Eleanor Joy Windsor

		Eleanor Joy Windsor 9 February 2007 9:36 am ~ 2.88 kg
		'A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.' Jesus (John 16:20-22)

(Newest on top)

2 February 2008

Spaghetti Face!

8 September 2007

Ellie our latest lion cub.

20 May 2007

Ellie's smiles are heartfelt and infectious.

27 Mar 2007

Here's some of the latest piccies from Eleanor.

Eleanor is only in the brace at night-time now. Her hips are stabilising themselves very well, according to the tests, but we need to keep seeing the doctor in Randwick every month or so just to make sure.

25 Feb 2007

Eleanor is sleeping pretty well at night - so far - now all we have to do is get our die-hard partying neighbours to sleep at night! A huge thank you to all those who have sent prayers / presents / cards / food - or all of the above.

20 Feb 2007

Yesterday we went to see Dr Gray, a specialist in Randwick, to check out Eleanor's dislocatable right hip. It's really good news - the hip seems to have corrected itself! However, Eleanor needs to stay in the harness for another month, just in case. Most likely, the harness will be removed at the end of a month.

We're well, but quite tired, and still coming to terms with the drama that unfolded last week. Leonie can't drive because of her surgery so Lionel is the family's taxi service. We've had wonderful support from our church - both from Sandy (my boss) who has allowed me to be on light duties while I have lots of home responsibilities, and also members of the church who have offered babysitting, meals, and all sorts of other things! Nevertheless, the work is piling up much faster than I can get to it, so please keep praying that recovery and re-stabilising for the family is swift!

15 Feb 2007

We're home! Whew! We thank our gracious Father for watching over Eleanor and bring about this healing so quickly.

There's a little problem remaining, but not too serious because it was picked up early. When she was in Leonie's tummy, Eleanor was in the "frank breech" position. This means her head was up, her bottom was down, and her ankles were up around her ears! It's common for babies who present this way to have "dislocatable hips" - related to but more serious than "clicky hips". One of Eleanor's hips is dislocatable, requiring some important but non-invasive treatment over the coming months. We went through exactly the same issue with Adelaide four and a half years ago, so we know what we're in for - Eleanor will need to be in a little brace to keep her legs apart for a few months (she'll be perfectly comfortable but she'll end up over-stretching some wondersuits). She'll also need to have a round of ultrasounds in the coming months to check on the progress of her hip formation. The doctor who will be treating her is the same doctor who saw Adelaide when we lived in Sydney in 2002. The doctor is based in Randwick, but he sees patients in Wollongong, for which we're very grateful!

Nevertheless, one of the benefits of staying in Randwick today is that we've been able to take advantage of the "hospital super-campus". Just before lunch some orthopaedic surgeons from Sydney Children's Hospital popped over to examine her, then we wheeled her little cot around to the orthotics department in Prince of Wales Hospital to get the brace, and back to the Royal Women's Hospital for an ultrasound downstairs, then the paediatrician came to check on Eleanor and get her discharged finally!

MYTHBUSTER: Everybody asks whether Adelaide and Eleanor's hip problems are related to their dad's hip problems. Apparently, dislocatable hips (which Eleanor has and Adelaide had) are completely unrelated to Perthes disease (which their Dad has been treated for).

HOT TIP: The coffee at the Sydney Children's Hospital cafe is by far superior to that in any of the other cafeterias in the Randwick hospital super campus. Coffee reconnaissance was one of Lionel's priorities from early on in the hospital saga.

14 Feb 2007

What a lovely Valentine's day gift to have Eleanor with us! Eleanor is progressing faster than expected, was discharged from intensive care this afternoon and is staying in Leonie's room at the Royal Women's Hospital - with a great view of the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney.
We're staying in Randwick for another day while the doctors check out a couple of other issues (Ellie has jaundice and a dislocatable hip), but God willing, we're all going home tomorrow!
	Lionel's Mum has been doing a wonderful job looking after Adelaide and Harry. Today, she drove them from Wollongong to Randwick and back again (4 hours round trip) just so they could see her!

13 Feb 2007 (Evening)

Late this morning we came down to the intensive care nursery and found Eleanor lying in her cot, breathing perfectly and listening to the radio - they were playing 'Forever Young' and 'That's the Way It Is, Baby'. This afternoon she had her first cuddle with Mum and Dad, and had a go at feeding all by herself - doing very well (in between frequent naps). And this evening she got a promotion - to level II, intermediate care, which means that she's well on her way to recovery.

