Our Christmas Miracle

There's much said about how great it was growing up in the fifties and sixties, and it was. But, there is much to be said about our modern technologies that are allowing babies to live today that wouldn't have survived fifty or sixty years ago.

Marlie was born on December 18th as planned. Her father isn't very steady on his feet in an operating room so my daughter asked me to be there with her during her surgery, just as I had been during the last one, when Michael was born. We had set our alarm clocks for 4 am and headed to Arrowhead Hospital at 5. I was dressed in the blue paper booties with the lovely matching bonnet by 7:30 and entered the operating room after Shanon had been prepped and drapped.

Her OB is a tall and handsome man with a wonderful sense of humor. While he was working behind the drape, he was chatting up a storm. He's a SNL fan, as is Shanon, so even though he had her belly cut open from hip to hip, she still laughed at his jokes. I learned that he loves the Rolling Stones and The Doors and I also learned, unexpectedly, the middle name for Marlie. He was trying to pull her out as the nurse was pushing down on Shanon's upper belly and he said, "Come on Marlie Elizabeth. It's time." "Marlie Elizabeth?" I asked and he said..."Ooops. Did I let the cat out of the bag?" He did, but it was perfectly timed because just then he lifted her up and held her so that Shanon could see her baby girl. I said immediately that she looks just like her brother. Shanon and Danny make beautiful babies. She was 8 pounds, born on the 18th at 8 am.

When we were all cleaned up and back in the family room Shanon was able to nurse, which she wasn't able to do with her first. Michael had been taken right away to the neo-natal ICU because he had a problem that I can't spell. Pneumo-thorax? He had to wait a week to nurse but he got the hang of it and Marlie did too.

Monday afternoon Marlie Elizabeth met her other grandparents and her big brother,Michael. He didn't seem to be all that impressed with the bundle of joy we were all goo-goo over. He just wanted to sit in my lap and play. He's three and a half now so we didn't expect much more than that.

Tuesday the nurse came in to tell Shanon that the baby had a heart murmer. We didn't worry too much about that because Shanon had one when she was growing up and it never caused a problem. But, the nurse seemed concerned. Overly concerned. Marlie continued to nurse that day but by Wednesday it was obvious she had a problem.

I got the call from Shanon at 11 pm Wednesday. She was sobbing. Marlie was in trouble. A helicopter was flying her to another hospital, St. Joseph's. She had a very serious and life threatening heart defect. Her aorta was closing up causing her lower body and organs to be starved for blood. The blood was backing up into her heart and lungs. This condition also has a name but I don't remember it...all I remember is flying down the freeway to St. Josephs Hospital in Phoenix. Shanon and Danny arrived a few minutes after I did and they looked like you would expect, red and swollen eyes, Shanon moving slowly because of her recent surgery and Danny right by her side. It was heartbreaking.

My mother taught me to be a positive thinker. "Think the best and the best will be." That can sometimes sound the same as being in denial or wearing rose colored glasses but you see I had an edge. I had seen Marlie in a 'reading' and she was grown and tall and beautiful so I knew this would be fine...but....

Marlie was kept in the NICU Wednesday night and Thursday night. They put in all kinds of tubes and wires. She had one in her head, one in her chest, several in her belly button, one or two in her hands and feet. She was on several medications to keep the other artery open until they could operate. Poor little thing was breathing fast and hard. The doctors decided to cut her open on her back to reach the artery. They explained that they would cut out the part that was narrowing and then sew the two ends together. The surgery was scheduled for Friday afternoon. We made calls to all of our friends and family to ask for their prayers. Shanon and Danny have many friends in Anthem, their new neighborhood. The young mothers walk together, share recipies, go to each others parties and so Thursday night at 10, we all prayed together. Seven of us sat in a circle and held hands around the candles and sent our love to Baby Marlie Elizabeth. Shanon had requested her aunties, cousins and friends in California get together at noon on Friday to do the same.

