Jackson's incision appears to be clearing up, though slowly. Part of it is infected, but we're hoping that continued antibiotics will clean that up. Otherwise, he's doing well at this point. He is reguarly feeding out of a bottle and is gaining weight. After birth, his weight dropped as with many babies, but he also had to go a few days without food which increased his weight loss. Fortunately, he had some weight to lose and he's now back to 9 pounds 4 ounces. At this rate, they anticipate him to weight 50 pounds by October 13. (kidding)
Juliette is recovering well. She is walking around now with ease. By next Friday, she will be able to drive on her own which will make hospital visits easier. We have both spent the night at the hospital the past two nights (Friday and Saturday).
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Friday, September 22, 2006
Jackson Update 13
Good news: Jackson was discharged from the Critical Care Unit late in the night and taken to a normal recovery room. The doctors are encouraged by his recovery and he even ate from a bottle. We'll begin spending the nights with him to help with feeding as enough tubes have been removed for us to hold him now.
His incision is still red and swollen. Fortunately, the area around his incision has somewhat cleared, but the doctors are still wanting to see the redness leave his incision. He still doesn't have a fever which is a good sign. If his incision does clear up, he should be in good shape to come home in a couple of weeks.
His incision is still red and swollen. Fortunately, the area around his incision has somewhat cleared, but the doctors are still wanting to see the redness leave his incision. He still doesn't have a fever which is a good sign. If his incision does clear up, he should be in good shape to come home in a couple of weeks.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Jackson Update 12
Although Jackson is still in stable condition, we're a little disappointed with the news tonight. His incision is still red and swollen. They're concerned about it still being like this three days after surgery. Therefore, he'll end up staying in the hospital longer than originally planned. We don't know yet when he'll get out. This was the first setback (and disappointing news) after surgery: we're praying that his incision will clear up and that no infection will spread to his body. He doesn't have a fever, which is a good sign, and they're performing more tests to see if he might be getting sick.
They also tried to insert a new line today which was unsuccessful. They wanted to get a new catheter to his heart to help give him more antibiotics. They worked on him for about 5 hours total, so he's fairly bruised from all of the attempts. For now, they'll leave his old lines in to apply the antibiotics. But he is still doing well overall, which is a blessing. His heart is beating fine, his lungs are breathing well, and his other internal organs seem to be returning to normal.
Because he is stable, however, they are moving him out of the ICU. He'll be with other cardiac patients at Vanderbilt. Because he's not on 24/7 watch in his new room, Juliette and I will need to begin spending the nights in his room to help with feeding. Thus ends our nights of rest :) However, the most important thing is that he stays healthy and that no infections spread through his body.
They also tried to insert a new line today which was unsuccessful. They wanted to get a new catheter to his heart to help give him more antibiotics. They worked on him for about 5 hours total, so he's fairly bruised from all of the attempts. For now, they'll leave his old lines in to apply the antibiotics. But he is still doing well overall, which is a blessing. His heart is beating fine, his lungs are breathing well, and his other internal organs seem to be returning to normal.
Because he is stable, however, they are moving him out of the ICU. He'll be with other cardiac patients at Vanderbilt. Because he's not on 24/7 watch in his new room, Juliette and I will need to begin spending the nights in his room to help with feeding. Thus ends our nights of rest :) However, the most important thing is that he stays healthy and that no infections spread through his body.