(click on a photo to enlarge)

Leonie is much, much better. Tomorrow, she'll be kicked out of her lovely room at Royal Women's Hospital onto the streets of Randwick. Fortunately our friends Ben & Sue Gooley are going to put us up until the hospital lets Eleanor loose on the world - which at this stage is looking a couple of days or so!

For those with Quicktime, here's a video of Eleanor taken last night

13 Feb 2007 (Morning)

Even better news! Yesterday evening, the ventilator was removed, because Ellie is able to breathe all by herself. Most likely, she's going to move down to level 2 intermediate care today and will be able to go back to Wollongong hospital not long after that, perhaps on Wednesday or Thursday.

We were both able to spend some good time with her this evening.

(click on a photo to enlarge)

The constant monitoring and oodles of machinery in intensive care have reminded us that all our lives are lived under God's sustaining intensive care. He is the one who gives all people life and breath and everything else (Acts 17:24).

12 Feb 2007

We visited Eleanor this morning - she's doing well! They've started feeding her Leonie's milk via a tube. She's almost breathing by herself, and doesn't need extra oxygen any more.

All things going well, she'll be able to come off the ventilator tomorrow morning (i.e. Tuesday) so she can breathe on her own. God willing, she will be able to move from level 3 intensive care (the highest level) to level 2 intermediate care on Wednesday morning. After that, we need to see how she goes.

We still don't know how long either Leonie or Eleanor will be in hospital. Harry and Adelaide will come to visit on Wednesday. Nana Windsor is doing a sterling job looking after them - thanks Mum!

11 Feb 2007

Leonie writes ...
	Thank you so much to everyone who's been praying and helping out. Lionel has been an excellent slave, but he's very tired. I've been mainly lying around... Today was the first day that I was well enough to have a good look at Eleanor and to have it all explained to me. She's in a humidicrib, dosed up on morphine (just like I was until recently!) and just so gorgeous! She looks like Adelaide and Harry but she has lots of dark hair, which they didn't have. She's nice and fat (for a premmie), and they tell me she's been sucking away on her dummy like there's no tomorrow. This sounds like one of my children!
It's a bit hard not knowing how long Ellie will be in intensive care, and when I can hold her and feed her, but the staff at Royal Women's Hospital are caring for us all so well. And of course I'm having to keep trusting God that this situation is his plan. What a privilege it is to live in a country where it's so easy to have such amazing medical care!  She's still having help with her breathing, but she'll come off the morphine soon and they tell me she can start to have some milk tomorrow (via a tube).
Leonie and Eleanor are in the Royal Hospital for Women, Randwick, level 3, room 38. Lionel is also staying at the hospital. We welcome visitors - please ring beforehand (02 9399 2099 + extension 2525052) so we know you're coming. Visiting hours are 10am-1pm and 4pm-8pm.

10 Feb 2007

Well Eleanor is only one day old and she's already clocking up frequent flyer points! Today Eleanor was transferred by the wonderful doctors of N.E.T.S. and the Telstra Childflight Helicopter from Wollongong Hospital to the Royal Women's Hospital at Randwick where they have more specialised equipment to help her to learn to breathe (see pictures below).

Leonie will follow soon in an ambulance. Her recovery is slow but positive. Both our hospitalised girls are in the loving hands of our heavenly Father. I'm sure we'll welcome visitors - but as yet we're not sure which room she'll be in, or how long we'll be there, or what the visiting hours are.

I'll head up to Randwick soon and will be staying with our good friends Ben and Sue Gooley. Adelaide and Harry have been well looked after by Ben, Karyn, Emily, then Leonie's Mum for a day, and now my Mum for a while (until we can sort out what's happening).

Thank you all for your prayers and offers of support. We'll let you know when we know more what God has in store for us!

Click on any of the photos below for a more detailed view of Eleanor's first flight ...

9 Feb 2007

Dear friends,

Eleanor Joy was born this morning (9 Feb) by caesarean section. It was a little earlier than expected, but she's doing very well and is gorgeous. She's in neonatal intensive care at Wollongong Hospital while her breathing stabilises.

Leonie is OK, but she's being monitored closely and has not yet returned to the maternity ward. During the caesarean, the doctors found a number of 'adhesions' around Leonie's internal organs, most likely from the previous caesarean four and a half years ago. These adhesions meant that the operation to remove Eleanor took quite a lot longer than expected. As a result, Eleanor was a little stunned, and Leonie's blood pressure dropped significantly. She spent a number of hours in recovery and has been given three units of blood. We're hoping and praying that she'll stabilise so that she can return to the maternity ward some time tomorrow.

Thanks for all those who have been praying for us - and also the wonderful babysitting tag team from our church at St Michael's who helped look after Adelaide and Harry today!

Lionel