I know, I know..

Well, I know what I said about not posting anymore because of the move. BUT the kids are sleeping(yea!) and I have a few spare moments. Plus, come Monday or Tuesday, bye, bye computer! It will get packed up and won't see it again for 2-3 weeks back in the US. So, I have to get this all in now...

So, another item that has been on my "To Do" list for over 6 months has been to return to the hospital where I stayed and where Meredith was born and spent those LONG 7 weeks to say thank you to everyone. Monday I caught a ride with a friend who was going there anyway and made the trip. I wrote three separate thank you notes. The first OIRM, S. Anna, where I stayed, and Meredith was born, the 2nd for Rianimazione(or NICU) where Meredith spent her first 3 1/2 weeks, and the 3rd Centro Neonati a Rischio, the last department Meredith was in before she came home. Most of the medical staff after the patients leave don't know what happens to their patients so it is always nice to follow up with them I think.

Everyone was very happy and excited to see Meredith and a bit surprised I think. Everyone remembered her as well, 1. I think because she has an "American name" 2. because the problems we came in with were very, very serious and and they only see about 1-2 cases a year if they are lucky (or not so lucky I guess), 3. Because my Italian language skills stink and they do not get many Americans in their department and 4. because our problem was so uncommon they used us as a teaching case for the students at the University of Torino since it is affiliated with this hospital.


Below, the women on the right was the head of the department where I was a patient, Dr. Todros. The man on the left, Dr. Gaglioti, is AMAZING. He has quite a personality and without him, our outcome with little Meredith could have been quite different. When I first entered their department he removed all the extra amniotic fluid from my belly just so I could finally sleep after 10 days and get comfortable(to a point). But, what we really remember him for is what he did after. Right after we found out I had to have a emergency C-section, I had to see him again. This time without any pain relief he had to go though my belly, and right into Meredith chest wall while in utero and remove fluid from Meredith under ultrasound guidance. All this with about 10 doctors, nurses, midwives, and students in room. The crazy part was that Meredith up to this point felt nothing painful and then bam, a 10 inch needle into her side. She was moving around as he was trying to remove the fluid from her thorax, he was cool and calm and even making jokes during the whole procedure. For without the removal of this fluid, their would have been too much pressure on Meredith's lungs and she would not have even had the chance to breath. After the procedure he has removed so much fluid, Matt actually saw Meredith's lungs expand during the procedure, relieved that some of the pressure was taken off her lungs. It was pretty amazing and the rest is history.



Chiara, one of Meredith's favorite nurses in Rianimazione, in June of 2008

And now, she was really, really happy to see her and us her. She was very sweet to us during our visit



Dr. Italiano, in Rianimazione

Below, us with the doctors in Centro Neonati a Rischio