Feb 23rd

I want to thank you so much for all your wonderful prayers and emails... I am so sorry to those whom I still have not personally replied or called back. My emails are down to 77 instead of 188 but I still have a few messages on my home phone and cell phone but I will do my best to get back to each and everyone of you. I am so grateful for you and all your support.

My hubby has been such a rock and I love him more every day for his love and strength. Thank you to Amy & Kurt Varricchio and Kelly & Jonathan Petke for painting Kyana's room and moving her in... Taylor is next and then is Amber, thank you for being here last Friday and taking care of this for me. Thank you to Sherry Toole, Toni Long, and Charlie Thivierge for picking up and dropping off Kyana. Thank you to Kim Verhoef for taking care of Taylor as I run late from visiting Amber to pick her up from Preschool. A huge thank you to my mom who has driven me, feed me (and the room helpers), put up with me and done everything that needs to be done at home. And of course to all of you whom have called, emailed, offered to help, and prayed for us... thank you, thank you, thank you.

I can't tell you all the technical or "medical" terms, I get a little mixed up but I know the bottom line so I am ok. She is doing so much better. She needs help with feeding, I guess babies learn to suck and swallow during the last month of pregnancy and since she didn't have that she is need of that. So, she is feed through a tube that goes in her nose and to her stomach. She is off all extra medications, she is breathing on her own, and drinking breastmilk. She is currently 4 lbs 11 oz but they want her to gain weight so they are going to add a powder/calorie supplement to my milk. They are having development team help her with the sucking and swallowing so she can take a bottle. Her PDA which an opening in the heart that all babies have from the connection to mom that closes within three days of birth has finally closed on Amber (13 days later). This was one of the things they were thinking of going in to close surgically. Her billyrubin (jaundice) has gone up and down, which makes her be under lights to help it go down. It was down yesterday and it was slightly up today, however, they feel it's on the rebound from being high. They expect for it to bounce up and down but finally settling down low, they will continue to monitor that. She is on Lasix to help with the excess fluids but instead of having it hooked on her in an IV, it's now being given twice a day orally (tube in nose). This is something that she will go home with until the surgery to repair her heart is done.

It was a good day :-) Thanks to God, to you, the doctors and nurses taking care and watching over her physically or through prayer... thank you.

Love,
The Brubakers

February 15, 2009

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are doing well and you had a Happy Valentine's Day. Some of you might know while others might not yet know so I am writing to give you all an update.

On Tuesday, February 10th at 1:00pm, I had a doctor's appointment for Amber's Growth & Development. The Doctor found fluid in her head, lungs, hearts, etc (they said in her cavities). This is associated with heart failure so they immediately discussed where I should go for an emergency C-section. At 4:00pm I was admitted into Mission Hospital and at 6:00pm I was scheduled for a c-section. Amber was born at 6:50pm, 6 lbs 7 oz, 18 inches long and was immediately taken to NICU on the 5th floor. I was not able to meet Amber until 4:00pm the next day (long story) and she was transferred to CHOC in Orange at 5:00pm on that day, Wednesday 02/11.

What is going on with her... in terms that I understand, she still has the 3 chambers and needs the operation but one of her tri-cusped valve is not close together so blood comes in but it doesn't stop because the valve doesn't shut. It is believed that this could have cause the excess fluid but so could the current heart condition. They were thinking there was an infection, virus or bacteria but all tests have come back with no indication of that. Again, there are many things going on that they are taking care of such as her breathing, blood count, stool, jaundice, kidneys, and of course the heart. They are doing everything possible to medicate, monitor and take of medications as they go every day.

She is currently 4 lbs 5 oz, doing well and down to three tubes from the seven she had when she was born. They are unsure of heart surgery right away still waiting for more test and seeing how she continues to grow. She is peeing a lot with helps with the fluid in her body and the weight lost.

I want to thank everyone who came by the hospital: from Michelle H. who met me there while Kurt got there from work, to Amy V. who made me laugh while I heard the babies cry in the rooms next to me and got into fights with the nurses there (another long story). Wetzel who not only visited me at Mission but kept Kurt company at Orange with Amber. Of course everyone who came by to show support... if I forget anyone remember Vicodin... Gary, Maria, Paul, Jill, Zach, Molly, Jeff, Kim V., Janet, Kelly, Charlie, Kim B., and Melanie who finally took me to see Amber without a nurse and we got in trouble because I still had my IV and needed a nurse. To everyone who called my cell or the hospital and to Sherry, Toni, Charlie, & Michelle H., for taking care of my girls to and from school.

I've had several people talk to me about helping or getting meals started and again I truly appreciate the thought. My mom is here with me for now so I am good with meals for now. You are all welcome to call, email or stop by when ever. Just remember c-section and breast feeding (pumping) every 3 hours. Also, I have three rooms to set up and get ready while Amber is still in the hospital... it involves painting... anyone?? Thank you to the LCC Moms: Kim, Sandy, Nona, Kathy, Tara, Caroline & Susie for the Baby's R Us gift card, we bought Amber's Alphabet Soup bedding last night (that was our romantic Valentine's Day outing) I've realized there are lots of groups in my life so I've made some people responsible for each and you can talk amongst each other to set anything up :-)

Neighbor and really good friend - Michelle Hoferitza <mhoferitza@cox.net>

Best friends & Long Beach group - Melanie Pascual <islndgrl_8@yahoo.com> and Maria Perez <mmperez@lbschools.net>

Kindergarten Moms - Kelly Petke <kellypetke@gmail.com> and Amy Varricchio <kvarricchio@cox.net> or <amvarricchio@capousd.org>

Preschool Moms - Kim Verhoef <KVerhoef@aol.com> and Sandy Mazzarini <LMazzarini@sbcglobal.net>

MOPS from Aliso Viejo - Jacqui Hoban <jghoban@hotmail.com> or Ana Tapia <freddytapia@sbcglobal.net>

Moms Club in Rancho Santa Margarita - Leslie Sweet <lesliesweet@cox.net> or <lesliesweet@att.net> and Hilda Lenski <mglenski@cox.net>

Please continue to pray for us and mainly for Amber... her heart, feeding, kidneys, overall health and home coming soon.

Thanks you so much... love you,
Jessie, Kurt, Kyana, Taylor and Amber Brubaker