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Blog from OU Medical Center

Blog from OU Medical Center


Stevie Stewart, the twins' mother, now has her own blog >>

Click here to view photos of the twins


Sunday, 2/15/09 - Blog from Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center

 11:29 am - Heard from Stevie today.  She sent me a message that said "Holding Preslee right now for the first time."  This is fantastic.  She said that Kylee seems to be doing better with a lot more awake time and both girls are beginning to eat about 10 ccs of formula every four hours.  Looks like progress....  The girls official conditions remain critical (Kylee) and serious (Preslee).


Friday, 2/6/09 - Blog from Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center

4:43 p.m. - Fantastic news, I just talked to Stevie and she said that Preslee came off the ventilator this afternoon.  In addition, Stevie was able to see Kylee awake last night for the first time since the surgery.  She said it made her weekend when she saw Kylee peeking at her with one open eye.  Stevie is going to spend the weekend getting the girls room at her house ready.  I'm told by nurses in the NICU that their conditions remain the same.


Monday, 2/2/09 - Blog from Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center  

2:20 p.m. - So, I got to visit the twins yesterday and I had the pleasure of being there during amazing family moments.  First, they appear to be doing well.  Preslee remains in serious condition while Kylee is still critical.  Their conditions are unchanged since Friday.  But as I was standing in the NICU talking to Stevie and looking at Preslee, the baby started sucking on her ventilator tube as if it was a pacifier.  As I was starring at her tiny body and watching her gumming the tube, I noticed that mom was holding her little hand.  Since the surgery, Stevie has still not had the chance to hold her children, but here she was, holding her child's hand while her baby was gnawing the tube and it looked so.... comfortable - for both of them.

Stevie then pulled out a nail file and absently said "baby nails get so long" and she started filing Preslee's finger nails shorter so she won't scratch herself.  Such a simple act, but to me, it seemed so incredibly intimate.  It was the first time Stevie has been able to mess with Preslee's fingernails.  The first of many times, I'm sure.


Friday, 1/30/09 -  Blog from Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center  

10:04 a.m. - Good news for the twins.  Preslee has continued to improve throughout the week and has been officially upgraded to serious condition.  The settings on her ventilator have been reduced as her body independently does more and more of the work as she breathes.   

Kylee continues to be the more critical of the girls.  Earlier this week she was placed on  extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), which in effect, replaced Kylee's heart and lungs allowing them to better rest and recover from their surgery.  The good news is that Kylee came off ECMO yesterday and her lungs and heart have responded well to the rest.  She remains in critical condition, but her removal from ECMO was a step in the right direction.

Both girls remain in the Neonatal ICU, and are still sharing the same room.


Monday, 1/26/09 -  Blog from Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center  

11:57 am - Busy week last week for the Stevie Stewart, the physicians involved and of course the twins.  Right now both girls remain in critical condition in the NICU.  I'm told this could be a long slow process for them.  Dr. Tuggle thought they will be at the hospital a month or more.  The two girls also face another surgery within a year.

On Wed. The twins had a special visitor when mayor Mick Cornett came to visit them and to met Stevie.  I have known Mick for close to 20 years and he is a great guy.  It's just like him to go out of his way to met a fellow Oklahoman who is in the middle of a crisis. 

Thursday was the press conference with Stevie and the doctors, Stevie joked when she walked in the room that the media better not make her cry, but it only took about 5 minutes to break her.  Stevie is a very strong woman and I admire her and her strength during this time.

"Not again," she said as she put her hand to her eyes to hold back the tears.


Wednesday, 1/20/09 - Blog from Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center  

10:14 a.m. - Just spoke to Stevie, she said the girls had a quieter night last night, she even got a chance to go back home, do some laundry and watched a movie.  Even slept in her own bed.  She is feeling more rested now.  The baby's aunt decided to stay with the girls last night.  This is good for Stevie.  I understand it is tough for parents to leave the hospital, go home and get rest.  I think they feel guilt for leaving, however, it is very important for them care for themselves, as well.  Good for her.    

Currently they are still listed in critical condition.


Tuesday, 1/20/09, First Full Day Separated - Blog from Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center

1:57 p.m. - Saw the babies.  Two cribs, a lot of medical equipment and two tiny bodies.  I'm told Kylee had some breathing problems last night that was cause for concern, but is better.  She is on a type of ventilator that breaths rapidly for her, causing less stress on the lungs.  She is also breathing nitric oxide, which is helping to relieve her pulmonary hypertension.  Her lung circulation has a high blood pressure so the nitric oxide is helping keep the pressure down and allowing the blood to flow better. That was the cause of her breathing problems.  Stevie said Dr. Tuggle said it was expect

12:31 p.m. - Just had the chance to speak with Stevie about the Twins.  She said Kylee had a little scare last night but is doing better this morning.  Both girls are still listed in critical condition in the Children's NICU.  Sadly, she has not had a chance to hold them yet, but can stroke their heads and talk to them.  I will be going over later today to see Stevie and will be taking updated pictures that we will post them as soon as we can.

