hipower

Today at CHP, we now know Faith has full Trisomy 18. We were hoping she had Mosaic in her condition. She is 12 1/2# now. They were happy with her weight gain & growth spurt. 

They do some type of exercise with her eyes to strengthen the muscles. Tracking maybe? She was maybe 4 or 5 months old when we noticed she was starting to go cross eyed in that one eye. She went to the eye dr, she passed her vision test. She does have a light sensitivity when outside, I have that & wear shades on my glasses. Brandi found a pair of shades for her on Amazon, they have a strap that goes around her head. 😎
We just go day by day!!

I was playing with Faith while her mommy did an errand. We were playing with a wiener dog, they go “bark bark”, because that’s what real wiener dogs sound like. The dog would bark, then kiss her cheek, this is the reaction I got, 😂 😍

Sending prayers for baby Faith that it closed and she doesn't need surgery. 🙏 😇 

Yes she has, isn’t it wonderful!! She is starting to eat baby food now, she loves applesauce!! The rice flakes helped put weight on her also.
Brandi said every time a hole closed in her heart, she would go through a growth spurt. The last time it happened was when she grew 2” in 1 month, but they didn’t know the hole closed!!
Faith Marie has one more hole, it usually requires surgery to close it. She is hungry a lot, wants held more, sleepy, etc. These are all the same things she did a couple months back when she had that big growth spurt. We are all praying that the last hole closed up!! We won’t know till the end of this month. 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻

Faith is 11 1/2 # as of last Saturday night. I got a phone call an hour ago asking if I could watch her till 4. 😍 ❤️
Here are a few pics I just took.

Our Pastor read this in church 2 weeks ago. He said it was perfect for Brandi, Deryk, & Peanut. He is right......

Thanks for the update Bon.  I'm beyond words and wiping tears away.  Keeping the FAITH.

Thanks for the update Bon.  I'm beyond words and wiping tears away.  Keeping the FAITH.

Thanks for the update Bon.  I'm beyond words and wiping tears away.  Keeping the FAITH.

Here is the article that was about Faith and the Daisy Award winner Nikole Kessler. This was when Faith Marie was 3 months old. Yes, I’m late with it.
**********************************************************************
We are truly privileged to congratulate our most recent DAISY Foundation winner: Nikole Kessler, RN, of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at PH DuBois. Nikole helped to care for infant Faith Marie Spicher, who was born with Trisomy 18. Many babies born with this chromosomal condition do not live beyond their first few days or weeks of life. Faith, however, grew strong enough in the NICU that she was able to be discharged and go home with her parents. This week, Faith turned 3 months old. We are honored to share the beautiful words of Faith’s mother, Brandi, who describes the experience and how Nikole went above and beyond in caring for Faith during her time in the NICU: 
“Faith Marie Spicher was born on Jan. 15, 2019. She was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, incompatible with life. We knew that Faith would be cared for at the NICU after she was born due to her diagnosis. What we didn’t know was how much she would be loved and cared for by the staff.
Faith was placed on a ventilator by Jan. 17, 2019, due to episodes of apnea, and had more wires, tubes and monitors than could be imagined. It was hard to deal with; it was difficult to see our baby going through so much. But what wasn’t difficult to see was the compassion and love she received from the nurses and also the huge impact that this small life had on them as well as us. We will never forget the NICU nurses and all the memories we had with them. They will always be a part of our family and we are forever grateful for them. 
Nikole Kessler cared for Faith through the best times and hardest times. She laughed with us, celebrated with us and even cried with us. She was able to look past all the wires and tubes and only saw Faith. You could see a connection growing between the two. She not only took care of Faith as a nurse, she cared for Faith as if she were her own. She wasn’t afraid of Faith’s condition, as a matter of fact she took it on as a challenge; Faith would beat the odds and be her “feisty spice.” She made sure that Faith received the best care and all the snuggles she could give. 
Nikole walked with us hand in hand through Faith’s entire journey in the NICU. On Jan. 19, 2019, Deryk and I had to make a heartbreaking decision to discontinue the ventilator. We couldn’t have our baby live on a vent for the rest of her days. Nikole stayed with us, even off duty, through that difficult time. She took a turn holding her and cried right with us as we thought Faith’s time here on Earth was over. Nikole even handmade a wooden plaque for this day, “Too Beautiful for Earth, Faith.” As the minutes turned to hours and Faith amazed us all with desire to live, breathing on her own, Nikole shared in our tears as they turned from heartache to tears of joy and hope. 
The following day, Nikole checked on Faith as soon as she came into the NICU to make sure she made it through the night. She kept us updated through her entire shift and shared in our joy and relief as she continued to report that Faith’s vitals were stable and she was not having any episodes of apnea. 
Nikole made sure we didn’t miss any special moments. She carried the camera in her pocket and was quick to capture every significant second – the first time we fed our baby through her og tube, her first outfit, first bath. She filled two photo books and ran the printer out of paper just so we had every memory of the beginning and, what we thought, would be the end of Faith’s life. 
Nikole continued to be there for Faith even on her days off of work. She made the trip into the hospital and spent hours with Faith just to hold her.
Finally, the day came when Deryk and I were able to take Faith home and Nikole was there to do her discharge. There wasn’t a dry eye in the NICU, especially Nikole’s. She even escorted Faith out of the hospital just so she could soak up every last moment with her. 
To this day, Nikole continues to be a part of Faith’s life, keeping up with her and all of her firsts and celebrating with us every time Faith defies the odds. Nikole is more than the NICU nurse that cared for our baby, she is part of our family and we know Nikole will forever be a part of her life as long as Faith is with us on this earth.”
Please join us in thanking Nikole. We are so proud of her heartfelt dedication to caring for our littlest patients! Follow the link to read the very touching words Brandi wrote about the other members of Faith’s NICU nursing team as she said she wanted to recognize each person that was there fighting for Faith, caring for her and, most of all, loving her! http://bit.ly/Baby-Faiths-Story
 

