Cassie is doing much better and is making big improvements every day. She is still seizure free and her last MRI and EEG shows improvement. The doctors said she doesn't need to have anymore MRIs or tests at this point and will just have follow up testing in a couple of months. They are also going to try to lower her dose of one of the seizure meds.
Her biggest hurdle right now is to get her feeding better. She is having some trouble sucking so we will be working with her on this. She is still mostly being fed through a tube but we will try different bottle nipples and continue trying to breastfed. She is still really sleepy a lot of the time, which makes it hard to keep her interest in taking the bottle, etc. This is probably due in part to the meds and also because she is still healing from the brain injury. Basically it is just going to take time.
We still don't know how long she will be in the NICU but hopefully she will be able to come home soon. I'm still trying to take it day by day.
DH and I are still hanging in there and doing the best we can. I had a bit of a breakdown last night at the NICU when they told me they were hooking her up to the EEG last night again. Even though nothing was wrong or changed, it just felt like a set back seeing her in the isolation room and hooked up to the wires again.
The NICU staff really keeps an eye on the parents to make sure they are handling things ok, so when I was there this morning the social worker and psychologist both came by to talk to me. I think I am going to call my therapist to start some sessions again to help me deal with the stress. I was seeing her up to a couple weeks before giving birth to help with the stress of the enlarged brain ventricles diagnosis, but I think it would help me now too.
Anyway, thanks for the continued well wishes and T+Ps. All your kind words and support make things a little easier to bear.
And here is my sweet little girl again.

~Lauren~
**SAIF always welcome.**
After 2+ years, 3 losses, 3 surgeries, 2 IVFs and 1 FET our little girl is here.
my read shelf:
Read in 2011: 56/55
Read in 2012: 31/30
Read in 2013: 1/25
Re: Quick update on Cassandra
So adorable!
Glad to hear she is doing better and that you have someone you feel you can talk to!
~after 34 cycles we finally got our 2nd little bundle of joy~

My IF blog
She is so gorg, L!!!!!!!!!!
I'm glad she is doing so much better. How could u not feel super stressed? I think seeing ur therapist is a really great idea. Especially while she is in the nicu (u know she is getting some awesome care). It's a good time to take an hr to care for urself. HUGS
2 years, 2 surgeries, 2 clomid fails, 2 IUIs, 1 loss, IVF #1 - 10/25/10 = BFP!, DS is now 3.5yrs!
TTC #2 - 6/12 surgery #3, FET #1 & 1.2 = BFN, 12/2012 FET #2 = BFP! DD is 1.5 yrs!
Surprise! 12/16/14 BFP, loss #2 12/31/14
I can't wait for the "im getting a divorce" post in 5 years or so because your husbands were fed up with your disgusting chair asses from playing on the knot all day and getting fired 4-5 times for not doing any work. you guys are all winners!! ~ Laur929
she's so beautiful
wishing you all the best, hoping you're all home together soon!
Happily Wed DH in May 2010
June 2012: DD#1 born after countless fertility cycles, our 4 year old miracle
TTC #2: current cycle: 225iu Menopur for 4 weeks, Ovidrel Trigger= BFP! Beta #1; 333, Beta #2 713! 1st u/s showed TWINS (7/18)
"I prayed for this child and the Lord has granted what I asked of him." ~1 Samuel 1:27
"Whatever it takes, we walk together." ~Pittsburgh Penguins
My IF-turned-baby blog
IVF#1 Oct 2009 (CCRM) - BFN
IVF#2 March 2010 - Poor response/cancelled
DE IVF#1 Aug 2010 - BFN
DE IVF#2 Dec 2010 - Transferred 1, 2 frozen - BFP!
TTC#2 FET Jan 2013 - Transferred 1 - BFP!
Such a beautiful baby! I'm glad to hear that she has been seizure free and that they will start reducing some of her meds. I hope she starts eating easier soon.
Btw, why do all hospitals have the same blanket design???
Me: PCOS DH: Low everything (MFI)
Clomid with TI x 3 2010 BFN
Clomid+IUI+Ovidrel 2010 BFN
IVF w/ICSI #1 2011
9/8/11 Beta #1: 2082!! 9/19/11 Beta#2 34,689!! U/S 9/22/11 HR 127! 11/8/11 HR 150! 12/6/11 HR 136! 12/14/11 HR 139! Born at 26w2d on 2/4/2012! After 83 days in the NICU, Adalyn came home on 4/26/12!
FET 1 3/2013 BFN
FET 2 5/2013 BFN
After 2+ years and multiple treatment cycles,
including an IVF vacation in Costa Rica/Panama,
IVF #2 brought us our miracle baby!
Surprise! Baby Boy is on the way!
TTC since 2007
6 IUIs, 3 IVFs, and 2 m/c :< PCOS, Blood Clotting Disorder & MFI
IVF #2 Aug 2011 is a BFN:<
IVF #3 March 2012 is a BFN
Not sure what to do now. Sad and lost.
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
She is just precious! Way to go Cassie on being seizure-free. I totally know where you're coming from with just wanting to go home. It gets old really fast. You just want to get home! Hopefully the hospital is comfortable for you to be there for a long time. When Leah was in, DH and I tried to get out and just go to Target or to get lunch. It helps sooo much to feel connected to the "real world" and to get some fresh air.
