- M
Charlie & Andrea Koller welcomed: Miss Greta Paige on 3/3/2022 at 4:02 pm, 25 weeks + 6 days, 10.5” long and 1 lb 3 oz, at the Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. Please join us in showering them with some extra monetary support as it's a bit tough to identify anything else specific at this point.
As you can imagine there is a long road ahead for growth and here are the biggest prayer requests:
As you can imagine there is a long road ahead for growth and here are the biggest prayer requests:
- Closing the PDA in her heart. This will help her even out her blood gas levels.
- Opening & strengthening of her lungs to reduce her ventilator support.
- Improved gut health and ability to handle food. She needs to eat more to grow more.
A note from the parents:
Many have asked how they can help and first, thank you so much! It is really hard to identify where we need the help amongst the overwhelm. Overwhelming love for our daughter, overwhelming love for our friends and family sticking by our side, overwhelming medical facts that are hard to process & plans in the NICU changing hour by hour / day by day. What we know for sure is that we do / will need help, we're still just putting one foot in front of the other right now. Our dear friend Lana offered to put this page together as a way to accept your loving offers to help - knowing we'll need the help, but understanding that we're still figuring out how on the long journey ahead. At this time, monetary help can go towards - hospital parking fees, gas money, extra meals out, and unpaid leave for when Greta is able to come home. If you would prefer to give in a different way, we would be thrilled for you to make a donation to the Ronald McDonald house in Greta's honor - we've used this space at the hospital for meals, snacks, and just for a breath of fresh air away from the hospital environment. It has made an amazing impact on our stay! Most importantly, we love you guys and so thank you for coming alongside us on this journey. God is so good!
- Opening & strengthening of her lungs to reduce her ventilator support.
- Improved gut health and ability to handle food. She needs to eat more to grow more.
A note from the parents:
Many have asked how they can help and first, thank you so much! It is really hard to identify where we need the help amongst the overwhelm. Overwhelming love for our daughter, overwhelming love for our friends and family sticking by our side, overwhelming medical facts that are hard to process & plans in the NICU changing hour by hour / day by day. What we know for sure is that we do / will need help, we're still just putting one foot in front of the other right now. Our dear friend Lana offered to put this page together as a way to accept your loving offers to help - knowing we'll need the help, but understanding that we're still figuring out how on the long journey ahead. At this time, monetary help can go towards - hospital parking fees, gas money, extra meals out, and unpaid leave for when Greta is able to come home. If you would prefer to give in a different way, we would be thrilled for you to make a donation to the Ronald McDonald house in Greta's honor - we've used this space at the hospital for meals, snacks, and just for a breath of fresh air away from the hospital environment. It has made an amazing impact on our stay! Most importantly, we love you guys and so thank you for coming alongside us on this journey. God is so good!
Here is Greta's story so far: (written in the parent perspective pulled from Facebook)
Dates of the Prenatal Care Journey
01/06-01/11 Week 18 - First Hospital Stay for Mamas Hypertension Surprise
Mama had LOTS of tests to look for outside causes for this hypertension (EKGs, looking at lungs for clots, checking kidney & liver enzyme levels, looking for protein in urine, ultrasounds). Ultimately, I was too early for preeclampsia and liver enzymes looked fine. Diagnosed with chronic hypertension being induced by pregnancy. Since then, we’ve been more or less successfully managing BP at home.
01/28 Week 20 - Level 2 Ultrasound & Cardiogram
Baby’s heart looks good
Placenta function did not look good & causing Baby to be growth restricted (3rd percentile - want to be between 10-90). Baby weight 300g. The flow from placenta to baby was restricted but not detecting backflow (which is better). Unfortunately, there’s not much to do but to wait…
01/29 Quick Hospital Visit for a BP Spike
When we showed up, my numbers “looked beautiful”. We recalibrated my BP goals to increase BP flow through the placenta a bit which felt like a way to do more (thank you engineering fluids classes)
02/11 Intro Visit with Sarah Thompson, Doula, Focuses on maternal nutrition
After analyzing my bloodwork (& getting more blood work), we determined mama was dehydrated (Are you getting enough electrolytes? I drink a ton of water but lacked electrolytes! Think coconut water), needed more protein, low in Vitamin D, low in Zinc, etc. We made some targeted daily nutrition goals: 3 glasses of chocolate milk, 5 eggs, a kickass prenatal vitamin (8 pills/ day), coconut water, magnesium glycinate before bed, more foods rich in zinc, Vit D, etc.
