New Blog

We have decided to open a new blog to give everyone updates on Alyssa and our family. We miss Mya, but she will never be forgotten.

http://thenewmccullochfamily.blogspot.com

Thank you to all who have followed the blog!

Lindsay and Craig

Thank you

Here are some of the flowers that were given to us. Thank you for the beautiful flowers, they have brigtened our home in such this difficult time. Thank you also for the kind thoughts and prayers from everyone. Your love and support has been very much appreciated.







Love,
Lindsay and Craig

Friday Baptism

Here are some of the photos from the baptism at St. Joe's on Friday. Rev. David Woodall gave us the honour of baptizing Mya and Alyssa. They each wore a white christening gown provided by the hospital that will become treasured keepsakes. We are so appreciative of the NICU to allow us the time to hold the batism at the unit without visitors of other babies. It was a special time that both Mya and Alyssa could be together while presented to God.

As Seen In the London Free Press Today

MCCULLOCH, Mya Isabel - Peacefully in her parent's arms at St. Joseph's Hospital, London on Sunday, March 29, 2009. After fighting for 17 days Baby Mya began the next chapter of her life by becoming her sister's guardian angel. Beloved infant daughter of Lindsay (Bauer) and Craig McCulloch of Lucan and twin sister of Alyssa Grace Isabel. Dear granddaughter of Sheila and Doug Bauer of Brussels, Wendy and Rick McGregor of Arkona and Doug and Rose McCulloch of Belmont; and great- granddaughter of Frank and Isobel Burke of Brussels, Charles and Margaret Stuart of London and Jack and Dorothy McCulloch of Dorchester. Niece of Adam Bauer of Brussels and Dale and Cathy McCulloch of Belmont and cousin of Hailey. Sadly, Mya did not have the opportunity to get to know all of her extended family. Visitation will be held at the HASKETT FUNERAL HOME, 223 Main Street, Lucan on Thursday evening 7-9 PM. The funeral service will be held at Lucan United Church, 142 Main Street, Lucan on Friday, April 3rd at 11 AM with Rev. David Woodall officiating. Interment St. James Cemetery, Clandeboye. Donations to St. Joseph's Health Care Foundation "NICU" would be appreciated by the family. Condolences may be forwarded though www.haskettfh.com

Saying Goodbye

Hi all,

I realize it has been several days since we last posted on here - I apologize for that. Lindsay and I made a very heartbreaking decision to say goodbye to Mya earlier tonight. We were taken to a private room with a couch where Mya was unhooked from the ventilator and given to us. We were given the opportunity to give her a warm bath, dress her, and sit together as a family until Mya was ready to take her last breath. She went very peacefully in both of our arms.

We are tenatively planning for visitation on Wednesday, followed by a funeral on Thursday. I will make sure finalized details are posted on here as soon as we have them.

While we are incredibly distraught that we have lost our little girl, at the same time, we are also thankful knowing she is no longer in pain and has become Alyssa's little guardian angel.

Mya

I’m not exactly sure how to best communicate this, so I will do my best. We had an extremely difficult afternoon today. We met with the staff physician of the Sick Kids NICU regarding Mya’s situation. We went into this meeting with a lot of confusion as we had received vastly different information from different doctors. The doctor quickly put everything back into perspective, and basically, Mya does have PVL.

Factoring in the quality of life Mya will have with PVL, and the tedious pain and suffering she will endure throughout the multiple heart surgeries (in which the doctors are not very confident that she can even survive), Lindsay and I (along with the recommendation of the doctors) have made a very emotional decision to pursue a non-aggressive treatment approach going forward.

What this will mean is that both girls are being transported back to London tomorrow (2 separate medical teams in 2 different ambulances). They will be at St. Joe’s, which will allow us to be in a more comfortable surrounding closer to home and with both girls together. We will use this opportunity to have a professional photographer come in for some family portraits, have the babies baptized, and allow for some visiting time. When we are ready, we will have the CPAP removed from Mya and taken off the heart medication, and allow nature to take its course. Once this happens, we have been given anywhere from hours to several days.

We will communicate on here when the best time will be for people to visit. If you can hold off on phone calls tonight, that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for understanding.

-Craig & Lindsay

Daddy holding Alyssa

Craig had the joy of holding Alyssa for the first time since the night she was born. I had been hogging all the holds to help my milk come in. He got to hold on to her while I got to feed her (well, really just hold the syringe). We stick the soother in her mouth while she eats so that she associates sucking while eating.

Before Craig could hold her, I changed her diaper and took her temperature. She didn't scream or cry at all when I changed her diaper. We put the soother in and she decided to grab hold of it in the mean time. She loves to put her hand up to her ear and play with her face.