Berklee is home

George Girls
First family picture 2/10/09
Sleeping Berklee

My three little ones

Berklee was released from the NICU Monday night and spent the night with us in the hospital. They discharged her yesterday and we were able to come home as a family of five. McKenna and Brock came to the hospital to get their baby sister. It was Brock's first time he had seen and met his little sister. Kenna can't get enough of her.

Her final diagnoses was Pneumothorax on her left lung, Pulmonary hypertension, Pneumonia was suspected, Physiologic jaundice, and persisting respiratory distress. She spent 13 day in the NICU, 12 in the critical level 3 nursery and 1 day in level 2.

She was real sick and is doing amazing now. Thank you for all your prayers and support. She still has a ways to go to get back her strength, but is closer everyday!

We love you all!

Berklee had a great day!

McKenna holding Berklee
Emily holding Berklee

Cannula and feeding tube

Dusty holding Berklee for the first time today!

Yesterday they took Berklee off the conventional ventilator, took out the tube in her throat, put her on a cannula and took out one of her lines in her belly. She looks great and sounds great now that she can cry. Emily has been able to hold her for the last couple of days and Dusty got to hold her today. It makes it feel real to us that she is here and we actually have her now.Today they took out the last tube in her belly button and put in an IV for her last doses of antibiotics which should be done by noon Thursday. She still has a ways to go but we hope that by Valentines day she will be home. Today Emily tried to nurse her for the first time. Berklee still has a feeding tube down her throat and needs to learn how to eat. They said it can take up to a week before she will start nursing. As soon as she was put on Emily chest, she feel asleep and all her oxygen level went up, heart rate and breathes per minute went down, which are all great.McKenna got to see Berklee for the first time today. She is so excited and cries each time we leave her at home. McKenna loves Berklee so much and loved touching and holding her. She wanted to take her home.

We want to say thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers for our family and especially for Berklee. We have felt the strength from all of them and they have carried us through. We know how blessed we are to have such great families and friends that love and support us.

Update on Berklee Ella George

Sweet Berklee
First time I got to kiss her, on her leg before I was discharged Sunday night

Berklee and all that hair. She has ear muff on to help with the sound.

Berklee does not have any heart problems. All her problems are with her lungs. She still thinks she is in the womb and hasn't closed all the holes in her lungs so she can breath oxygen and not liquid. The Doctors aren't sure if she has pneumonia or another type of infection, so they are treating her with meds. There is no surgery in her future and are grateful for that. This morning they moved her off the high frequency ventilator and put her on a conventional ventilator. She is doing well on the new ventilator.They are slowing decreasing her morphine and trying to keep her awake. When she is awake, she tries to pull her tubes out of her throat. The Doctor said this morning if she pulls her tubes out, she must really want them out and that he will leave them out. With the new machine, she is required to take 20 breaths per minute and she is taking 60bpm. We are happy with her progress. She is looking good. She is still on the boarder for a transfusion, but are hoping she will not need it. We are hoping she will be home in a couple of weeks. Thanks for all your prayers we know they are working.

Prayers for Berklee

Berklee Ella was born to Emily and Dusty George on January 29th in Medford, Oregon. She weighed 7 lbs. 12 oz, 21 inches long, and has lots of dark hair.
She had to be delivered C-section, but Emily is doing well. Unfortunately Berklee's heart valve has failed to shut, her blood is not being oxygenated, and she has pneumonia. Since she can't breathe on her own she is on a ventilator. As yet she has not had to have a transfusion (to replace all the blood they have drawn during testing) but it is a possibility, as is surgery if her heart valve doesn't shut in response to the medicine they gave her. She opened her eyes recently, but is otherwise not very alert. (Update: The medical staff is deliberately keeping her sedated and unstimulated because she pulls at her tubes when she is agitated.)
Shauna is flying out to be with the two older children so that Emily can spend time with Berklee in the hospital.
Prayers on her (and her family's) behalf would be greatly appreciated.