Jackson Update 11: September 21
Jackson is still recovering well. They have removed a few more of his tubes and have discussed possibly moving him out of the ICU tomorrow. However, they are concerned that the chest area around his decision is quite red and hasn't responded well to any antibiotics yet. They'll continue to monitor that closely and have requested the surgeon come inspect it this afternoon. However, that is currently the only concern which is certainly better than what it could be. The doctors are optimistic by his recovery and how quickly he has come off of medicines (from 8 IV medicines yesterday to 3 today). As long as his incision clears up, he should continue recovering very well.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Jackson Update 10: September 20
Jackson is now improving very well. Today, they took him off of his ventilator and stopped giving him blood pressure medicine. Both of those changes are signs that his body is recovering well and getting back to its normal processes. They are slowly removing the various tubes and lines in his chest, arms, neck, and legs. Today, they removed one of the two large tubes coming out of his chest and a few of the other small lines. Incredibly, the doctors think the could be in a regular hospital room (not intensive care) sometime tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
A Week After Birth
It's been a week now since Jackson was born. This has been the most difficult week of both my life and Juliette's. In the midst of the fear and chaos, however, we've been absolutely amazed at the outpouring of support and love from people all around this country. As we begin to settle down for the recovery (still a long road ahead), we can start taking the time to thank all of you. I can not express how much your friendships have meant. We could not have made it through this past week without all of you around us.
To continue the good news, Jackson was taken off of the pacemaker this afternoon. Also, his kidneys are starting to function again (they shut themselves off during major surgery, thinking that the body has sustained a major injury). If he continues to progress at this rate, they may be able to take him off of the ventilator tomorrow.
Also, I'm able to share some pictures with you now. These were taken during the days between his two surgeries when he was most "tube and wire free."
To continue the good news, Jackson was taken off of the pacemaker this afternoon. Also, his kidneys are starting to function again (they shut themselves off during major surgery, thinking that the body has sustained a major injury). If he continues to progress at this rate, they may be able to take him off of the ventilator tomorrow.
Also, I'm able to share some pictures with you now. These were taken during the days between his two surgeries when he was most "tube and wire free."
Jackson Update 9: September 19
Well, praise the Lord, Jackson is doing well at the moment. He is responding just as the doctors expected at this stage after surgery. His heart has been running via an external pacemaker until his heart rhythm "re-synchs" itself. It appears that his heart is already doing this, so they may turn off the pacemaker today. His blood pressure is also a little low, but that typically happens about 12 hours after surgery so it was expected. Also, they were able to close his chest after surgery which is what we were hoping for.
He is actually looking pretty good too: better than I had expected. Although there are countless tubes and wires coming out of him, not to mention a very large scar running down his chest, his skin color is still normal and his eyes/face are not too swollen. He started to open his eyes a little bit today, but they'll make sure to keep him asleep so that he won't feel the pain from his surgery. Hopefully, today will be a relatively quiet day and he'll continue to recover.
He is actually looking pretty good too: better than I had expected. Although there are countless tubes and wires coming out of him, not to mention a very large scar running down his chest, his skin color is still normal and his eyes/face are not too swollen. He started to open his eyes a little bit today, but they'll make sure to keep him asleep so that he won't feel the pain from his surgery. Hopefully, today will be a relatively quiet day and he'll continue to recover.
Monday, September 18, 2006
Jackson Update 8: September 18
He's out of surgery! Jackson's surgery finished up after 6 hours and he is stable and recovering. The surgeons feel that the surgery went very well. They are watching a few of his coronary arteries in case they're too weak: that's a typical problem with these surgeries. They'll monitor Jackson closely for the next 12 hours as that's when most complications occur. However, he is certainly over the biggest hurdle and we're incredible relieved after this long day. The strong hand of God guided this day and we're so thankful for all the support we've received. We want to thank all of you for helping us through this time and praying for this boy. We'll keep you up to date over the next several days as Jackson recovers. Assuming everything goes well, he'll hopefully get to come home in 2 weeks. It will be a great day.
Jackson Update 7: September 18
Jackson has 30 minutes left on the bypass machine which runs his heart and lungs (as they stop his heart during this surgery). He is still in good condition. After this portion has completed, they will determine whether to seal his chest or leave it open while swelling and fluids around the heart subside (could be open a few days).
Jackson Update 6: September 18
As of 5:00 PM, the doctors had begun the bypass and were ready to begin the arterial switch. Jackson is doing fine.
Jackson Update 5: September 18
The doctors told us this afternoon that Jackson appears to be clear of any virus/infection. That is wonderful news as it keeps him in good condition for surgery. His fever has dropped and they believe it may have been high because he has begun to cry a lot (apparently, his old man was the same way as a baby).