9:32 a.m. - I just called for an update on the condition of the Twins.  Both are still listed in critical condition.  I'm curious to talk to mom this morning to see how she is feeling and holding up after about 18 hours of the girls being separated.  Questions like, has she gotten to hold them?  Has she been able to kiss them?  Has she been able to spend time with them?  However, she did not answer her cell (Kinda think she has more important things on her plate).

I did get a chance to talk to a nurse in the NICU this morning.  The girls are sharing the same room, but not the same bed.  She said with so much medical equipment, it would be impossible for them be placed in the same bassinet.


Monday, 1/19/09, Surgery Day - Blog from the Blackberry of Allen Poston, Dir., PR, The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center


"This is an exciting day for us.  We are thankful to the physicians and surgical staff at Children's Hospital.  We appreciate all the prayers and hope people keep us in their thoughts over the next few weeks"

Kyle Wells, father of Preslee and Kylee Wells

 5:26 p.m.  Just heard from Dr. Mantor who said the kids have made the transition to the NICU and are doing well.  They are still listed in critical condition, but Dr. Mantor seemed very pleased with this early progress.  He said the first 12 to 24 hours or the most troubling as they find out how well the girls respond to the surgery.  But, it appears to be a good start.

2:02 p.m. - Surgery is completed.  Babies are separate and listed in critical condition and will be placed in the NICU at Children's Hospital.  Attached for 2 months together, they began their life pulling out each others medical lines, breathing tubes and the occasional fist of hair as they wiggled around trying to learn their surroundings  Today, they leave the OR in two different cribs one following the other, still close in proximity, but might as well have been a mile apart.  And that is exactly what everybody was hoping for. 

12:35 p.m.  - I just stepped out of the operating room to show the family a picture of one of their children, on a OR bed, by herself.  Very quite and very emotional in the waiting area.  Stevie then pushed the button on the camera to see another picture.  As she did it, I tried to stop her and she flipped to one of the medical pictures Mantor asked to be taken.  Her eyes got big.  I looked at her and said "I tried to stop you.". There was a lot of laughing at that point.  Stevie and Kyle probably have 25 people with them.  Good support.

12:24 p.m. - For the first time in their short 2 month lives, Preslee and Kylee are on their backs.  The OR has divided into 2 OR teams to begin the closing process.  One table is led by Tuggle.  The other table is headed by Mantor.

12:14 p.m. - SEPARATE!

12:11 p.m. -I think we are close to being separate.  The room is buzzing, the other surgical table is being prepared.  Tuggle has been consulting with Paliotta on heart questions.

11:51 a.m. - Dr. Mantor just left to go update Stevie and Kyle about the surgery progress. He said 60 to 70 percent of the skin separation part of the surgery is done. The two girl's chest are pretty much separate. The two GI tracks were separate before the surgery, which according to Mantor is great.

The major hurtle still remains the separation of the liver and the bridge that connects them. We are now at the part that is the most difficult and stressful. After the livers are separated, just skin on the bottom side (nearest the table) is all that remains to separate them.

11:32 a.m. - Just spoke with Dr. David Tuggle.  At this point everything is going as planned and he looks pleased (well, as much as I can tell since I can only see his eyes through the surgery mask.  But his eyes looked pleased)...  They are currently looking at the tissue bridge that connects the 2 girl's livers and discussing how to split the livers.  According to Dr. Cameron Mantor, this is probably the trickiest part of the surgery.

11:27 a.m. - Sometimes you can forget about the preciousness of life.....  I'm standing here in the operating room looking at the exposed beating heart of Preslee Wells.


10:55 a.m. - Surgey is starting in operating room number 9 at Children's Hospital.  Right now, I'm counting 15 medical people in the room.  Just talked to Stevie and Kyle.  They are surrounded by family and friends and have a great support network.  They seem comfortable, relaxed and happy.

Doctors are relaxed, calm and the surgery seems to be going as planned.  Told by one of the OR nurses that when they are separated, both closing surgeries will remain in this room.  A second OR table has been set up and is awaiting its patient.

10:22 a.m. - After nearly two months of waiting for mother Stevie Stewart and father Kyle Wells, the surgery to separate their daughters Kylee and Preslee is set for today.  The family arrived at 8 am this morning and the children were quickly taken back to the operating room.  For the past 1.5 hours, a team of physicians and medical personnel have been performing the delicate task of preparing the girls for surgery.  I'm told the physicians and OR staff have practiced and planned for exactly how they were going to position the babies, the extensive medical equipment and the staff.  The planning and preparation is finally about completed.  Dr. David Tuggle and Dr. Cameron Mantor are in the room and the surgery will begin shortly.

Allen Poston