I've got to document this stuff, so I'm backdating. Apologies.
Moments after birth, Charley and Nick make eye contact for the first time.
Nick looks a bit ashen in this photo, as he chose to stand at the business end
of our daughter's birth, and nearly passed out (yet again).
First bath? Check!
Adorable yawn? Check!
Cleaned up with a gender-identifying bow? Check and check!
Passed my hearing test? Double check!
We were smooth sailing, and geared up for a quick check-out,
when the nurse detected an arrhythmia in Charley's heart...
We ended up being admitted to the NICU for two days, for observation.
Lots of monitoring, lots of worry, were replaced by prayers and peace.
She has since seen a pediatric cardiologist, who has confirmed the NICU doctor's
initial diagnosis of a Premature Atrial Contraction (PAC),
who the cardiologist dumbed down for me like this:
Imagine that the pacemaker of your heart is the "Cheerleader Section,"
whose job it is to yell, "PUMP!" every time your heart beats.
In Charley's heart, she has an "immature" section of heart cells next to the pacemaker
that can't wait all of the time for the cheerleaders,
so every tenth beat or so, they shout, "PUMP!"
He said most of the time,
the cheerleaders tell this immature group of cells to "Grow up, you're so immature!"
And, they usually do.
So two days in NICU, and lots of monitoring & doctors visits later,
our prognosis seems to be good.
I'd just like those cells to hurry up and grow up.
But you, Charley, take your time, little one.