Michael stayed with his grandfather on Friday so that I could be with Shanon. I'm a very strong woman when there is a situation or an emergency. I'm a rock. I'm steady and firm in my faith. I'm the one you want when there is serious work to be done. But, when I turned the corner and entered the NICU, there was a Santa Clause standing over one of the babies, a two pounder. He was the most authentic Santa I've ever seen. His full, white beard was real. His red suit was made by elves, I'm quite certain. His head was bent over this tiny baby while a photographer snapped a picture. This Santa is a nurse in his other life, but every year, for many years now, he grows out his beard, brushes up his bushy eyebrows and walks the halls of the NICU and PICU for all the children who can't be home, just as his father before him did. The sight of this particular Santa, standing over that tiny baby, as if he was praying, caught me off guard. I lost it. That was the moment The Rock became The Puddle. It's funny the things that will set you off. The good news is it's different for Shanon and I. What sets her off doesn't affect me and what sends me off....she's tough.

After Santa left and all the punch and cookies had been replenished the nurse came in and told us it was time. She covered Marlie with a big plastic dome and put all her machines and monitors on top. Her IVs rolled right along with us as we left the NICU and took the elevator to the OR. Shanon marked an X on Marlie's left side as requested by the surgical nurse and off they went.

Shanon and I sat together in the family room and waited. The surgery itself doesn't take more than an hour or so but the prep work takes some time. They had to lower her tempurature to 32 C. among other things. It's a long two hours...the longest two hours.

The surgery was successful and Marlie was sent to PICU, (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit). A team of doctors and nurses stood around her clear plastic bed all working to set her up for recovery. They spoke in hushed whispers and each of them had a job to do. They worked in perfect, synchronistic movements. It seemed to me that they added a few tubes, wires and machines but it also seemed that little Marlie Elizabeth was breathing was a little better.

Her tempurature was raised very slowly and she slept for a few days. Her other complication was turning her very yellow, almost orange. Poor thing. I've taken pictures but I don't think I'll post them quite yet. She slept Friday, Saturday and Sunday. She was unable to be fed other than with an IV. We spent Christmas Eve eating cold cuts and opening a few presents at Danny's parents house. Christmas morning we tried to keep as normal as possible for Michael. I cooked breakfast and stayed home while everyone went to the hospital. Michael and I had a great time with all of his new toys, computer, cars, bike, train set, and Power Rangers. I cooked up a ham and yams for our Christmas dinner. Everyone slept in their own beds that night. I slept on the couch.

Between Danny, his parents, Shanon and I, we split shifts of visiting with Marlie and taking care of Michael. Oh, yeah,...I forgot to mention. Michael got sick and was taken to the doctor on Thursday. He has been on anti-biotics once before and wouldn't you know, he needed them again, the night before Marlie's surgery. He has a sinus infection. So, my schedule has been very crazy. I have Michael half of the time. I'm keeping the house clean doing laundry, cooking, driving the hour to and from the hospital, twice today, and trying to stay healthy myself. Poor Maggie, the dog, has been neglected. She has a big yard here but no walks except for one on Christmas Day and no dog park either. She'll be glad to get home.

It's four a.m. Shanon is sleeping in the hospital tonight so she can start nursing. She's been pumping her breasts for a week and has stocked up on a gallon or two of breast milk. She's my Dairy Queen! Marlie has been getting breast milk through her feeding tube for a couple of days now. They started her on two CC's an hour. That's no more than half an eye dropper full. They increased it one CC every six hours. She's done so well that tonight she gets her mommy's breast, as God intended. Danny worked yesterday and sleeps at the Ronald McDonald House near the hospital. They've had a room there since all of this started. Michael is asleep but just called out to me, "Grandma?"

The worst is over. Shanon and Danny have to take an infant CPR class in the morning and have Marlie's car seat checked to make sure her condition won't be compromised by an ill-fitting seat.
If the day go well, we may have our baby home on December 28th. That was her original due date and the date of my father's birthday.

I'm going back to bed now. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. The New Year should be splendid.



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