Her goal? Keep baby growing proportionately & inutero until 27 weeks.
02/22 Week 24 - Growth Ultrasound
Baby is still around 3rd percentile but has grown about proportionately between ultrasounds (this was really the goal). Weight 480g. Promising!
02/24 Met with Neonatal Staff to Understand What Premie Stats Look Like
02/25 Mama Turns 30
02/27 Feet Swelling Has Gotten Very Bad
02/28 Doppler Ultrasound Shows Start of Reversed Flow to the Placenta
Admitted to the hospital for constant monitoring- 3 non-stress tests per day to check heartbeat. The bad news is that placenta flow will not go back to “good” but can keep functioning as-is, we just don’t know for how long. Now we can get steroids / magnesium which help support early growth!
02/28-29 Steroid Shots & Magnesium Drip
Steroid shots are important for fetal lung development and magnesium helps with neural development. Thankful both are in my body for baby’s use!
03/02 Preeclampsia
Mamas urine is showing protein and hypertension has been a little unruly on occasion. We’re on the preeclampsia spectrum and working to manage through some unruly up & down BPs.
03/03 Week 25 + 6 Days - Follow-Up Doppler
We’ll learn how the placentas flow is doing and make a plan of next steps from there! Praying for continued flow and more time in-mama!
Baby Gouda showed signs of stress on Thursday 3/3 from her labs and we were quickly moved up to a c-section.
SHE was born at 3/3/2022 at 4:02pm, 25 weeks + 6 days. She measured in at 10.5” long and 1 lb 3 oz. She is being very closely cared for by the Childrens Hospital NICU staff and mama is also recovering well. The c-section went as planned, led by a female anesthesiologist and OBGYN team. She is considered a “micro-premie” so there are many complications on the road ahead, but as you may guess, she’s a fighter.
The night of her birth was very touch and go. A hospital chaplain came and prayed with us and offered to baptize her in holy water with us. It was beautiful in the scariest hours of our lives.
Yes, mom and dad are still working on a name but we thought we had more time to prepare lol. But we’re just so completely in love. We are keeping faith that God has a beautiful plan for her and we’re honored to be her parents. We’ll be fighting with her for every step of this journey, day by day and hour by hour. We can feel the love that you all are sending, so keep it coming. We’ll need prayers for the road ahead is long
3/4/2022 Day 4: Official Name: GRETA PAIGE! Good day of tests & daddy held her in his hand(s) for the first time.
3/8/2022 Day 5: She had a PICC line placed today which is common but does, as all procedures, pose a risk for infection.
3/11/2022 Day 8:
Mama is feeling pretty well post c-section. Five weeks until my external incisions are considered healed. Hopeful for our first “kangaroo kare” ie skin to skin contact over the weekend. Our favorite nurse will be working all weekend and is pushing to get us there.The team determined she has a PDA in her heart which is a small vessel infants have connecting the aorta to the pulmonary artery. In premies, this often stays open and needs treatment. Step 1 is to treat with 5 days of Tylenol. Step 2 is surgery if it doesn’t close. Isolating as much as possible right now just to avoid any additional germ exposure that we’d take to the NICU. Meeting with the Care Team this afternoon and are looking forward to learning more.
3/12/2022 Day 9: Greta's first poo!
3/15/2022 Day 11: Mama & Greta's first Kangaroo time- they say babies feel most calm and with their body temperature regulated during this skin-to-skin time. The stronger she gets the more they'll allow it!
3/19/2022 Day 17:
Greta still needs prayers for improved lung health! She had a good day today with slightly decreased ventilator settings (the vent is necessary but is also hard on the lungs) and a few extra days of hydrocortisone (an anti-inflammatory; trying to decrease stress in the lung tissue).
She had a good day today! Her color looks much better than Monday when we started kangaroo care. It’s been so good for both of us and we’ve been able to do it daily! She is tolerating food better and is up to 4ml per 3 hours. We’re watching her tummy and poos very closely ha. Her weight is up to 700g from 540g at birth.
Funny things: she loves to have one of her hands up by her face at all times. If you swaddle her, she will still get free.
