Mia Lyann

Baby Mia before she was prepped for her helicopter transport.

Mia Lyann (pronounced Mee-ah Lee-ann) rushed her way into the world at 7:30 am Sunday morning, July 31, 2011. All 6 pounds 2 ounces of her were in such a hurry, she couldn't wait for her August 24th due date, and I was more than happy to meet her a little early. She has a speedy and beautiful birth story that I am anxious to share, but other issues have overshadowed her amazing entry into this world.

Baby Mia was born with a diaphragmatic hernia. The simplest explanation of this congenital defect is that there is a hole in her diaphragm that has allowed most of her intestines into the chest cavity. The intestines have pushed her heart to the right side of chest cavity, and compromised the capacity of not only her left lung, but also the left side of her heart. As a result, her heart cannot adequately pump her blood to her lungs for oxygenation, and she cannot take in enough oxygen through her one functioning lung in order to adequately oxygenate her blood.

The news of Mia's defect is a complete surprise to us. Our last ultrasound, done at 20 weeks gestation, showed no signs of any abnormalities. When she was placed on my chest, fresh from her whirlwind birth, she was petite, but plump and healthy looking in all the ways you'd expect a newborn to be. However, it quickly became apparent that she was having trouble breathing. The nurse took her to the corner warming bed and shortly thereafter whisked her away to the special care nursery. After much attention and some x-rays, the attending pediatrician determined two things: that something was critically wrong with Mia's organs and that the hospital and staff were not equipped to handle such a critical situation. At around 10:30 am, just 3 short hours after Mia's birth, we were told she would be sent down to UC Davis Children's Hospital for treatment.

She was taken by helicopter from our hospital in Chico around 12:30 pm and arrived at UC Davis shortly after that. My wonderful OB doctor released me as soon as possible, and Ryan and I joined our baby at Davis around 5:30 pm. Upon our arrival, we met with the NICU doctor and received a crash course in heart and lung functions.

Currently, we do not know the extent of the problems with Mia's diaphragm.  The focus has been on getting Mia's lungs and heart healthy enough to undergo the surgery needed to repair her diaphragm.  We also do not know the extent to which her left lung was able to develop before it was crowded by the intestines.  Since it appears the problem occurred at some point after 20 weeks, there is a greater chance that Mia's lung was able to at least partially develop.  After trying various therapies throughout the night, it was decided early Monday morning to place Mia on an "Ecmo" machine, which has a more scientific name, but I honestly couldn't tell you what it is. The "Ecmo" machine is a heart/lung bypass machine. Mia's blood is being drained from a tube in her neck, circulated through the machine for oxygenation, and returned to her bloodstream through another tube. The idea is to allow her lungs and heart to rest so they can adjust to being outside the womb and become functional enough for her to withstand corrective surgery. The procedure to insert the cannulae (tubes) in her neck went smoothly yesterday morning and she has been moved upstairs to the PICU for constant monitoring of her blood pressure, oxygen levels, and a jillion other vital statistics.

And now, we wait. She has been stabilized on the machine and has been showing some improvement in her blood pressure, but not nearly enough improvement to consider surgery. The doctors are giving Mia and her machinery some time to "do their thing" while Ryan and I wait helplessly nearby.

That sums up the clinical side of our situation in the clearest terms I can come up with. We have had so many concerned inquiries from family and friends, and hope to keep everyone as up to date as possible.

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On a more personal note, Ryan and I have experienced more in the past two days than we ever imagined possible. We have been overwhelmed, not only by the amount of information we have received, but also by the range of emotions we have felt and the decisions we have faced, and are going to be facing. With the very strong support system of our families, we are holding up. Much like Mia, we take each hour at a time and baby step our way through very long days and nights.

As for Mia's care, I cannot say enough good things about the doctors, nurse, and staff we have met during our time here at UC Davis. She is in the best hands possible, but more than that, she is in very compassionate hands. Her doctors and nurses are more than willing to answer any questions we have, even if they've been answered 50 times already, and we've been welcomed into her room on every visit. It is comforting to be surrounded by such capable, caring people.

Ryan and I have been thoroughly supported by our parents, siblings, extended family and friends throughout the past two days and we can't thank all of you enough. We are so blessed to feel the love of so many people. Our parents and siblings have made sacrifices to be with us, take care of Laci, and help with the care of our animals. Countless others have sent their prayers, good wishes, and hope. We are so very thankful for all of it. Even if we don't immediately respond to your phone calls or emails, please know that we appreciate your support and would gladly return the favor at any time.