Stella's new space helmet...

Well...after all looks like Stella did qualify for a remolding helmet! The Prosthetist (person who gets the mold and fits the helmet) at -Fit-well- in Salt Lake City was pretty sure she wasn't going to qualify, but at the end she did. We are really exited about it, and at the same time a little sad for her. The thought of her having to go through more discomfort, considering everything she's already been through, really makes it hard to do. Stella being as tough as she is, got used to it within a couple hours. The helmet is made of plastic, so when we first put it on it's cold, and Stella gets upset. Her head gets really sweaty from the plastic, so we have to dry her hair and clean the helmet multiple times a day. Hopefully this helmet thing will only go for a couple months or so.
As of Friday she weighs 17 lb. It is so hard to believe the progress she has made, she's our little miracle. As you'll be able to see, she was NOT happy about the head cast!

She's not happy about things



Side view



Stella giving Daddy a crusty look, (I love this picture) as she sports her new helmet for the first time




At home-wating for lunch to be served

Cranial ultrasound...

Friday Stella had her cranial u/s, because the NP at the Dr.'s office was a little concerned about the fact that her head was growing a little too fast (Macrocephaly) in the last few months. Well, the Radiologist after reviewing the results was not concerned in the least. He was actually somewhat surprised about their concern with it. He said the reason for her head size (which is completely in the norm) is that her body is just catching up with growth, and that's related to her prematurity.
We really like her NP, and we're glad that she's on top of things. Better catch things early than late. Now we're just waiting to see if she qualifies for a molding helmet...which doesn't look like she will. On a scale 1 to 10, they consider 1 to 3 normal, and Stella barely scrapes a 4. The health insurance requires at least a 5 and a half to qualify. We feel that it is our duty as parents to take care of everything we can for her right now, so that later on in life she will have less to worry about.
Well, looks like that's everything for now, but we'll keep updating as Stella's adventure continues...

Going for a walk in her bear outfit