Delayed homecoming

We've had some delays in the departure of Sarah and Alexandria from the clinic. The insurance would have normally paid for them to stay there until Sunday.

At birth, Alexandria weighed a little more than average, she was quite long, and the circumference of her head was bigger than average. Because of all this, and because she was facing up (not down, which is the usual delivery position - facing the floor), the doctor needed to use the vacuum on her head during the delivery to help pull her out. This left her with an enormous bruise on the crown of her head, which I think looked like a yarmulke. The doctor assured us this procedure was not dangerous. This bruise then caused her to become jaundiced (something about red blood cells multiplying around this bruise). So this kept her in the clinic an additional night last night. During the afternoon, she slept over a special light in her bassinet, and overnight, she got this special light all over her body, which helped. They've been monitoring her by taking blood regularly. This condition also caused her to become overly tired, which meant she wasn't eating as much as she should, but today she appears stronger and heavier.

Then, after she was born, the doctors suspected a small heart murmur. So we had to take Alexandria to who I was told was the best specialist in Geneva on these matters - Prof. Baghetti (in the dining room with the candlestick). So she left the clinic for the first time yesterday and had her first ride in the car to the cantonal (state) hospital. They did an EKG and an ultrasound and discovered a very small hole in the wall between the two chambers of her heart. This is very common, the doctor said. He's not concerned at all and believes she will grow out of it. He wants to see us in six weeks and again in a year (can we come back to Geneva for that appointment?). You cannot notice this condition at all when you look at her.

Now it's Tuesday afternoon, and Sarah will need to see the doctor about her sutures (from her episiotomy) before she's cleared to go home - assuming Alexandria is also free to go.

The insurance will pay for these additional days in the clinic - the doctor has requested this. So we've been dealing with these medical issues the past few days and trying to resolve them - in case you've been wondering why Mommy and Baby are not home yet.