Continued prayers for you and baby. I hope your next post is that you're finally taking her home
Good update! Glad she is doing better
She gets cuter with every picture!!! Glad she's doing so well. Continued T&P for her.
It's a great idea to talk with someone. I know how hard it is to set aside time for yourself while your baby is in the NICU, but your health and well being is very important at well! HUGS!!!
Blythe Elizabeth is here March 27,2012
After 6 long years of TTC and a traumatic birth... I finally got to hold my baby in my arms!
'Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.'Psalm 37:4
2006 start TTC
2007 Start w/ RE (Endo and MFI previous marriage)/ 2008 Vericocele surgery/3 clomid cycles
2009 Lap removed stage III endo/ 2 failed IUI/ Divorce
2011 Remarried
October 2011 Dx: Endo & DOR/ November 2011- clomid & TI cycle
January 2012 IVF~ Flare protocol 10 ER/ 9 mature fertilized with ICSI/ ET- 2 Grade A Blasts/ 4 frozen= BFN
Febuary 2012- -Endo Biopsy/ MTHFR diagnosis
March 8- FET 2 grade A blasts= BFP!!!!
November 2012- Charles was born by emergency C-Section
Dealing with:
Stage III Endo/ DOR/ MTHFR two mutations C677T & A1298C
Currently TTC #2 FET planned January 2014
praying hard cutie, so glad she is making improvements. i know this must be so hard on you and DH, i'm glad they have support people in place. ((HUGS))
i have no idea if this will help but my friend's kids had issues with sucking and feeding and it was cause they were tongue tied, they had the extra skin clipped and then things improved immensely.
GL & PPV
Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, It empties today of its strength. ~Corrie ten Boom
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow. ~Mary Anne Radmacher (thank you beadinglady)
It's been a long journey. TTC since 9/06. multiple IUI's and IVF's and 4 m/c's. IVF#3 = BFP, twins, induced at 34w6d due to baby b passing away (no explanation). Delivered on 35w1d, Baby A - baby girl, and Baby B - baby boy, our little angel.
MTHFR A1298C & C677T, Immune Issues and Factor II
PAIF and SAIF welcome. IVF questions welcome, too.
TTC #1 since 8/1/10; Me:41 and BRCA1+, DH:46
DOR (FSH 24.3)/ terrible egg quality ; homozygous MTHFR c677t
5 IUI's: 2/11 to 6/11 and 1/12= BFN
OE IVF#1-4 8/11-6/12= all BFN
DE IVF#1 11/12 bad embryos= BFN
DE IVF #2 2/13 BFP/Beta hell: m/c 5w6d
CFNBC 7 months, not doing well; decided on guarantee program at RBA w/frozen DE
DE IVF #3 1/14 ET 4BB; BFP;M/C 5w1d, incomplete m/c; MVA extraction in ER 7w1d
DE FET#1 ET 3/1714; BFP, beta 1 3/27= 197, beta 2 3/31= 1586, beta 3 4/7= 13879!!
First u/s= Twins with HBs at 6w2d! We are Team Pink x 2!!
K & K born 11/21/14 at 38wks 4 days
SAIF/PAIF Welcome
http://waitingforraintostop.wordpress.com
I was just thinking about you and little Cassie last night. I'm so glad she's still doing well. I hope she's feeding better soon.
She's so cute!
((BIG HUGS))
Me: 32 - Stage II Endo / DH: 36 - Low count and morphology (1%)
IUIs 1-3 BFN, lap Dec. 2010, IUIs 4-6 BFN
IVF w/ICSI #1 - ER 2/8: 24R 19M 9F ET 2/13 2-5 day blasts (no frosties) = BFP - b/g twins!
E & C Born 10/19/2012
TTC since November 2008; me - poor egg quality,hypothyroidism,missing beta 3 integrin;
DH - some MFI;
1 month clomid plus timing - BFN;
3 months clomid + IUI - BFN BFN BFN
IVF #1 Nov/Dec 2009 - BFP - c/p;
IVF #2.1 Jan 2011 - Converted to IUI - BFN;
IVF #2.2 March/April 2011 - ER 3/23/11: 12 retrieved, 8 mature, 3 fert-ET 3dt 3/26/11: 3 embies - BFN;
IVF #3 May 2011 - ER 5/19/11: 20 retrieved, 10 mature, 9 fert-ET 5dt 5/24/11 3 embies - BFN;
Switched RE's for IVF #4 (CCRM) Oct 2011 - Surprise BFP before starting IVF #4!
Thinking of you and baby Cassie.
She is absolutely adorable!!!
TTC #2 since June '08
~*DD 10.21.07*~
dx unexplained
IUI #1-4 BFN
IVF#1 June 2011 BFN
IVF#2 Dec 2011
Beta#1 12/21 : 812 Beta#2 12/23 : 1634
EDD 8/25
*PAIFW/SAIFW*
Your daughter is beautiful and I'm glad she is doing better each day. I know first hand how hard the drain of the NICU can be. It's tough stuff, but try and take care of yourself too. I think talking with your therapist can only help. I hope your DD can go home soon!!