Because they believe he's in good condition, the doctors decided to perform surgery on Jackson this afternoon. We just received a call that they made the incision 15 minutes ago (4:01 PM). The surgery takes around 5 hours so it will be a long time before he's out. Fortunately, the nurses call us each 1.5 hours with updates. Thus far, he's doing fine which is wonderful. We're so thankful that he was healthy going into this surgery. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I will provide updates on this page as the surgery/recovery progresses.
Because they believe he's in good condition, the doctors decided to perform surgery on Jackson this afternoon. We just received a call that they made the incision 15 minutes ago (4:01 PM). The surgery takes around 5 hours so it will be a long time before he's out. Fortunately, the nurses call us each 1.5 hours with updates. Thus far, he's doing fine which is wonderful. We're so thankful that he was healthy going into this surgery. Thank you all for your support and prayers. I will provide updates on this page as the surgery/recovery progresses.
Jackson Update 4: September 18
Jackson's temperature is down this morning. He had reached 100.7 at 8:00 last night which had been the highest up until that point, implying he might be getting sicker. However, at 9:00 this morning he measured at 98.9. This is hopefully a sign that his fever is gone and there was real infection. We are still awaiting results on his cultures to determine whether or not he does have a virus/infection.
The doctors will not decide whether to perform surgery until this afternoon. Once they have gathered, they'll discuss Jackson's progress over the past few days, look at his latest cultures, and decide whether to continue or postpone the surgery. While we hope he is able to have surgery today, the most important thing is that he's in the best shape possible whenever he does undergo this surgery.
The doctors will not decide whether to perform surgery until this afternoon. Once they have gathered, they'll discuss Jackson's progress over the past few days, look at his latest cultures, and decide whether to continue or postpone the surgery. While we hope he is able to have surgery today, the most important thing is that he's in the best shape possible whenever he does undergo this surgery.
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Jackson Update 3: September 17
While he is still in stable condition, Jackson has been running a fever for the past 24 hours. They are currently running lab tests to determine the source of this fever. If it turns out that Jackson has an infection, this would prevent him from having surgery tomorrow. Though this would be terribly disappointing news, it is extremely important that Jackson is in top condition when he goes into surgery. Surgery with pre-existing infection could be fatal.
If Jackson does have an infection, it will be difficult to know what the source was. While it's possible it came from someone, that has mostly been ruled out because his RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) test came back negative. That would have been the most likely candidate for a human-induced virus. It's very possible that Jackson may have contracted an infection from all of the tubes, needles, and plastic lines that he's had in his body this past week. That puts a lot of stress on the human body, particuarly for a baby. Once we receive the results from his blood culture, we'll know whether he has an infection and, consequently, whether he will have surgery tomorrow.
Also, I will have some pictures of him soon. I've hesitated to share any thus far because the site of a baby with tubes and IVs can easily scare people (I was fortunate to have visited the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit a few years ago where Juliette worked). However, he's had his tubes out for a few days so I'll get some pictures out in the next day or two.
If Jackson does have an infection, it will be difficult to know what the source was. While it's possible it came from someone, that has mostly been ruled out because his RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) test came back negative. That would have been the most likely candidate for a human-induced virus. It's very possible that Jackson may have contracted an infection from all of the tubes, needles, and plastic lines that he's had in his body this past week. That puts a lot of stress on the human body, particuarly for a baby. Once we receive the results from his blood culture, we'll know whether he has an infection and, consequently, whether he will have surgery tomorrow.
Also, I will have some pictures of him soon. I've hesitated to share any thus far because the site of a baby with tubes and IVs can easily scare people (I was fortunate to have visited the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit a few years ago where Juliette worked). However, he's had his tubes out for a few days so I'll get some pictures out in the next day or two.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Jackson Update 2: September 16
First of all, on behalf of Juliette and myself, I want to thank all of you for the overwhelming response of care and generosity you have made. We have truly been amazed at the outpouring of compassion from all of you. As I am constantly traveling back and forth between hospitals and doctors, I haven't yet had time to respond to your e-mails, but please know that they are greatly appreciated.
