32 Week Delivery

Our baby girl arrived 8 weeks early soon after she had stopped moving inside me. My OB immediately ran tests two days in a row and sent me for an emergency c-section. The baby came out breathing and gurgling, but had a stomach mass that took hours of tests to attempt to diagnose and finally exploratory surgery was done. She was diagnosed with a rare condition for [in utero] babies called midgut volvulus without malrotation, and a herniation through the blood vessel wall. There isn't any documentation on her condition because it is unheard of in babies not yet born. At twelve hours old, our daughter had life-saving surgery. She spent a total of five weeks in the NICU, four with an ostomy bag which was in itself a big struggle. At four weeks, one day, she was reattached and spent one more week in the NICU. At five weeks and one day old, at 4 lbs, 15 ounces, Willow came home with us. It was a rough first two months. I never had a day when I felt comfortable with her as silent reflux crept into our lives. She spent six days in hospital in July due to a blockage. Then, just as I thought we'd go a full month without a hospital stay, she ended up going back in the last day of August and days later had surgery to remove a lot of scar tissue that had caused several blockages throughout her intestines, plus a repair of the original reattachment site. This visit lasted ten days and was the stay that caused me to seriously plead with God, "no more, please." It has been a heck of a journey and has taken its toll on my other children. But, we've seen miracles and blessings and a community of support. Willow seems to be healthy, she's chubby and progressing so well. My boys' hearts have seemed to heal as well. I think with every ounce she gains, my own heart heals more and more.
Thanks for reading.