Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Maeve Update

My almost seven-month-old niece is struggling to make any more improvements after last week's huge strides.

Backstory: Maeve was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance St. Patrick's Day night after she started turning blue. Several days later she spent six hours in open heart surgery - her first of eight operations. Maeve was born with several congenital heart defects and other problems, all of which have led to serious complications.

Since then, my darling baby niece has gone into cardiac arrest, struggled with collapsed lungs and faced a long laundry list of other medical maladies.

Last week doctors determined Maeve had improved enough where she did not need a machine beating in place of her heart. Over the past weekend they also took her off the ventilator and instead gave her a simple tube with 100 percent oxygen - allowing her to breathe on her own.

It was the first major good news we've had in these six heartbreaking weeks.

Tonight my sister writes that doctors put Maeve back on the ventilator yesterday. Maeve's left lung is also very collapsed - previously her right lung was collapsed but that appears to be fine now.

Maeve's hands and feet have been shaking and doctors say they could be possible seizures. They are trying to keep an eye on things and will run some neurological tests (ct scan, etc.) if they happen again.

Doctors did an ultrasound of Maeve's head but Brig says it was difficult to see anything since the baby's soft spot is closing up.

Please keep this darling girl in your thoughts and prayers. My sister is dying to hold her little girl in her arms. She hasn't cradled her baby in over six weeks.

Maeve has been fighting to survive for so long. We are hoping at some point she is able to thrive.

My sister, Brigid, with the Maevey Bean

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