Juliette is doing better. It's been difficult on her because she hasn't been able to see Jackson since he left Centennial Hospital a few hours after birth. However, she left Centennial just this afternoon and has gotten to see Jackson for the first time, which is a blessing. She's still in a bit of pain, and moves around in a wheelchair, but she should be recovering well by this weekend.
Jackson is stable and is off of life support. He will undergo an arterial switch operation on Monday afternoon. During this type of open-heart surgery, the surgeons will switch his aorta and pulmonary artery that are currently in the wrong places. They will also rearrange his coronary arteries and patch two holes that he has inside his heart chambers.
Because he needs to be in the best physical condition for this surgery, he underwent another surgery last night. His heart was not getting oxygen into his blood on its own. Thus, they were giving him medicine that helped to do this, but the medicine was also causing fluid to collect in his lungs which could negatively impact his arterial switch. Therefore, the doctors perform a surgery known as a balloon septostomy (information here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_septostomy). Using a catheter inserted into his leg, they popped a hole in the upper chamber of his heart which helps his heart to mix oxygen into the blood his body needs. As any surgery, particularly those affecting the heart, carries fatal risks, it was a scary time. However, we are thankful to say that the procedure was successful and he is doing great. He is now off of life-support, doesn't have to take any medicines to help him (and which had the negative side effects), and is breathing on his own. This was a temporary solution which will get him in better shape for his more critical surgery on Monday.
This weekend will be a time of rest for us as Jackson prepares physically for Monday, and Juliette and I prepare emotionally. However, it is a wonderful relief to have everyone stable and in the same hospital. Though the doctors might even decide to move Jackson out of intensive care (since he's doing better on his own), we still have to keep him somewhat quarantined before the surgery and for about 6 weeks afterwards (but some of that will be at home). I believe that some of you have asked about visitation. While we want to see each of you and thank you for your kindness, we've been informed by Jackson's surgeons that we must minimize interactions until the surgery. Even a small case of the common cold or allergies in us could be catastrophic to Jackson's system. However, we would love to have visitors after the surgery, so hopefully starting next Tuesday (if his surgery is performed on Monday as planned) we can visit with you, although Jackson must remain in isolation.
Thank you all again for your caring response, your thoughts, and your prayers. Though he has a long road ahead of him, Jackson has already survived some extremely difficult circumstances and should be in the best shape possible for his surgery next week. We appreciate all you've done and hope to send good news early next week.
This weekend will be a time of rest for us as Jackson prepares physically for Monday, and Juliette and I prepare emotionally. However, it is a wonderful relief to have everyone stable and in the same hospital. Though the doctors might even decide to move Jackson out of intensive care (since he's doing better on his own), we still have to keep him somewhat quarantined before the surgery and for about 6 weeks afterwards (but some of that will be at home). I believe that some of you have asked about visitation. While we want to see each of you and thank you for your kindness, we've been informed by Jackson's surgeons that we must minimize interactions until the surgery. Even a small case of the common cold or allergies in us could be catastrophic to Jackson's system. However, we would love to have visitors after the surgery, so hopefully starting next Tuesday (if his surgery is performed on Monday as planned) we can visit with you, although Jackson must remain in isolation.
Thank you all again for your caring response, your thoughts, and your prayers. Though he has a long road ahead of him, Jackson has already survived some extremely difficult circumstances and should be in the best shape possible for his surgery next week. We appreciate all you've done and hope to send good news early next week.
J.R.
Juliette is doing better. It's been difficult on her because she hasn't been able to see Jackson since he left Centennial Hospital a few hours after birth. However, she left Centennial just this afternoon and has gotten to see Jackson for the first time, which is a blessing. She's still in a bit of pain, and moves around in a wheelchair, but she should be recovering well by this weekend.
Jackson is stable and is off of life support. He will undergo an arterial switch operation on Monday afternoon. During this type of open-heart surgery, the surgeons will switch his aorta and pulmonary artery that are currently in the wrong places. They will also rearrange his coronary arteries and patch two holes that he has inside his heart chambers.
