Melanie's Health Progress

We have had a series of doctor's appointments in the past week, which were topped off yesterday with a NICU follow-up at Cardinal Glennon.  (This poor girl has seen more doctor's than any little baby should have to.)  We saw several doctors, an occupational therapist, and a dietitian at this follow up.  I am so excited to be able to share EXCELLENT news.  All of Melanie's doctors are more than pleased with her progress.  She had four different heart issues leaving the NICU back at the end of April and now she has NONE.  Every single issue has resolved itself!!!  (This was my biggest fear going into these appointments.  And I can't explain in words how absolutely relived I am!  It's the one thing I couldn't tell if it was getting better by just looking at her.)  She had testing with an OT of her gross motor skills.  There will be no need at this time for any additional therapies.  In fact, she is beginning to catch up to her adjusted age.  Generally we were told it takes a premature baby that was born as early as she was and as little as she was up to 12-14 months to begin to start to catch up.  The doctors all seemed to be really excited about her motor skill development.  Here is the summary we were given:

"Demonstrates appropriate skills at chronological age.; Demonstrates appropriate skills at adjusted age."

Gross Motor Age: 5-6 months

Chronological Age: 6.25 months

Adjusted Age: 4.25 months

She is 14 lbs. 0.7 oz and 1' 11".  She is in the 12th percentile for weight and 8th percentile for height.  The only thing they were at all concerned about was her height.  They weren't happy with where she is on the charts.  They didn't like that her pediatrician took her off of the Neosure formula she was taking.  (Which is packed with calories.  Among all sorts of other beneficial vitamins and minerals.)  So, we are back on the Neosure.  They think it will help with her height issue.  However, I have a different recipe for making it so that it won't be so high in calories.  Anyone who has seen Mel lately will know that she definitely doesn't need extra calories. 

We were hoping that this would be her last visit...  However, we were told they didn't need to see us again in two months.  But, they are going to need to see us again next summer.  We will be seeing a few more doctors, another OT to check her gross motor, and a psychologist for Bayley testing.  Which is like IQ testing to check her cognitive skills.  She also goes back in two months for vision screening.

It may seem silly to others who have seen how well Melanie has been doing in the past few months, but Jarod and I still worry constantly about Mel.  It's hard to not worry after the first couple months we had with Melanie.  So yesterday was just such a sigh of relief!  I definitely got to the car and burst into happy tears.  Sometimes all of the things that we have been through as a family in the past six months just hit me all at once.  Yesterday was one of those days.  We are so incredibly blessed that everything has worked out so beautifully.  Melanie is the biggest blessing in our lives.  Jarod and I are so lucky to get to be her parents.

 

Immunizations at the pediatrician.

Poor girl ended up with a fever that evening...  And poor mommy and daddy were woken up more times than ever before that night.

At Cardinal Glennon for her NICU follow-up.  We saw so many people we were there all afternoon.  Of course, we had to be put in a room with a big yellow contamination sign on the door because of MRSA and each person who came in gowned and gloved.  So silly....  They certainly don't take these precautions at the pediatricians office.

Happy Little Lady