3/21/2022 Day 19: Greta has a milk hangover from that Cyclone win last night. Daddy thinks she’s the good luck charm and will be watching Friday's game from the NICU (again). She’s up to 8mL every 3 hours! Working on growing!
Wednesday 3/23 Day 21: Greta tried the conventional ventilator instead of the jet. The jet is gentle in premie lungs but is very unnatural feeling, giving her tiny breaths at a rate of 360-420 per minute. She tolerated the change in vent for two hours total but was not converting CO2 to O2 well, used up her limited O2 reserve, so she took a little dive down to ~30% O2 before catching up. Mommy was thoroughly scared! Since then, we’re more comfy using the jet again and rebuilding her reserves and stamina.
Thursday 3/24 = Greta is 3 weeks! Weight = 1lb 11oz (8oz bigger than birth = 1/2 pounds!) She has a couple events today including an ultrasound of her liver & a catheter (attempt/fail). She was a trooper! Mom got to do kangaroo care but someone was wiggly…
Friday 3/25 = Daddy’s first time doing kangaroo care! Both Dad & Greta loved it. She laid more horizontally across his chest for a new technique. She seemed to like his furry chest insulation
As you can tell, it's already been a long journey and there is more to come. Typically the NICU makes the due date the goal for going home which would mean many more weeks. The Koller Family is in that waiting game of GROW GRETA GROW! If you feel it in your heart that you'd like to support them in addition to your thoughts and prayers please consider donating here. Let's show them how much we love & support them!
Dates of the Prenatal Care Journey
01/06-01/11 Week 18 - First Hospital Stay for Mamas Hypertension Surprise
Mama had LOTS of tests to look for outside causes for this hypertension (EKGs, looking at lungs for clots, checking kidney & liver enzyme levels, looking for protein in urine, ultrasounds). Ultimately, I was too early for preeclampsia and liver enzymes looked fine. Diagnosed with chronic hypertension being induced by pregnancy. Since then, we’ve been more or less successfully managing BP at home.
01/28 Week 20 - Level 2 Ultrasound & Cardiogram
Baby’s heart looks good
Placenta function did not look good & causing Baby to be growth restricted (3rd percentile - want to be between 10-90). Baby weight 300g. The flow from placenta to baby was restricted but not detecting backflow (which is better). Unfortunately, there’s not much to do but to wait…
01/29 Quick Hospital Visit for a BP Spike
When we showed up, my numbers “looked beautiful”. We recalibrated my BP goals to increase BP flow through the placenta a bit which felt like a way to do more (thank you engineering fluids classes)
02/11 Intro Visit with Sarah Thompson, Doula, Focuses on maternal nutrition
After analyzing my bloodwork (& getting more blood work), we determined mama was dehydrated (Are you getting enough electrolytes? I drink a ton of water but lacked electrolytes! Think coconut water), needed more protein, low in Vitamin D, low in Zinc, etc. We made some targeted daily nutrition goals: 3 glasses of chocolate milk, 5 eggs, a kickass prenatal vitamin (8 pills/ day), coconut water, magnesium glycinate before bed, more foods rich in zinc, Vit D, etc.
Her goal? Keep baby growing proportionately & inutero until 27 weeks.
02/22 Week 24 - Growth Ultrasound
Baby is still around 3rd percentile but has grown about proportionately between ultrasounds (this was really the goal). Weight 480g. Promising!
02/24 Met with Neonatal Staff to Understand What Premie Stats Look Like
02/25 Mama Turns 30
02/27 Feet Swelling Has Gotten Very Bad
02/28 Doppler Ultrasound Shows Start of Reversed Flow to the Placenta
Admitted to the hospital for constant monitoring- 3 non-stress tests per day to check heartbeat. The bad news is that placenta flow will not go back to “good” but can keep functioning as-is, we just don’t know for how long. Now we can get steroids / magnesium which help support early growth!
02/28-29 Steroid Shots & Magnesium Drip
Steroid shots are important for fetal lung development and magnesium helps with neural development. Thankful both are in my body for baby’s use!
03/02 Preeclampsia
Mamas urine is showing protein and hypertension has been a little unruly on occasion. We’re on the preeclampsia spectrum and working to manage through some unruly up & down BPs.
03/03 Week 25 + 6 Days - Follow-Up Doppler
We’ll learn how the placentas flow is doing and make a plan of next steps from there! Praying for continued flow and more time in-mama!
