Keren, Our Wee Fighter!

Posted by Geraldine

At the beginning of this week in SCBU, we spoke with a geneticist from Belfast. She told us, quite plainly, that the prognosis was not good, and that babies with this condition didn’t usually leave hospital. We were slowly coming to realize the seriousness of wee Keren’s situation ourselves.

Even at this time, Keren seemed to be strengthening, and she was able to be taken off the ventilator (which was basically breathing for her) and she was managing to breath by herself, with only a small trickle of oxygen to make it a bit easier for her. She was also tolerating very small amounts of milk through her feeding tube…her first feed being only 1ml !

Wee Keren required a few sessions of phototherapy because she was a little jaundiced. Glenn says now, that he remembers it being almost comforting, to see her getting treatment that was more normal for newborns.

Phototherapy

So despite all her problems, Keren was doing very well, and staff were talking about her possibly getting transferred back to the Causeway Hospital children’s ward, which is only seven miles from home, as opposed to Antrim, which is thirty miles!

One day at a time

We still had to take one day at a time, and as each day passed, we were so thankful that she was still with us.

Keren met her Granny Owens within the next few days, and her Granny thought she was just beautiful! Her Granda Owens was unwell at that time, and so could not make the long journey. He has since gone to be with his Lord, “which is far better” (Philippians 1 v 23).

I remember thinking how great it was that Keren was with us long enough for family and friends to meet her.

More to follow!

January 16, 2008 | Filed Under Keren 

Comments

5 Responses to “Keren, Our Wee Fighter!”

  1. Joanna on January 21st, 2008 12:08 pm

    awwww…i only remember coming to see her in Coleraine! and then at the hospice! i will see you later - Joshua’s party!

  2. Glenn on January 21st, 2008 6:41 pm

    Well…I won’t be there, but Geraldine, Jed, and Kezia will be there, to keep you occupied!

  3. Glenn on January 21st, 2008 10:45 pm

    Joanna, I believe you were run off your feet, looking after Kezia! Where do they get their energy? LOL!

  4. Joanna on January 22nd, 2008 2:22 pm

    very funny!! it was killing me last nite!! u shud try it sometime but then again u r alot more fitter than me! i dont think i wud manage on the walks you do!

  5. ruth on February 6th, 2008 5:51 am

    though reading this has brought tears the memories are precious.

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