Welcoming Baby Travis- Week 1

Travis Josiah Duizer was born at 27 weeks on October 30, 2011 at 8:15pm weighing 2.3 pounds (1058 grams). I started to have cramping in the afternoon and then at 4:30pm I left to get everything checked out at Woodstock General Hospital. When we arrived we found out quickly that I was 5cm dilated and decisions were made immediately to transfer me to London Health Science Centre (LHSC) via ambulance. About 45 minutes later when they were about to transfer me, the doctor checked me one last time and found out I was 10cm dilated. They didn't want to transfer me being the risk of delivering in the ambulance. They called LHSC to send an "A Team" that specializes in these deliveries to come right a way. Forty minutes later, thinking they would be there any minute we received a call saying that they had just left- it would be another 40 minutes of waiting. I was able to keep little Travis in till then! Two minutes after the team stepped into the room, Travis was born. It was a major relief listening to his cry! The team prepared him for the transport on a portable incubator and then he was transferred to LHSC via ambulance. It was very difficult to see him go, but we knew he was in good hands at LHSC. Since I was doing well, I was discharged around midnight to go home and rest.

The last couple days Adrian and I have been visiting daily, I have been pumping milk and freezing that for him and the doctors said that he is doing well and as expected. He has had a couple "bumps in road" where he was unable to digest the milk properly and where his breathing levels decreased at times. He was breathing on his own for a while- but as they had to do more ultrasounds and tests, it stressed his body and they put him back on the ventilator for now. These are all typical with preemies this age and therefore they are very familiar with the treatments. There is also a duct to his heart which hasn't closed yet (PDA) and they started to give him medication to treat that. There is a 75% chance this will work, and if not, it would be corrected by surgery. The medication is harder on his stomach so they also stopped feeding him the milk for now.


This may sound concerning but overall he is doing well. Since these are issues that arise with preemies, the doctors and staff are familiar with them and have treatments plans. They predict that Travis will stay in the hospital till his due date, January 29, 2012.


We would like to thank everyone for their prayers and concern. My parents have been watching Natalie and Adrian's family have been preparing meals for us. It has been an emotional time in our lives but we know that God in control! We hear from so many people that they are praying for us, which we really appreciate!


Phillippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.