Surgery Number 2 (On the VP Shunt) Complete!

Claire had to go back to surgery this past week. Part of her shunt was not functioning correctly due to pluggage from inside her brain. Once the pluggage was removed her soft spot on her head became concave again as it should be. She seems to be a happier baby again. Her head circumference had gone from 34 cm to 35.5 cm to 36.6 cm within a short window. By the time we were at the NOLA Children's hospital her head circumference measured 37 cm.

See JD and Ashley for new picture updates.

Gloria Gaynor Sings it Best

We are at home surviving quite well. The night before we left one of our nurses, Aimee, came up with this cute configuration.

From 10 11 10 Leaving NICU

We got home late Monday night. My parents came to NOLA NICU that day and hung out while all of the different doctors came by and assessed Claire. Overall very positive impressions from the doctoral staff that assessed Claire. We were able to finally leave at 6:00 PM from the NOLA NICU. My Mom and Dad and Ashley's Mom helped unload all of our stuff once we got home around midnight Monday night. Shortly after we unloaded, a storm came through and took out my car's windshield as well as did some minor body damage around the car. See here, as well as a fence that got knocked down.

Thanks again for everyone's prayers and thoughts. Ashley and I are deeply thankful for everyone's support.

Morning Has Broken...

... and Ashley is out. We just spent our room in at the NICU in NOLA and the girls did okay. Daria has some issues with using just the formula for food. She has no problem chowing down the breast milk though. Claire also did quite well. We hope that our meeting with all the doctors go well so that we can get home. I think that Claire has one more VCUG test today so hopefully all goes well there.

Right now mommy is knocked out. I slept from 2 AM to 5 AM. Ashley past the tourch at 5 AM.

Hope to see everyone soon.

-JD and Ashley

Evening Update

Right now I am sitting in the lobby at the NOLA NICU. Ashley is standing down the hall feeding Daria. After speaking with Claire's nurse this afternoon it looks like it is very probable that The Parden Family will be able to go HOME Monday afternoon. I also believe that another VCUG will be conducted and we will also have to meet with the different doctors that took care of Claire for discharge and path forward for her medical care. I think the plan is that we are going to room in at the NICU on Sunday night; however, the hospital will not allow Daria to go into the unit, so I will have to stay in the waiting room overnight while Ashley will go between Daria and Claire for feeding and CIC. I've been trained on the CIC method, so now it is just a matter of getting Ashley up to speed with the technique. I can't wait to get home. The timing may actually work out quite well as Monday is my last day of vacation.

Again thanks for everyone's prayers and support!

Surgery Update!

Claire's surgery this morning went very well. The neurosurgery team took Claire at about 9 AM and the procedure was completed by 11 AM. Claire has approximately 13 visible stitches on the back right side of her head as well as several stitches on her tummy. Claire looks well and the NOLA Children's hospital will have to keep her for several days to monitor for infection. Hopefully all will go well. Thanks again for everyone's support!

J. D. and Ashley

No news was good news...

Today Ashley and I met with neurology at New Orleans Children's Hospital. It was determined by the two attending doctors following Claire's case that she needs to have a VP shunt installed. Her procedure will be performed tomorrow morning at approximately 8:30 A. M. We are A bit nervous about the procedure; however, we do understand that this is a necessary procedure for Claire--we have been noticing some changes in her physical appearance as well as behavior. Her frontal fontanel shows signs of increased intra cranial pressure. Her eyes are also appearing to get a bit more lazy. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

In other news Daria Therese is doing very well. She is feeding, kicking, crying, and screaming just as she should. Ashley came up to NOLA yesterday and is staying with me at the RMH.

Best Regards,

J. D. and Ashley

No News is Good News?

Ashley and I were hoping on more definitive news on being able to go home Wednesday; however, the Neurologist, Dr. Greene, wants to do another ultrasound on Claire's head on Wednesday and then decide if we need to do a VP shunt on Thursday. If no shunt then we should be able to leave the hospital Thursday/Friday, if shunt then we will need to stay in the hospital another three to four days. All prayers have been greatly appreciated and we are continuing to update our JD & Ashley Album.

Hopefully will have better news in the next few days!

Been a While!

Hi All!

It has been quite a while since my last post. This is due to many reasons. At about 24 weeks gestation we were told that one of our twins had Lissencephaly. This was diagnosed by one of our maternal fetal doctors. I had a difficult time in dealing with the news and did alot of praying. I had come to learn how to cope with what was to come and my beautiful wife, Ashley, was instrumental in giving me the pathway to the spiritual fortitude that would be required of me. My wife is truly awesome and I am very thankful to have her.

A few weeks after we found out about our Claire with the Lissencephaly I broke my right femur... ...yay. That was an experience all on its own. I fell through the attic 9 feet to a concrete floor. The EMT group came set my leg and roughly 24 hours later I had a titanium rod installed in the middle of my right femur. I am able to hop around now without a crutch.

The biggest news is that Ashley delivered the twins on 9/22/2010. Both babies came out kicking and screaming. Claire Elizabeth Parden and Daria Therese Parden were born into the world at 2:05 P. M. and 2:06 P. M. respectively. Claire weighed 4 pounds 8 oz. and Daria weighed 5 pounds 3 oz. Claire has Spina Bifida, to be exact a Myelomeningocele on her lower vertebrae. She was flown out to Children's hospital in New Orleans, La for an emergency surgery. Claire's myelo had to be pushed in and sewed up because the membrane that was protruding had a small leak. Claire made it through the surgery very well. I stayed with Ashley while my mom and dad went to New Orleans to stay with Claire. Thanks mom and dad! I relieved my parents from the Ronald McDonald House on Canal Street and have been visiting Claire at the NICU everyday. Claire is so cute and is doing very well.

Right now we are waiting and seeing how Claire's Hydrocephalus develops. Right now there is is mild hydrocephalus. The hydro can either stay the same, get worse, or go away. If the hydro gets worse/stays the same we will most likely have to install a shunt to keep pressure off of her brain. Claire also had a VCUG. The test indicated that she is refluxing contrast into her right kidney. Pretty much we will have to stay intermittently consistent with catheterization and treat her with prophylactic mediation to avoid kidney/bladder infections. The neurologist believes that Claire will walk and have normal to below normal intelligence and could go to college one day. Her feedings are going exceedingly well. She is a hungry little rascal. Hopefully we will be able to go home next week; however, if we can't then we will most likely be able to return the week after next.

Please check out our picasaweb album JD and Ashley Parden. I have been posting pictures there and will continue to do so.