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Experiences

George and Mum

At week 18 of the pregnancy the ultrasound technician looked at us with a grim face, we knew there was more news than the fact that we were having a boy. She briefly explained that our son looked to have a condition called Gastroschisis, and that his intestines were on the outside of his body. Throughout my pregnancy doctors kept a close eye on the baby and we decided to induce Labour at week 38 because babies with this condition are at a higher risk for death in utero.

A sleeping George

Week 38, we finally had made it. After 20 hours of labour George came into this world. George was born with his intestines outside of his body slightly dilated, they wrapped him up and handed him to me. George was brought into the NICU at Oklahoma University Medical Centre, and they put his bowels in a silo. The next morning his intestines had all gone back into his body, so they did his repair surgery (to close the hole.)

 
George with Dad
George was on TPN, lipids, oxacillin (antibiotics), and fentanyl (pain meds) which was given through his central line. He had a tube in his mouth that went down into his stomach to remove the bile (green coloured fluid,) we had to wait for the colour to turn a clear colour before we could remove the tube and start feedings.


George (Michael Jordan) Dunseath
When we did start feedings, we started small and slowly working up to 30 Mls. After a few back and forth with him throwing up his pedialyte, we started breast milk. After three long weeks in the hospital little George finally got to go home. He is doing well and recovering like a champ...He is almost one year old and growing like a normal baby, even crawling and walking.