Because he needs to be in the best physical condition for this surgery, he underwent another surgery last night. His heart was not getting oxygen into his blood on its own. Thus, they were giving him medicine that helped to do this, but the medicine was also causing fluid to collect in his lungs which could negatively impact his arterial switch. Therefore, the doctors perform a surgery known as a balloon septostomy (information here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balloon_septostomy). Using a catheter inserted into his leg, they popped a hole in the upper chamber of his heart which helps his heart to mix oxygen into the blood his body needs. As any surgery, particularly those affecting the heart, carries fatal risks, it was a scary time. However, we are thankful to say that the procedure was successful and he is doing great. He is now off of life-support, doesn't have to take any medicines to help him (and which had the negative side effects), and is breathing on his own. This was a temporary solution which will get him in better shape for his more critical surgery on Monday.
This weekend will be a time of rest for us as Jackson prepares physically for Monday, and Juliette and I prepare emotionally. However, it is a wonderful relief to have everyone stable and in the same hospital. Though the doctors might even decide to move Jackson out of intensive care (since he's doing better on his own), we still have to keep him somewhat quarantined before the surgery and for about 6 weeks afterwards (but some of that will be at home). I believe that some of you have asked about visitation. While we want to see each of you and thank you for your kindness, we've been informed by Jackson's surgeons that we must minimize interactions until the surgery. Even a small case of the common cold or allergies in us could be catastrophic to Jackson's system. However, we would love to have visitors after the surgery, so hopefully starting next Tuesday (if his surgery is performed on Monday as planned) we can visit with you, although Jackson must remain in isolation.
Thank you all again for your caring response, your thoughts, and your prayers. Though he has a long road ahead of him, Jackson has already survived some extremely difficult circumstances and should be in the best shape possible for his surgery next week. We appreciate all you've done and hope to send good news early next week.
This weekend will be a time of rest for us as Jackson prepares physically for Monday, and Juliette and I prepare emotionally. However, it is a wonderful relief to have everyone stable and in the same hospital. Though the doctors might even decide to move Jackson out of intensive care (since he's doing better on his own), we still have to keep him somewhat quarantined before the surgery and for about 6 weeks afterwards (but some of that will be at home). I believe that some of you have asked about visitation. While we want to see each of you and thank you for your kindness, we've been informed by Jackson's surgeons that we must minimize interactions until the surgery. Even a small case of the common cold or allergies in us could be catastrophic to Jackson's system. However, we would love to have visitors after the surgery, so hopefully starting next Tuesday (if his surgery is performed on Monday as planned) we can visit with you, although Jackson must remain in isolation.
Thank you all again for your caring response, your thoughts, and your prayers. Though he has a long road ahead of him, Jackson has already survived some extremely difficult circumstances and should be in the best shape possible for his surgery next week. We appreciate all you've done and hope to send good news early next week.
J.R.
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Jackson Update 1: His First Day
Hello Friends and Family,
I wanted to let you all know that Jackson Fisher Allen was born on September 12 at 7:05 PM. He weighed 9.5 pounds and measured at 22.5 inches: quite a big fellow. Juliette was a real trooper and, after three hours of trying to push that big baby out, she decided to have a C-Section instead. She is now recovering from the operation and should released from Centenial Hospital late this week.
Jackson, however, is not doing well. He suffers from a congenital heart defect known as Transposition of the Great Arteries: a situation in which the aorta and pulmonary artery in his heart are reversed (there's more information at this website if you're interested - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11074). He also has a hole in his heart between the left and right ventricles. Transposition of the Great Arteries is typically not discovered in ultrasounds so we didn't know there would be problems until he quickly feel into bad shape during the emergent C-Section and had serious problems right after delivery. After being diagnosed, Jackson was transported to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital where he is now in stable condition and will remain for at least a few weeks.
