Isabelle, born 2007

Miss Isabelle was born on August 31, 2007. It was just about 12 hours after Isabelle was born that anyone noticed that there was a problem. The morning after her birth, her nurse came in to our room to check on her. She checked her blood pressure, pulse, and her breathing rate. She was breathing faster than what is considered normal for a newborn, and so as a precaution, she was taken back to the pediatric nursery to have some tests run. She was put on oxygen and was started on IVs in case she had contracted an infection during delivery.

 

The on call pediatrician requested to have x-rays taken and upon doing so, it was discovered that Isabelle had several hemi vertebra so she was transferred to Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego. She spent six days in the NICU there and those were the hardest days of my life. We endured test after test with our little one, and we never seemed to get any answers as to "why" she was being kept there because she seemed very alert and healthy. It wasn't until the third day in the NICU that her VSDs were discovered. She has two of them, one right on top of the other. We were told that they were both small and with any luck there would be no intervention needed.

 

Isabelle was discharged on September 6th and we were told to follow up with her pediatric cardiologist in two months. Because of issues with our health care, Isabelle wasn't able to be seen for 4 months and was well overdue for her first echocardiogram and EKG. Once the echo was completed, it was then that the PDA was discovered. Both of her VSDs were still present but again, there was no talk of intervention.

 

Today, Isabelle is doing well. We continue to follow up with all of Isabelle's doctors and since leaving the hospital, we have found out that she had congenital scoliosis, Duane's Syndrome and of course she is our heart baby.

 

I thank God every for blessing our lives with our Miss Isabelle. Through countless tests and appointments, this little angel maintains a smile and a laugh that I never imagined possible. I always thought that babies cried all the time! Not our sweetie. Her strength and resilience continues to amaze me. She is possibly the mildest tempered infant I have ever met and as her personality continues to develop, I can't help wonder, what does God have planned for her. I can't wait to see.

 

Story by Isabelle's mom, Cassandra - California