Over the years the cruising loop got shortened a lot.  In the early 60's we traveled Long Ave, Brady St/Boulevard/B-Line and back again.  One end was at Bailey's with the other at the rear of the old train station on Franklin St, now the Cherry Law offices.  Far fewer traffic lights to contend with in those days.  I'm not sure there was a traffic light from one end of the Boulevard to the other.  The drag races across there were interesting as well as those from Bailey's going either direction.  The interstate was just being built so the traffic on 255 was much lighter in those days.   Different times, maybe not all for the better.
Apologies for the digression from the original topic and the trip down memory lane.

I knew a boy in high school who was at Camp Mt Run for the first time and got so frightened of the Hodag on the mountain that he ran and dove into a car through the open window and wouldn't come out, had to be taken home. He quit scouts.  
 

I'm serious 🤨

Over the years the cruising loop got shortened a lot.  In the early 60's we traveled Long Ave, Brady St/Boulevard/B-Line and back again.  One end was at Bailey's with the other at the rear of the old train station on Franklin St, now the Cherry Law offices.  Far fewer traffic lights to contend with in those days.  I'm not sure there was a traffic light from one end of the Boulevard to the other.  The drag races across there were interesting as well as those from Bailey's going either direction.  The interstate was just being built so the traffic on 255 was much lighter in those days.   Different times, maybe not all for the better.
Apologies for the digression from the original topic and the trip down memory lane.

Over the years the cruising loop got shortened a lot.  In the early 60's we traveled Long Ave, Brady St/Boulevard/B-Line and back again.  One end was at Bailey's with the other at the rear of the old train station on Franklin St, now the Cherry Law offices.  Far fewer traffic lights to contend with in those days.  I'm not sure there was a traffic light from one end of the Boulevard to the other.  The drag races across there were interesting as well as those from Bailey's going either direction.  The interstate was just being built so the traffic on 255 was much lighter in those days.   Different times, maybe not all for the better.
Apologies for the digression from the original topic and the trip down memory lane.

Over the years the cruising loop got shortened a lot.  In the early 60's we traveled Long Ave, Brady St/Boulevard/B-Line and back again.  One end was at Bailey's with the other at the rear of the old train station on Franklin St, now the Cherry Law offices.  Far fewer traffic lights to contend with in those days.  I'm not sure there was a traffic light from one end of the Boulevard to the other.  The drag races across there were interesting as well as those from Bailey's going either direction.  The interstate was just being built so the traffic on 255 was much lighter in those days.   Different times, maybe not all for the better.
Apologies for the digression from the original topic and the trip down memory lane.

Why are you taking my picture grandma?
 

Been silently following this for months, and I've been a good boy, but I can't take it any more...
 
Hey Faith! Did you know Grandma is going to make you use cheap paper plates and spray perfume in your toilet water?
 

 

Papa with Faith Marie,  Faith smiling,  Faith Marie imitating Muhammad Ali,  Brandi reunited with Faith after work.

that's it.....I want names 

I don’t want to post to much because some complain.

Today Faith Marie is 3 months old. She is 8# & wearing 0-3 mo clothing.

This was her Valentine pics her mom sent us yesterday. ❤️❤️❤️