My dearest Audrey,Today (12:45am) as I sat in the glider feeding you your middle of the night bottle, I looked at your gorgeous little face and thought about what a beautiful impact you have had on my life in just 5 months. Five months does not seem like a long time when I think about how much you have been through in your life already and that I feel like you have always been a part of my life. (maybe you have always been a part of me, like a dream come true)
Although your entrance to the world was a scheduled one (C-Section Sunday September 3, 2006 8:ooam Markham Stoufville Hospital) nothing about your life since has been predictable (except for the too many to count Dr's appointments) A few minutes before you were born I told your Daddy that you were a boy. I was certain that you were. Now I think I was trying to not set myself up for disappointment should you not have been the beautiful little baby girl I had always dreamed of. When they pulled your tiny breech body from mine and your Daddy told me you were a girl I cried shocked tears of joy. I was certain that you were a boy. I felt so elated to have my baby girl. I felt complete.
Your first night was a restless one with you crying most of the night. The next morning we would find out why. You were taken into the special care nursery (the same little bed your brother was in) with an infection. We would later find out this was early onset of a strep B infection. You spent 6 days in special care under the watch of some wonderful nurses. Claire who was Max's nurse was also one of yours. There were many parallels between yours and brothers first few days. You were finally released on Saturday and we brought you home to a very excited big brother anticipating your arrival. He had flowers and a cake and the biggest smile on his face when he finally got to hold his baby sister for the first time. A moment forever in my memory.
Audrey, you fit right in a home and we found our groove as a new family of four. Daddy was making frequent trips to Edmonton for work but when you were only 6 weeks old, a trip was the worst timed ever. Grammie was visiting to help me with you and your brother. I went in to check on you in the middle of the night and you were so hot to the touch I actually had to pull my hand back. I grabbed the thermometer and your temperature spiked at degrees. I called telehealth and they told me to take you to the ER right away. I called and woke up Uncle Chris and asked him to come stay with Max.
Grammie and I rushed you over to Bowmanville and we were the only ones there. We were taken in instantly and I could tell by the nurses reaction that this wasn't something simple. Dr. , a soft spoken gentle woman said that they were going to take blood and she had called Oshawa and we needed to take you there right away. The next few hours were a blur of being admitted, blood work, chest x-rays and IV lines. You even endured a spinal tap which is more than anyone should have to go through. I could not reach Daddy in Edmonton for several hours as his cell phone was off. Needless to say he never had it shut off agin. We would later find out from our favourite doctor ever, Dr. Sean Godfrey that you had a late onset Strep B infection. The only reason you are here today is because of the quick action that was taken by the wonderful Dr's and nurses at Lakeridge Health. God bless them!
You and I spent 11 days in that small room in paediatrics in Oshawa. I left you only a handfull of times for a quick hour to go and take a shower, and this was only done under protest. I have never been so scared, you were so little and yet so strong and brave. I believe what you fought through those couple of weeks will play a role in who you are the rest of your life. My sweet angel you are a fighter and this will serve you well in life.
Since December you have been fighting another ailment - a hemangioma on your right eyelid. You have been on large doses (9 ml's) of prednisone to try and shrink it so it doesn't not impair your vision. We have been in a out of sick kids every few weeks and you have had an MRI which you were sedated for to give Dr. Pope (dermatology) and Dr. (opthamology) a clearer picture of the growth. Your cute puffy face has won many hearts. Again you are a fighter and I am amazed at your strength. The hemangioma is beginning to shrink and there is at this point no indicators to show any vision effects.
You are a little ray of sunshine in our family. I can't even remember life without you in it. You are a miracle and gift straight from God.
Happy 5 month birthday Bunny!
Mommy loves you.
