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

Hampton Update

I wish I could say Hampton was off, but it just hasn't happened yet. We just got back from seeing her in the NICU and it is so hard to leave her there. Mothers, I am sure you understand this, but leaving her after we've spent the last 9 months together is simply heart wrenching. I want to be stronger than I am and I leave no room for her just healing and getting better, but I wish with all of my being she and I could just cuddle, feed and cuddle some more.

I am going to use the blog tonight to make my prayers known to the Good Lord. First of all I just want to thank him for my amazing family and all he has done to heal Ford and Hayden and will do for my sweet little Hampton. I just pray that her recovery starts kicking into high gear and the fluid starts lifting from her lungs and she starts breathing like the doctors would like her to do. I pray that I get to hold her soon and tell her how proud I am of her for working so hard to get better. Lord knows, I never thought I would have to endure another child in the NICU, but I pray God gives me the strength be patient while Hampton is healed. I also pray for all of you and whatever you're going through tonight, because without the support of my amazing friends and family.... I would be mush, pure mush!

Hampton is beautiful, so beautiful! She has progressed to taking some feedings today and her xray looked better.
Thanks for your support,
Dana, Trey, Ford, Hayden and Hampton

Hampton's Not So Smooth Arrival

Well, our sweet little Hampton made her debut into the world.... with some complications. This is something I did not prepare for, nor did we expect. This has been an ideal pregnancy so I never imagined we would find ourselves back at the NICU at MCA Arlington.


Hampton Malone Hughey on Bubble C-Pap, poor darlin!
After the c-section, Hampton was working too hard to breathe and keep her oxygen levels so the nurses took her to the NICU while my amazing doctor finished my surgery. We were hoping and praying she would only spend a few hours in the NICU, but she continued to struggle breathing. That's when the neonatologist decided to put her on bubble c-pap to keep her little lungs inflated. He also ordered x-rays and blood gases to monitor her lung situation. At this point, Dr. Riley believes she has fluid on her lungs from taking a big gulp of amniotic fluid before or during labor. Normally during regular labor that gets squeezed out as the baby exits the birth canal, but this does not happen in c-sections so.... there can be complications... as in Hampton's case. Now, the Dr. tells us there could be other more serious reasons for her breathing issues, but we are all hopeful she is just having trouble breathing because of the fluid on her lungs making it difficult. I sound sane right now, but I have been boo-hooing all night.

I just hope and pray Hampton is as strong as Ford and Hayden. I have only seen her twice because of the c-section and having to recover myself which makes it hard on me emotionally! Trey has seen her several times and is so optimistic and faithful. I need more of him in me. I WORRY, WORRY, WORRY! She is such a big, beautiful baby that I never would have guessed the NICU would even enter into the picture. She came into this world weighing 7 pounds 14 ounces and 20 1/2 inches long.... so you'd think her lungs would be mature enough? Of course, I feel like this is my fault that I some how couldn't protect her longer so that this would not happen. We had the c-section at 38 weeks so I started to feel bad for wanting to have her now instead of at 40 weeks, but my doctor informed me yesterday that I had already dilated to a 3 so I was about to be in active labor.


Thank you so much for your prayers once again! Please keep her on your prayer list... we already love her so much and want her to have the same resolve and strength of her brothers, Ford and Hayden.

Love,
Dana, Trey, Ford, Hayden and Hampton