for very young babies. RSV can also lead to ear infections. "

As you can see folks, RSV is not a disease to play around with. It's very serious and can put a baby in the hospital very quickly. If you could only hear her cough, you'd be just as concerned as we were yesterday. The look in the doctor's eyes when she heard her cough and heard her left lung, led me to believe that she was quite concerned and noted how serious it was. She put her hand on my shoulder, closed her eyes and said, "Katherine, it's RSV." That was enough to put me shaking in my boots. I had just heard a few days before that my sister's baby, Aubrie Faith, had RSV and hers was worse than Jillian's.

We are homebound for the next 14 days and treatments will continue through the beginning of December. She's so cute...she takes her breathing treatments quite well and her meds are a sinch if we have her paci close by!!

We'll continue to take it one day at a time.

Keep coming back to check our progress. We'll continue to post!

All our love...
MommyCurlee

Another year...another birthday!

Wow!

Where has the time gone???

Jayna will be 3 in 2 weeks and I'm not so sure I'm ready for my baby girl to grow up! It's so amazing to watch a child grow into themselves. Their personality, their vocabulary, the physical features they develop as they grow...it's all such a miraculous wonder and all I can say is...GOD IS GOOD.

Jayna has grown so drastically in 3 years. From 4 lbs. 13.5 oz to 32 lbs taken yesterday, she's growing so quickly. Her first year was a blur...everything was done in such caution and fear that she would be a sickly child. She was...but she got better. Now, she's running, jumping, climbing all over everything, trying to pick up her little sister without her parents' knowing, and being quite the "Dennis the Menice" lately. All in all...she's a beautiful little girl who loves life.

Her party will be fun. She's invited quite a few of her friends...all her classmates in Mother's Day Out, all of her cousins, close friends and family. She's having a "Dora the Explorer" party and can't wait to have her Dora cake. She's excited. So are we.

And until next year...we'll watch in amazement.

Loving you all,
MommyCurlee

Tired...but hanging in there...

I wish I had a Nanny for a week!

Now that the family is gone and Dave's back to work, I'm trying to get in a set schedule of things. As most of you know, my time is just as set as my daughters' diaper bags (with all the zip locks with diapers, medications, wipes, changes of clothes, etc. You can see I've learned that from Dave's grandmother, Lola)! I've also not swayed away from the "nesting" phase because I can't stand for my house to be out of order either.

Thanks to Brady & Julie Speers for sending their cleaning crew to our home to have it cleaned. Dr. Neill will be happy to know I didn't overdo myself in getting my house back in order after 3 weeks of no attention.

You ask how I'm doing? Last Monday I went to my 2 week check up with Dr. Neill (first appt after being in the hospital) and I've lost 30 pounds, I'm at a 50% activity level and recovering nicely. Over the next 2 weeks (last week and this week) I have to build back up to 80% activity level and then 2 weeks after that I'll build to 100%. I am fully able to drive, but can only lift Jillian in her carrier and nothing heavier. No exercise...and no "relations" in which Dave says he's a sexual camel! HA!

I'm completely and utterly exhausted...not getting enough rest...not eating enough either...but I'm trying. My precious home group is providing meals for us this next week and last week, our church's New Blessings Ministry provided meals on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. That in itself is a huge blessing for us because I'm still not able to stand for long periods of time without hurting too badly. I'm ready for the old self to return!

Please continue to pray for us as we adjust to our new family and pray that I continue to heal quickly without regression. This week was a bit of a set-back because I did a little too much...but I'm definitely pacing myself.

Also, pray for my dear, dear friends, Brady & Julie Speers as they deliver their precious twin daughters, in which they just found out yesterday that they're identical! She will deliver them via cesarean section and will need the prayers for quick recovery in mothering 2 precious new baby girls! You can bet we'll be spending lots of time together!

Well, I must close for now. I'm sure I'll keep you posted on how things are going in the next few days.

Keep in touch.

Kat

Jillian's Here!!!

Well we have our little Jillian now!

She was born on Saturday, July 30, 2005 at 8:46 a.m. She weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces and was 20 inches long. Beautiful little girl who has more features of her father than mother! The surgery didn't go as planned, however, it went better than expected. The doctor ordered a spinal to be done on me to numb from the tummy down to my toes. The spinal didn't take, so they had to completely knock me out. The surgery took about an hour, and by 9:30 a.m., I was back in the recovery room with a new baby girl! We are thrilled that she's here and healthy. She scored a 9.9 on the Apgar Scale and that's just about as perfect as you can get! As you can see...we're VERY proud!