9/10 Declan is almost 9 months and can be heard happily chattering while riding his red hot rod in the church office. He continues to do well and thinks just about everything in life is worth smiling about. Update from Ian... 4/14 Declan's baptism was last Sunday (April 6), and we'd like to thank everyone who made the worship service so special. There have been a few requests for the letter I read as the sermon. The last sentance had to be added later. Those of you who were there will recall that I had a wee bit of difficulty getting through the letter...ok, I dissolved into a puddle. My plan had been to ad-lib something meaningful as a big finish. What is now there is as close as I can remember. This is the first time I've linked a document on the website, so please let me know if you have trouble with it. It's in MS Word format. If you click the link you should get a dialogue asking how you'd like it opened. If you click with your right mouse button a menu of options should come up. select either 'save target as' or 'save link as' and you can download it like any other file. 3/26 11:07pm It's been a while since I updated this page. Declan recently had his 3 month checkup and is in fine health. He weighed in at 13 lbs 8oz., and stretched to 24.5". Recent developments have included rolling from belly to back and the start of teething. Yup...of all the things for your baby to be advanced in teething hadn't topped my list of hopes. They never did figure out what caused Declan to cough up blood in January, or what showed up on the subsequent x-rays. His bronchial scope was clear, although the levage that went with it did show evidence of blood having been in his lung. The doctors continue to be perplexed, but chalked it up as a win. 2/7 (11:22am) Great news, Eileen and Declan are on their way home. He had a great night with a minimum of labored breathing, so it's home again home again. 2/6 (10:45pm) Declan is spending the night at Columbia Children's hospital. His recovery from the scope procedure is progressing just fine, but they want him close at hand to monitor his breathing. It's a precaution because of how little he is. Actually, we all know it's because they can't bear to let the little cutie out of their sight. Eileen is of course spending the night with Declan. (3:06pm) Eileen has reported in that the scope came back clear, which is good news, and that we just have to wait a couple of weeks for them to culture the cells they recovered during the procedure. We're awaiting news of whether or not he can come home today. 10:26am) Eileen and Declan are on their way back to Columbia Children's hospital for a scheduled bronchial scope. Hopefully this will determine what all the fuss was about, and give us some next steps to take. 2/3 (11:07pm) Apologies for the lack of updates...our Internet was acting up and I haven't been on the web since Friday. Declan and Eileen came home from Columbia on Friday, after the radiologists gave the all-clear for discharge. He'll be back in for a bronchial scope on Wednesday to try to find the source of all the trouble. 1/31 (11:35pm) Brian and I got a ride up to Columbia to visit with Eileen and Declan. We took the CD of the x-ray images for the doctors up there to examine, and also brought along Declan's car seat. The CT scan was negative, ruling out lung problems, so now all they have to do is track down the source of the blood he coughed up on Sunday. Step 1 will be to look at the x-rays from Staten Island to see what the docs here based their diagnosis on. (10:00am) Eileen and Declan are settled in up at Columbia, and we're awaiting word on when the next diagnostic steps will be taken. Columbia has many hospitals in the City, so just to be clear he's at the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital, located at 166th and Broadway. 1/30 9:00pm Eileen received the news that a bed was available, and their off to Columbia tonight after all. 7:00pm The transfer to Columbia is still a go, but didn't happen today. They had thought there might be a possibility of a bed after afternoon discharges, but this wasn't the case. Eileen is all packed and ready to go. Accepted into the Ivy League at only 7 weeks old? Not bad if I do say so myself. (Early afternoon) Declan has been accepted for a transfer to Columbia University Hospital in Manhattan for further diagnostics and treatment. This may take up to 36 hours, so pray for continued vitality...and for a bed for him at Columbia. If it wasn't for the x-rays and ultrasound showing the problem with his lung you wouldn't think he was sick at all. He is strong, and doing all the appropriate baby stuff...eating, sleeping, pooping and being cute. 1/28 Declan continues to undergo treatment, but things are a little perplexing. It now may not be pneumonia, but the treatment is advantageous for the other possibilities such as an aspiration into his lungs...the pneumonia antibiotics would be right for that too. Dr. Chan has asked for prayers for wisdom as he works to discern what is ailing the wee one. 1/27 For everyone who has expressed concern and wants to know what's up...Declan was admitted to the hospital tonight with baby pneumonia. It's confined to one lung, but still scary. we'll know more in the morning; keep us in your prayers. | Declan Patrick Edwards 7lbs. 12oz. 20 3/4" Born at 1:39pm on Wednesday December 12, 2007 |