Update on Baby Maggie

Here is a letter that Brooke's dad, Brant, sent out yesterday after a long day. Praise God for good news! Please continue to pray for this sweet family.

Monday, November 3rd:

This morning Brooke and Matt went to Brooke’s weekly visit with her OB-Gyn, Dr Ehmer. When they took a look at Maggie with the sonogram they immediately noted some significant changes in the past week. Brooke and Matt were immediately sent to the office of Dr. Magee, her perinatologist, for a 2nd opinion.

Three problems were noticed in the sonogram today: First: the amount of fluid in her cranium and the resulting pressure had significantly increased. Second, the amount of amniotic fluid had increased and that indicated she may not be swallowing properly. Third, there appeared to be some change in her feet which made the doctors think they may have starting moving to become more club-like form.

Brooke and Matt went directly to the delivery unit of Baylor, here in Dallas. Dr. Ehmer decided he would finish his day’s work and then perform the C-Section about 4pm. Through the afternoon, family and friends have been gathering until a group of about 25 were present at the time of delivery.Brooke’s C-Section went very well and the medical staff seem happy with the procedure. We were able to briefly see her as they wheeled her down the hall from the operating room to take her to the Baylor NICU unit. The team from Children’s came over to Baylor to receive her, stabilize her, and then prepare her for transport to Children’s.

Once Maggie was delivered we received good news on several accounts. Maggie’s feet are not clubbed. The opening is very low on the Sacrum, S4 to S5. This is lower than we had expected it to be, and may indicate less risk of damage to the nervous system. Her breathing seems to be good. Also, it appears the opening was covered by a thin membrane, which none of the scans and sonagrams had shown. That is fabulous news as the spinal cord appears to have had protection which wasn’t known. But that is probably true in many, many respects. This membrane does have a very small, pinprick, opening that is leaking a little bit of the cerebral spinal fluid.

Because Maggie’s condition is not as severe as expected, primarily due to the existence of the membrane protecting the spinal cord, Children’s has moved her to a lower risk category. The Transport from Baylor to Children’s will occur very soon as is on it’s way to Baylor now.As I write this, Brooke is about to move up to the NICU floor, where she will be able to see Maggie before Maggie heads off to Children’s. She won’t be going alone, as Matt will be accompanying her.

We thank you for all your prayers, comfort and support. Especially for the intense pleadings you have made to God on Maggie’s behalf. It is our belief that your prayers and support have helped her heal.

For those of you that have a Facebook account and are members of the group "Praying for Maggie Cole" there have been some new pictures of her added! Enjoy!

More later as we know what happens!

Brant, for all the family