Our Sweet "Heart": My New Companion

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

My New Companion

This is my new buddy.

We spend a lot of time together. We make a pretty good team and can be really productive.

I just wish my new friend didn't want to hang out in the middle of the night.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

6 comments:

Zach 'n' JackOctober 28, 2009 at 1:58 PM
lol, well at least you have a constant companion who is there in your time of need ;-) I love that your humor is still going strong during all this - I love you Alissa!!
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HeatherOctober 28, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Oh that brings back so many memories. Good for you Alissa, it is alot of work and every time you wish it was your baby and not a machine but when the time comes that they make th switch you will be so happy you did.
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Erin SOctober 28, 2009 at 9:23 PM
Haha! Not fun, that's for sure! There's nothing quite like milkin' yourself.... But its so worth it and Maddox loves you for doing that for him!!! (Although I don't think that's a story he'll want to hear when he's a teenager.....)
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thepainterfamilyOctober 29, 2009 at 8:17 AM
go mama go!!!
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Amy TOctober 29, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Shh... don't tell anyone... once my milk supply was in and established, I didn't pump at night.

I've been following your blog due to the link on BCC since I'm the mother of a son with HLHS (now four months post-Fontan) treated at CHOP.

I've heard lots of great things about Boston. They have a very professional, innovative team. I've actually watched a couple of their CHD surgeries online, and they are awe-inspiring.

Best wishes. We will continue to pray for you and your little superhero.
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Wunda GirlOctober 29, 2009 at 10:31 AM
WOW- you ARE doing GREAT! What a milk mama! You are doing great- wish I had that much milk at one week post partum!!! I bet maddox LOVES it :) Good job mommy. Your kids and hubs are so lucky to have you.
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Maddox Revere Dixon

Welcome to our story of modern day miracles. We have seen first hand the wonders of our Heavenly Father and have been joined with people all over in earnest prayer for a baby boy... our Miracle Maddox.

Maddox was diagnosed prenatally with Aortic Stenosis and Mitral Regurgitation. We found out at 27 weeks gestational age that he had a congenital heart defect. By 29 weeks he was in heart failure and had developed hydrops(fluid under the skin, in his abdomen, and around his heart). The plan was to deliver him at 30 weeks via c-section and after birth attempt to get him stable enough to try to open up his aortic valve. We were also given the option of doing nothing and delivering vaginally once he had passed away, which they thought would be soon. The doctors gave him a less than 1% chance of survival if we tried to intervene. We started planning his funeral. The week we were scheduled to have the c-section we were given the option of flying out to Boston to do a fetal intervention where they would essentially operate on Maddox in the womb. The doctors in Boston weren't even sure that Maddox would be alive once we got off the plane. Two days later we had the fetal intervention where they ballooned open the aortic valve, put a stent in the atrial septum as well as a hole above the stent, and removed some of the fluid in Maddox's belly. Maddox was the 9th baby with his unique heart condition to have undergone this type of intervention. It was successful, and Maddox was delivered at 37 weeks in Boston, where he underwent open heart surgery at 3 weeks of age. At two months of age Maddox came home to Texas. We are now trying to adjust to the new normal: multiple weekly doctors' visits, g-tube feeds, medications administered throughout the day, insurance claims, and including our three other children in the care of their amazing little brother. What an adventure. More surgery is in the Mad-man's future, but he has a future, and for that we will be forever grateful.