westcoastdevfan Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 First off.... this is a happy time and the following text is not intended to dampen the happiness for our wonderful baby girl. Our daughter Abby Rayn was born January 21st at 6:05 pm pst and weighed 7lbs. 4oz. Boy is she beautiful! She had an apgar rating of 9.9, however we found out just after she was born that her head was quite a bit swollen so my wifes OB called immediately over to the pediatrician from the children's hospital (CHOC) across the street to try to diagnose her. Come to find out she has hydrocephalus. Her ventricles are filled with spinal fluid and it is causing swelling in her head. She had surgery yesterday to put a shunt in the back of her head and a tube going down her body to her stomach to drain the fluid. There is a possibility that she can have the shunt in her for the rest of her life among other problems or she has the possiblity to be just perfect. We won't know any more until they do and MRI in about 2 days to check a cyst on the back of her brain. She did come out of surgery not needing a breathing tube and was totally alert. Needless to say we were completely shocked because we have had 4 births previously and they were all perfect. She is still in the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) and will be for at least a week so we don't get to bring her home just yet. It was pretty devastating at first to think that your beautiful baby was sick and would need such a surgery before she had even turned a day old. But, we feel very blessed and she is such a strong girl. Please hope for the best... She is truly a special gift! She was born pretty soon after I found out that Parise had given the Devils 9n wins in a row. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekes Head Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Congrats to westcoast and Mrs. westcoast. Prayers are with your little one, hope she doesn't face any complications in the future! Hope you and the family are doing well...we miss you posting around here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DevilMinder Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Congrats to both of you, I am sure she will turn into a beautiful healthy girl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJDevs4978 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Wow, five births so you just about have a hockey team there Glad for your new addition, sorry things have been rough for her at this point, hopefully better days are ahead! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IAmCanadian27 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Congratulations to you and your family! I'll be keeping Abby in my thoughts and hoping for a full recovery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langsgirl Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Congratulations on the new addition. You are all in my prayers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek21 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 Congratulations wcdf and the mrs.!!!!!!! I hope she has a full recovery and a very healthy and great life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annabelle Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I have to say your little girl has the most beatiful name i have heard in a long time. No matter the outcome of any complications a child is a blessing. Cheers to a beatiful family and all the best through good times and bad, everyone's thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoastdevfan Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 Thank you everybody for your thoughts and kind words. I will let everybody know how she is doing. THANK YOU! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammyk Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Congrats and best wishes, I'm sure all will turn out well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LizDevil30 Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Congratulations on the birth of Abby Rayn! Without question, hoping for the best for you daughter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'7' Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Congrats, I wish you all the best. Abby, I love that name! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoastdevfan Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 Thank you all! ABBY RAYN UPDATE: She is doing great, She is still in the hospital. Alot of the swelling is down. However, her wonderful neurosurgeon believes that a second shunt may be needed to empty the third ventricle by her brain stem. It appears that a memebrane is blocking it off from the other ventricles and will not allow it the empty. This, in combination with the cyst on her brain have flattend her brain stem. It should look like a pregnant belly but with all the pressure it is flat. The second shunt will only be needed if she can't get in there and easily cut the membrane. I will update you all when I know more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekes Head Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 westcoast, do these complications pose long-term threats to Abby's development? Glad to hear she's doing well, she's still in all of our thoughts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westcoastdevfan Posted January 28, 2006 Author Share Posted January 28, 2006 It's really hard to tell how much it will effect her long term. Although, we do know that in most cases of hydrocephelus the child is slow in their development. So rolling over, crawling, talking, walking will all take longer. But, as far as any more serious effects you never know, each child is different. The crazy thing about HC is that it's very common, it's what causes it that is the tricky part. And as of now we still don't know what caused hers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
femalenynjazfan Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 great name and I wish you all the very best. Stay strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwindog Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 Congratulations! It's great that they caught it straight off the bat and are doing all they can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadDog2020 Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 First off.... this is a happy time and the following text is not intended to dampen the happiness for our wonderful baby girl. Our daughter Abby Rayn was born January 21st at 6:05 pm pst and weighed 7lbs. 4oz. Boy is she beautiful! She had an apgar rating of 9.9, however we found out just after she was born that her head was quite a bit swollen so my wifes OB called immediately over to the pediatrician from the children's hospital (CHOC) across the street to try to diagnose her. Come to find out she has hydrocephalus. Her ventricles are filled with spinal fluid and it is causing swelling in her head. She had surgery yesterday to put a shunt in the back of her head and a tube going down her body to her stomach to drain the fluid. There is a possibility that she can have the shunt in her for the rest of her life among other problems or she has the possiblity to be just perfect. We won't know any more until they do and MRI in about 2 days to check a cyst on the back of her brain. She did come out of surgery not needing a breathing tube and was totally alert. Needless to say we were completely shocked because we have had 4 births previously and they were all perfect. She is still in the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) and will be for at least a week so we don't get to bring her home just yet. It was pretty devastating at first to think that your beautiful baby was sick and would need such a surgery before she had even turned a day old. But, we feel very blessed and she is such a strong girl. Please hope for the best... She is truly a special gift! She was born pretty soon after I found out that Parise had given the Devils 9n wins in a row. Congrats West Coast on the birth, and I pray all goes well for her in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belizarius Posted January 31, 2006 Share Posted January 31, 2006 I support you for this great and difficult moment at the same time... I'm sure everything will be OK soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek21 Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Hey wcdf, thanks for the update. Abby is still in my thoughts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisg19 Posted February 1, 2006 Share Posted February 1, 2006 Hey Westcoast, Congrats on the new addition. I hope all is going well with Abby, and the whole Westcoast clan. I will keep her in my prayers. Take Care, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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