Now, fast forward a week and a half. I'm deep into scanning my negatives. Each strip takes about 5 minutes...which means each roll/envelope takes about 30 minutes. Let me tell ya, I haven't counted how many envelopes I have...I think I would possibly kill over instantly! But when I'm done I will post how many photos I scanned...the scanner counts them for me by assigning each image a number...I'm already into the 300's and haven't even got 6 months scanned!!!! It will be quite a hefty number...I usually average about 8,000-10,000 pics (if I take wedding pics it's higher). And tonight Brinley told me she needed a photo of her as a newborn baby...wa la! Just like that...scan & printed it out for her! Amazing! I'm hoping that I can get this all accomplished, 9 years worth of negatives, scanned & uploaded! ALL SAFE & SOUND! That is one of my New Year's Resolutions! Along with getting back into scrapping! I really miss it dearly!
So, yesterday was Chloe's 6th birthday!!!! Egads! Where does time go? I had the best intentions of scanning her "negatives" from when she was born. I did get them all scanned, but it was time for birthday party time, so I didn't get them posted. Time is always slipping away from me like that!
A little preface to her birth: Buck & I are RH incompatible. In between Jordan & Brinley I had a miscarriage. At that point in time I should of received a Rhogham shot (like I had after I delivered Jordan). I received the shots both while pregnant with Brinley & after her delivery. During my pregnancy though with Brinley, my OB noticed my antibody level rising. Here is an article I found to explain. When I had my first initial blood work done with Chloe's pregnancy my anti-body levels came thru already elevated. I went to a specialist in Billings, started having every other week ultrasounds... that later turned into having amnio's every week. It was so crazy! The antibody level was so high that at the end we were close to doing a blood transfusion while she was still inside me. But her level started to level out a bit. I received the shot to develop Chloe's lungs New Year's Eve & New Year's Day...she was then born Jan. 3rd. Chloe Madison Faye Shultz was 6lbs 9 oz, born one month early via c-section, and was 18" long.
Dr. Shomento allowed Buck to take photos of her birth. Amazing!
She came out screaming...which was music to our ears. We had prepared for much worse! Both her apgar scores were 9's!
In the nursery...
This is how the nurse measured her...
I picked her up from the nursery & took her to my room after I was out of recovery.
First bath:
All cleaned up & snug as a bug...
My parents were here to help with Jordan & Brinley (ages 7 & 5). After school was out (this was their first day back after Christmas break...just exactly like this year) my parents brought the girls up to meet their new little sister for the first time.
Buck picked this hat out for her & the nickname "Rosebud" was born. {Remember a couple years ago when she wanted to be called "Rose"...so funny coincidental!}
and one of my favorite pics taken by my mom...
The second day was Chloe's last of staying in my room at all. She was already on a bili blanket...the blue glow...aka glow bug. Chloe bug!
Every day after school they would come to visit! It would be 5 days later that they could hold her again. And not until her last day/hours before we left she would join me in my room.
We began intense light therapy for her jaundice. Her bilirubin level was 7.5 at the end of her first day. It was 15.4 by the end of her 2nd day. She was under an incubator light & the bili blanket.
I had to feed her in the nursery & she was in there 24 hours and not allowed to leave. At the end of her 3rd day her bilirubin was 23.5. The Dr.'s added another light and then another by morning. Her bilirubin was at 23.5. Her hematocrit was 29.8. The Dr.s ordered a blood transfusion. A State Patrol drove her blood thru a blizzard from Billings to Bozeman for her! ***one of the reminders of why it's so important to be a donor & donate blood***
Her first transfusion was thru the top of her head.
It worked and brought her bilirubin down to 15.9 and her hematocrit level up to 36.1.
And this photo just pulls at my heart...my Dad & Buck holding little Chloe's hands!
On day 8 she received a second blood transfusion. Her jaundice was better, still under all the light therapy, but the hematocrit level was low at 31.2. After the transfusion it was at 41.1. She was having issues breathing and was put on oxygen. My parents also went home. Buck's mom, aunt & brother made the trip up to take over the care for the older girls & see chloe & lend us support.
On day 9, the nurses allowed Jordan & Brinley to come into the nursery if they put on scrubs to visit their baby sister. There were no other babies in the nursery so they allowed this...otherwise they would of had to wait it out!
On the 10th day, the Dr. allowed us to take Chloe home if we felt comfortable with all her care. We had to be able to work her oxygen tanks (portable & at home) and feel 100% confident. It was a decision we didn't take lightly & pondered for hours that day.
We decided to go ahead & come home...
We finally took our little peach (from the jaundice-bilirubin levels) home...
and once we were home, the girls couldn't keep their eyes off her!
It's a good thing that little girl was a girl, has red hair, a bit stubborn & is a fighter!
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