Baby Gouda showed signs of stress on Thursday 3/3 from her labs and we were quickly moved up to a c-section.
SHE was born at 3/3/2022 at 4:02pm, 25 weeks + 6 days. She measured in at 10.5” long and 1 lb 3 oz. She is being very closely cared for by the Childrens Hospital NICU staff and mama is also recovering well. The c-section went as planned, led by a female anesthesiologist and OBGYN team. She is considered a “micro-premie” so there are many complications on the road ahead, but as you may guess, she’s a fighter.
The night of her birth was very touch and go. A hospital chaplain came and prayed with us and offered to baptize her in holy water with us. It was beautiful in the scariest hours of our lives.
Yes, mom and dad are still working on a name but we thought we had more time to prepare lol. But we’re just so completely in love. We are keeping faith that God has a beautiful plan for her and we’re honored to be her parents. We’ll be fighting with her for every step of this journey, day by day and hour by hour. We can feel the love that you all are sending, so keep it coming. We’ll need prayers for the road ahead is long
3/4/2022 Day 4: Official Name: GRETA PAIGE! Good day of tests & daddy held her in his hand(s) for the first time.
3/8/2022 Day 5: She had a PICC line placed today which is common but does, as all procedures, pose a risk for infection.
3/11/2022 Day 8:
Mama is feeling pretty well post c-section. Five weeks until my external incisions are considered healed. Hopeful for our first “kangaroo kare” ie skin to skin contact over the weekend. Our favorite nurse will be working all weekend and is pushing to get us there.The team determined she has a PDA in her heart which is a small vessel infants have connecting the aorta to the pulmonary artery. In premies, this often stays open and needs treatment. Step 1 is to treat with 5 days of Tylenol. Step 2 is surgery if it doesn’t close. Isolating as much as possible right now just to avoid any additional germ exposure that we’d take to the NICU. Meeting with the Care Team this afternoon and are looking forward to learning more.
3/12/2022 Day 9: Greta's first poo!
3/15/2022 Day 11: Mama & Greta's first Kangaroo time- they say babies feel most calm and with their body temperature regulated during this skin-to-skin time. The stronger she gets the more they'll allow it!
3/19/2022 Day 17:
Greta still needs prayers for improved lung health! She had a good day today with slightly decreased ventilator settings (the vent is necessary but is also hard on the lungs) and a few extra days of hydrocortisone (an anti-inflammatory; trying to decrease stress in the lung tissue).
She had a good day today! Her color looks much better than Monday when we started kangaroo care. It’s been so good for both of us and we’ve been able to do it daily! She is tolerating food better and is up to 4ml per 3 hours. We’re watching her tummy and poos very closely ha. Her weight is up to 700g from 540g at birth.
Funny things: she loves to have one of her hands up by her face at all times. If you swaddle her, she will still get free.
3/21/2022 Day 19: Greta has a milk hangover from that Cyclone win last night. Daddy thinks she’s the good luck charm and will be watching Friday's game from the NICU (again). She’s up to 8mL every 3 hours! Working on growing!
Wednesday 3/23 Day 21: Greta tried the conventional ventilator instead of the jet. The jet is gentle in premie lungs but is very unnatural feeling, giving her tiny breaths at a rate of 360-420 per minute. She tolerated the change in vent for two hours total but was not converting CO2 to O2 well, used up her limited O2 reserve, so she took a little dive down to ~30% O2 before catching up. Mommy was thoroughly scared! Since then, we’re more comfy using the jet again and rebuilding her reserves and stamina.
Thursday 3/24 = Greta is 3 weeks! Weight = 1lb 11oz (8oz bigger than birth = 1/2 pounds!) She has a couple events today including an ultrasound of her liver & a catheter (attempt/fail). She was a trooper! Mom got to do kangaroo care but someone was wiggly…
Friday 3/25 = Daddy’s first time doing kangaroo care! Both Dad & Greta loved it. She laid more horizontally across his chest for a new technique. She seemed to like his furry chest insulation
As you can tell, it's already been a long journey and there is more to come. Typically the NICU makes the due date the goal for going home which would mean many more weeks. The Koller Family is in that waiting game of GROW GRETA GROW! If you feel it in your heart that you'd like to support them in addition to your thoughts and prayers please consider donating here. Let's show them how much we love & support them!
Organizer and beneficiary
Andrea Koller
Beneficiary