Claire Hudson

Mark Hudson asked me to post this to my blog. So, Mark, this is for you.

June 2, 2006

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your prayers. Their presence was felt today at the hospital.

Claire Rebecca was baptized and received Holy Unction this afternoon. The incubator was opened and the Holy Water and Holy Oil were placed on her precious body. And we look with expectation to the day when Claire will have Holy Christmation completed in the Church.

The doctors are ok with Claire not being rushed to surgery immedietely. We trust this is good news. Due to some more urgent neonate cases, the neonate transfer team (consisting of a MD, anesthesiologist, NICU nurse, etc), has been unavailable to transfer Claire from Santa Monica UCLA to UCLA Westwood where the neurosurgery would be performed. We were expecting her to be transfered around 7:00pm, and at around 8:00pm were notified that the team needed to go to a more urgent case in
Bakersfield.

I advocated to get another transfer team from Children's LA to help
speed up the transfer, but according to the nurses the neurosurgeon
hasn't declared Claire's condition a "Level 3" emergent one, and thus there was no way to speed up the process. Jen and Mark have been in good contact with Claire's neonatologist.

Brain Injuries are tricky...sometimes "Time is Brain" and sometimes it is better to wait. So, we trust the doctors and we pray. A neonates brain is flexible and expandable which is an advantage over a more developed brain, so Lord willing the bleeding in the brain will not cause any of the potentially fatal or long-term damage that are possible with a brain bleed. As far as the cause of the bleed and when the bleed happened, the answers are unclear at this point.

Claire Rebecca is very cute, with sunglasses on to protect her from the strong UV light pouring over her, and she is moving all her little arms and legs and opening her eyes. She was taken off the respirator yesterday and is breathing well on her own, and even likes to cry, especially when Jen has to leave. They were hoping to start feeding her breastmilk today, but unfortunately that has been postponed for the meantime. Her vital signs are stable. Claire Rebecca does also have a heart defect, namely a small hole between the left and right atrium of her heart. Her cardiovascular system is compensating ok with this defect, and most likely this won't need to be repaired for a few years.

Mark and Jen and Jen's mom went home to get some rest. Jen had her
staples removed today, and physically she is up and walking and I am
amazed by her very speedy physical recovery! Of course, Mark and Jen
are both pretty overwhelmed, but remain hopeful for the best and are
being held up by your prayers.

Thanks again for your prayers. Jen Hartenburg or I will continue to
keep you posted.

Elisabeth Hupp