Hampton: Home Sweet Home

I am more than thrilled to announce Hampton has been home for a more than a week now and is doing really good healthwise. We are all settling into our new routine with sweet Hampton. It's been a while since we've had a little one at home so we are getting used to lots of sleepless nights, but after our second stay in the NICU as a family (this one, a lot shorter than the boys thank goodness)... we will take sleepless nights any day for a healthy little bundle of love!!!! Last Friday, Dr. Riley decided Hampton's lungs were doing much better so he had us room in on Friday night at the hospital... getting Hampton used to nursing with me all the time... and on Saturday, we were overjoyed to bring her back home to Tyler!!! If you don't see the family out and about for a while, it is because the doctors want us to again guard our little ones lungs because of the issues she had at birth and the boys too! This H1N1 flu is something we don't want to mess around with! It's a small sacrifice for a lifetime of fun to be had in the near future. It's also nice to have this time with the family to bond.

It was wonderful to see the boys meet their sister for the first time last Saturday. To my amazement, they were not jealous of her, but very intrigued by her arrival. I think they finally understood that was the baby in mommy's tummy the past 9 months. Thank heavens for my mother staying home this past week with me. It is going to be a lot of work when she goes back to work... but I am ready for this wonderful challenge.

These past couple of weeks with the unexpected health scare for Hampton has once again really been a test of our faith... to believe that the Lord was going to heal her the same way he did the boys, but I am so glad I have that blind faith... because Hampton is an amazing GIFT! She is a sweet little girl. She loves to eat, she's been struggling with baby gas, but she's a tough cookie as she proved to us the past 2 weeks!

I have spent a lot of time cuddling with her and watching her sleep. It just doesn't get much better than this. I have 2 little miracle twins who love to have fun, a sweet daughter to comfort and cuddle, and an amazing husband to help me and love us all along the way. He continues to be my strength when I can't muster it and my positive voice when I am worried about what other challenges we could face. This is the best life! I wouldn't change a thing because I appreciate all that I have EVEN MORE! And I appreciate all of you... our friends who pray for us anytime we ask. Now, that is another blessing the Hughey family never takes for granted. May everyone know the power of prayer as we have come to know it over the past 2 years!

Love to you and yours....

Dana, Trey, Ford, Hayden and Hampton

Hampton's Healing Continues.....

Good Morning sweet friends and family! So sorry I didn't blog yesterday. It was a busy day spending time with Miss Hampton, now that we are no longer in the hospital together. Everything just seems to take a little longer: getting her mommy's milk to her & travel-time to her. Of course, it's just a new routine and no big deal for us.

Hampton started a new routine the night before last. She is no longer on oxygen or air flow to help her breathe! I don't want to jinx it, but then I remember with the Lord on our side that is not possible. He wants us to rejoice in his good works, so that is what I want to do... praise the Good Lord for Hampton no longer being dependent on oxygen and that she is started to breast feed and bottle feed a couple of times a day. She still gets some of her feeds through her tube, but she is doing really well. The other night she tried to breastfeed for about 20 minutes, but she fell asleep after getting 7 good minutes of milk. Then she took a little bottle and the rest was given in her tube. Yesterday she didn't do so great at the afternoon feed because she got the hiccups and was frustrated (poor baby)! Last night we had a big breakthrough.... she nursed for about 35 minutes and 25 of that she was latched on really good... GO HAMPTON! She still had to get some of her feed by tube, but hey, Hampton is making amazing strides.

I have to say... I miss that we are not both under the same roof, though I am happy to be out of the hospital. It was; however, easier when a floor separated us as opposed to 15 minutes of Arlington traffic.

Our sweet friend Melissa, and Ford's primary nurse at Cook Children's came to hang out with Miss Hampton and me yesterday. It was so great to spend time with her... she really is like family now. I know Hampton is going to love her when she gets older.

Other than that, Trey and I spent most of the day cuddling with Hampton, praying with and for Hampton and doing regular parent things like changing her diaper :)

Please pray that a light bulb goes off.... and Hampton starts feeding like a champion. That is the hurdle we need to cross before she can come home with us. I have faith in her and the Lord that it will be done VERY SOON!

Lots of love and sincere thanks,

Dana, Trey, Ford, Hayden and Hampton

Hampton Stays Strong.... and So Sweet

Our Sweet little Hampton is such a strong little girl. She is now on high flow oxygen instead of the bubble c-pap for her breathing support. While I wish she didn't need any help to breathe and her lungs were acting more like a full term baby than that of a preemie... I am just blessed she is such a fighter. Hopefully today she will make even more progress as far as her doctor is concerned and not just her proud, very hopeful and prayerful parents.

I just got off the phone with her night nurse, who said she's been having a good night. She just had an xray and will also get some blood work this morning. They will be checking to see if her xray has gotten any better, less hazy and to also check on a pneumothorax she has in her lungs. That is a pocket of air that she could possibly need removed via needle or chest tube, but I'm praying she just works that out on her own. Her blood work will be checking her billirubin level. She has been looking slightly jaundiced... so she might have to go under the lights... again, I pray that is not the case, but it is possible. We are also waiting for a blood gas to see how she's handling being off the bubble c-pap and on less support with the high flow oxygen.

We will likely get a new nurse today since the sweet nurse, Cassie, we've had the last couple of days is off. That's always an adjustment to learn someone else's ways and demeanor, especially when it comes to your baby! As you can tell, I can't sleep. I need more of it, but constantly wake up thinking and praying about Hampton.

As far as Dana the patient goes, I should get out today. I am feeling pretty good. Still sore from the c-section, but I will be just fine.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I was able to hold sweet Hampton twice yesterday. Trey snuggled with her as well! She is so beautiful and cuddly. That was definitely the best part of my day!!! I continue to pray she quickly overcomes her unexplained preemie lungs and gets to come home soon. Also, please pray that I get some patience with the doctor who has a different bedside manner than works for Trey and me. I know the true physician is the Lord and he will heal our little girl!

Sincerely,

Dana, Trey, Ford, Hayden and Hampton Hughey