If these are the only problems he has, Jackson will undergo arterial switch operation, sometime within the next week, in which surgeons will switch the pulmonary artery and the aorta. However, the doctors are waiting to perform another echocardiogram because there is the possibility that he has a weak pulmonary artery, in which case they don't yet have a solution. Please keep this little boy in your prayers as he has a very difficult few weeks ahead of him. Fortunately, he is a big strong baby and can pull through this. We will keep you all updated as the doctors learn more.
I wanted to let you all know that Jackson Fisher Allen was born on September 12 at 7:05 PM. He weighed 9.5 pounds and measured at 22.5 inches: quite a big fellow. Juliette was a real trooper and, after three hours of trying to push that big baby out, she decided to have a C-Section instead. She is now recovering from the operation and should released from Centenial Hospital late this week.
Jackson, however, is not doing well. He suffers from a congenital heart defect known as Transposition of the Great Arteries: a situation in which the aorta and pulmonary artery in his heart are reversed (there's more information at this website if you're interested - http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11074). He also has a hole in his heart between the left and right ventricles. Transposition of the Great Arteries is typically not discovered in ultrasounds so we didn't know there would be problems until he quickly feel into bad shape during the emergent C-Section and had serious problems right after delivery. After being diagnosed, Jackson was transported to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital where he is now in stable condition and will remain for at least a few weeks.
If these are the only problems he has, Jackson will undergo arterial switch operation, sometime within the next week, in which surgeons will switch the pulmonary artery and the aorta. However, the doctors are waiting to perform another echocardiogram because there is the possibility that he has a weak pulmonary artery, in which case they don't yet have a solution. Please keep this little boy in your prayers as he has a very difficult few weeks ahead of him. Fortunately, he is a big strong baby and can pull through this. We will keep you all updated as the doctors learn more.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
It's a Little Man!!
The ultrasound on Tuesday, April 25, revealed a healthy boy. And he's grown quite a bit since the last time we saw him! While I'm sure he wouldn't want us to post any of the "proof of gender" pictures, he did show off his biceps a little bit, which made for some good photos.
Amazingly, we were able to see everything about him: his arms, legs, bones, fingers, toes, heart, eyes, everything. And they all looked just great. God is good, the little man appears perfectly healthy, and now we begin the name game...
Amazingly, we were able to see everything about him: his arms, legs, bones, fingers, toes, heart, eyes, everything. And they all looked just great. God is good, the little man appears perfectly healthy, and now we begin the name game...
Friday, February 03, 2006
Our Child's First Pictures
Monday, September 26, 2005
Contract On Our First House
We signed a contract on our first home today! If everything goes as planned, we'll close on the house on Friday, October 14 and our new address will be:
410 Eatherly Drive
Nashville, TN 37220
Here are some pictures of the house:
The Front Yard
The Dining Room
The Kitchen
410 Eatherly Drive
Nashville, TN 37220
Here are some pictures of the house:
The Front Yard
The Dining Room
The Kitchen
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Back in Nashville
Well, we're already here! We originally planned to drive part of the way from Austin to Nashville on Friday and then stop for the night. However, with more than 3 million evacuess having left Houston to escape the hurricane, there was not a single hotel room available all the way from Austin to Memphis! So, we drank some Monster energy drinks, and some Cokes, and kept on moving all night long. It's not time for a nap...
Friday, September 23, 2005
Heading Back to Tennessee
Juliette and I are driving back to Tennessee today. I've accepted a job with HCA as a Senior Business Analyst in their Product Development group. I'll start work on Thursday, September 29 so, until then, we're going to look for a house in Nashville. We're leaving to day in hopes of beating Hurricane Rita which is threatening eatern Texas.
HCA sent a moving company to pack everything for us, so that was taken care of yesterday. We've gotten to spend the past week hanging out and saying goodbye to all of our friends here. It's been a wonderful 4 years, and Austin in a great city, but Nashville calls us home as we start planning for a family of our own.
HCA sent a moving company to pack everything for us, so that was taken care of yesterday. We've gotten to spend the past week hanging out and saying goodbye to all of our friends here. It's been a wonderful 4 years, and Austin in a great city, but Nashville calls us home as we start planning for a family of our own.
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