About Avery
Our Journey...
view full size

Our life is forever changed. Only a few days after Avery was born, we found out that her kidneys were not functioning. They did an ultrasound and discovered she has multiple cysts on her right kidney and her left kidney was undeveloped (dysplastic). She was making small amounts of urine but that was mostly water. Her kidneys were not cleaning the blood and getting rid of the wastes. The Neonatologist told us he had made some phone calls to a Pediatric Kidney Specialist at UTMB. He said she would have to be transferred to UTMB or Texas Children's Hospital. A few hours later we met with Dr. Kalia from UTMB. He drove out to Clear Lake to have a meeting with us. He checked out Avery and then pulled Raul and I aside to speak with us. He said Avery looked really good except her kidneys, which is a big deal. Dr. Kalia was upfront and honest with us. He said that she would have to be on Peritoneal Kidney Dialysis. He also said this is going to be very hard on our family. He asked how long we've been married because this puts a strain on a marriage. He asked if we had family and friends to help us out because we’ll need them more than ever now. Finally, he said he didn't know if Avery was going to make it. He said him and his nurses will do everything possible to care for her but there was someone more powerful who has a plan for her (God). That night Avery was transferred by ambulance to UTMB. The minute we arrived we were so pleased with the nurses and doctors who cared for her.

With only a few days into this world, Avery had surgery to insert a Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter into her chest. Avery is the smallest baby at UTMB starting dialysis at 3 tiny pounds…..

Click here to follow our incredible journey through the peaks and valleys of Avery’s life on dialysis, a kidney transplant and post transplant obstacles. God has blessed us with Avery and we couldn’t be more proud to call her our daughter! This is our busy life and our way of sharing Avery’s progress with friends, family and people who have fallen in love with a beautiful and brave princess, Avery Nicole.

10 weeks early April 22, 2005
view full size

On Friday morning I was awaken by another Specialist who gave me an Ultrasound. This doctor told me my fluid level was even lower (less than 1) and I needed to prepare to deliver the baby NOW. Ok have in mind, I'm by myself and can not get in touch with Raul. So once again, I'm crying endlessly freaking out. My wonderful OBGYN, Dr. Nisbet, comes in and tells me I'll be sent to the operating room at noon. She is so comforting and telling me every thing will be ok, etc. Raul "FINALLY" gets there an hour later. It seemed more like 10 hours later. As I was getting ready and prepped to have Avery so many people showed up (before and after) to show their support for our family. Dad, Rema, Dora, Angie, Tila, Lupe, Pito, Ernest, Dawn, Noe, Karen, Leticia, Rico, Christian, Dan, Cebrina, Beta, Melina, Sam, Minnie, Mom, Miriam, Roxanne, Ashley and Leslie, THANK YOU so much, THANK YOU!! I hope I didn't forget anyone, if I did Thank you so much (and sorry I missed your name). Our baby was born at 2:02 pm. I was awake this time (with Alexa's emergency c-section I was knocked out) and got to hear her first cry. It was the most amazing thing.

Avery Nicole M.
April 22, 2005
3 teeny tiny pounds and 8 oz.
15 inches

Admitted in the Hospital April 20, 2005
view full size
I was admitted into the Hospital the very next afternoon. Raul had to work and take care of Alexa so I stayed by myself for the most part. Rema and Angie came by to keep me company in the evenings, which was nice. Actually, Rema was there almost the entire time with me until she was about to pass out. I had to make her leave and get some rest. She?s a great friend. Raul would also bring Alexa to see me. It was very uncomfortable having monitors hooked onto me. Every time I needed to get up and go to the restroom I had to unhook so many different things.
Ultrasound-30 weeks Pregnant April 19, 2005
I was seeing a Specialist because I had Placenta Previa. I actually had an appointment scheduled for Friday but the nurses called me and said they had to reschedule my appointment to the following week because Dr. Rieter was leaving out of town. I explained to them I was on vacation this week so they needed to squeeze me in and luckily they did. Dr. Rieter was starting to give me the ultrasound and said he wanted to look at the location of my placenta first. Then all of a sudden in shock he said, "Oh my, where is your amniotic fluid?" I'm thinking ok he's the Specialist don't freak me out right now. He started asking me questions.... if my water broke, have I been leaking, etc. He said maybe the baby's kidneys aren't producing urine because later in pregnancy that is what makes up majority of the amniotic fluid. He looked at her kidneys and said they looked fine BUT it was very hard to see because of the low fluid. The normal pregnancy has anywhere from 8-25 centimeters of amniotic fluid. Well I had less than 2. He was puzzled as to what was going on with the amniotic fluid because 6 weeks before my fluid level was 15. He kept saying over and over... "I have no idea what's going on here, mamm, I've never seen this before." He said he needed to speak with my regular OBGYN, Dr. Nisbet, about admitting me into the hospital. He said they will keep me and the baby on monitors and continue getting ultrasounds, and that I can be in the hospital anywhere from 1 week up until I deliver. I leave the office in tears having no idea if my baby was ok. The Specialist really freaked me out.
I "thought" I was taking a vacation April 18, 2005
view full size
I requested a vacation so that I can finish Avery's room and so many uncompleted projects that I had started before the baby arrived. I knew I would be so busy with Alexa and Avery so I wanted to get a head start. It's crazy how things end up happening. Click on the picture of Avery's room so it can enlarge. We aren't 100% completed yet because we are so busy.