Love and Support for Emily Joyce Kalbach

Updates at bottom of page
Emily Joyce was born on November 8, 2021 weighing 5 lbs, 1oz and 20 1/4 inches long. Melissa and Stephen knew that Emily was going to need to spend some time in the NICU due to a heart condition but that did nothing to change the joy they felt when their tiny bundle of joy arrived in this world.

 

When she was about a week and a half old, Emily had a very bad day. She was in critical condition and was surrounded by 10 or more doctors and nurses all day. However, the doctors were utterly amazed how fast Emily pulled through her severe state and said she truly is a fighter.

 

11/30/21 Update (from Melissa)

Emily is slowly improving but her little body has been through so much that it takes time to recover. The road ahead could include more challenges for Emily but with so many unknowns we are not even thinking about it. We are just hoping she continues to move in a direction that will make her a candidate for heart surgery. For now we wait till she tells us what’s next. We continue to carry the fear things could still go wrong, but she is strong despite everything. We are surrounded by so many small and sick children -it’s a sad place but the large team of doctors and nurses are truly amazing!

 

We are taking one day at a time hoping to hear the small feats she has made each day. Emily has opened her eyes a few times, gripped our fingers, and wiggled her toes. She knows we are here. On Monday 12/6 she will be a month old and we will have been living at the Ronald McDonald house for that long! We are also taking care of ourselves and getting fresh air when we can!  Mommy has decorated Emily’s bed with some Holiday decor and reads to her some nights.

I know many of you are anxious to see more pics! Here are some pictures of our beautiful Em before she got really sick.

 

Update…
Cheers to 2022!   

Emme Joy has been bright eyed and happy over the past week and mom is loving the snuggles.  We made a big decision at the end of 2021, and are transferring Emily to Boston’s Childrens’ Hospital on Monday! The plan is for Emily to get heart surgery! The surgery is extremely risky and to say we are worried is an understatement, but we know our Em deserves a fighting chance despite all the complications. We are remaining cautiously optimistic and hoping for the best. We know our girl is a fighter, and we have a great feeling about Boston. We are confident it’s the best place for her moving forward.

Mom will ride in an ambulance for the first time and fly with Emily and the medical staff from Strong. Dad will be driving to meet us! The doctors and nurses at Golisano love our little girl and are praying for her, holding onto hope and passing along hugs as we get ready to leave. We are so grateful for the wonderful nurses and doctors we have built relationships with over the past 7-8 weeks.

We are praying the start of this new year will be good to our baby girl-we love her so much and we know all of you are praying and rooting for her! We tell her everyday how loved she is by everyone! Your support has helped us get through this time and we remain blessed to have you all in our life and to be Em’s parents.

Once we get settled in Boston and we have more information we will continue to provide updates.
We wish you all a Happy New Year!!! May this year bring you good health, love and happiness!   
 
   
  Jan 18, 2020
Slow and steady are the surgeon’s words as Emily recovers. The surgeon visits everyday to check on Emily, and her heart looks excellent. The risks we were presented with have turned out ok so far. Although it’s up to Emily how the next several weeks turnout we are extremely happy with the care she is receiving at Children’s in Boston. The doctors and nurses are an amazing team.
It’s also amazing what the power of prayer can do, having our daughter in your thoughts or in your hearts has meant the world to us! She is so strong!