Hi friends,

It’s been a while since we’ve given an update. :) Over the last 2 weeks Madeline made lots of progress. She came off her CPAP and all oxygen, breathing just room air. The cardiologists started her on a diuretic to remove fluid buildup, and her breathing rate started to improve too. She also started working with occupational therapists to work on feeding by mouth. We had some good conversations with the doctors about what plans could look like over the next weeks in order to get Madeline home.

However, yesterday and last night Madeline had a series of oxygen desaturations that put her back on oxygen support. She struggled keeping up her saturation levels with the nasal cannula too, so today she is back on CPAP.

I’m honestly having a hard time…just not good phone calls to wake up to in the middle of the night. It’s starting to feel like whenever there is progress we are met with several setbacks. We’ve been in the NICU over a month visiting every day, and it is really wearing us down. It’s been our hope all along we could bring our Honey baby home before heart surgery. As the weeks go on, we are realizing there are many unknowns that may keep her there until open heart surgery.

🙏🏼 We are praying for several things for sweet Madeline, in addition to miraculous healing for her little body:

❤️ Doctors to find the cause for her continued respiratory issues, or at least establish a way to keep her stable and off of CPAP.

❤️ Madeline’s respiratory rate to slow down to a safe level so she can attempt oral feedings.

❤️ For wisdom for Eli and me. We have to decide if we want Madeline to come home with an NG tube (feeding tube in her nose), or if she should get surgery for a G-tube (feeding tube that goes through her belly). We wanted to avoid another surgery before open heart surgery, but the G-tube surgery may be what is best long-term.

❤️ Navigating the next weeks in the NICU. Eli will be going back to work, and Winnie will be done with school for the year. We aren’t sure when/how often we can visit Madeline when our schedules change at home.

❤️ For Winnie and Evie to feel loved and cared for in this season. We know the girls are beginning to feel the effects of the last few weeks and their changing routines.

❤️ For God to meet us every day. It’s impossible to make plans for the future, let alone know what tomorrow will bring. We are praying each day that God provides us with everything we need to get through the day.

- The Hassenriks