Monday Update

Today was another rough day, but Abby still is hanging in there.

We found out late this morning that the minor surgery to insert a drain didn't solve the problem; the hole in her intestine had not healed. Thus, we spent most of the afternoon waiting for the surgery to begin and waiting for word of the results afterward.

The surgery was a success. She was given an ostomy -- in other words, her bowel currently is emptying in to a bag. This allowed the surgeons to cut out the small area with the hole. The ostomy shouldn't be permanent; they plan to revert the area to normal in several months, after she is more stable and her numerous other issues are dealt with.

The next few days will be spent fighting the serious infection that has been created by the bowel problem. After that, doctors will attempt to starting dealing with other issues.

Abby actually came through the surgery quite well; considering her condition, her vital signs are looking great, but the infection is a serious problem.

This was a hard day, as any surgery is a risk, especially for a tiny preemie. My mom decided to stay, and Katrina's mom already planned to stay through later in the week. If things continue to be stable, I'm planning to return to work on Tuesday to save my paid days off for later.

So many people have continued to offer us support in various forms. We appreciate your love and concern!