Update on Baby Hope

HOUSTON, February 26, 2008 – Baby Hope Neault remains in Texas Childrens Hospital in Houston but her family reports progress is being made.

According to Catrina and Trooper Jamie Neault, today the “pounder” had her first meal today at high noon. The nurse had to replace her drain tube, and insert a feeding tube into her belly. This is yet another step in the positive direction. She is only eating a few drops, and she will be watched for signs of problems. If all is ok, she will be fed every three hours.

We came in today and took some pictures. We like to get pictures with some light because we don’t use the flash for obvious reasons. So we pulled her blanket from over her IC unit, and turned the lights on. Hope started crying, and Catrina put the binki in her mouth and soothed her, she began to suck on it just like a newborn should. I took some more pictures of her little face, and her sucking on the binki. It was amazing to see her hooked to all those machines, and tubes down her throat, and yet still acting like a little baby, after all she has been through. Its very hard to keep from just grabbing her and hugging her tight.

This will be the first day in 5 days that Jamie has seen Hope due to illness. She has grown so much in those few days. She continues to develop. She may not be bigger weight wise, but she is developing. Her eyes are bigger, fingers, toes, arms, legs, ears, everything is a little bigger than before. She is moving those little arms and legs around with control now. She has become stronger physically.

Hope had another blood transfusion last night, and another one this morning; but this is all routine. What the doctors take out, they must put back, because Hope is not making red blood cells yet.

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UPDATE on Neault Family