May 19, 2006

Today, a nurse who's never worked with us before was on for day shift. When I was telling her about Silas' feedings and how we have such a hard time waking him up to eat, she suggested that he was needing longer sleep times due to his age. We talked to Dr. Shelderlin who said he was game to try "on demand" feedings with the condition that he had to be awakened to eat if he went for longer than four hours. The nurse reminded me that it could take up to 48 hours to see if this was going to work or not. He still needs to take in his allotment of calories and gain weight, so if this does not happen, we will have to go back to the every three hours schedule.

Anyway, Silas took a longer nap today and woke up crying. When we gave him the bottle, he took nearly his whole feed. Then he was alert and awake for an additional half hour studying my face and looking around. At every other feeding, he has fallen asleep during the feeding. There has been very little social time. Then at the next feeding, he woke up MAD! He wanted to eat and was wondering why it hadn't started yet! Needless to say, he finished his whole feeding. He woke up again only two hours later and ate another whole feeding. The nurse said that if he keeps this up for 24 hours, they'll remove the nasty (but so far necessary) NG tube from his little button nose. Wouldn't that be wonderful! The Lord is gracious and merciful in all things.

By the way, if I'd have known how well everyone has been praying, I might just have asked that you pray I win the lottery! I don't play it, so that itself could be the miracle! (JUST KIDDING!)

He has also been burping properly (without the accompanying vomit) since we switched to the new schedule. He threw up once (all over my shirt) after the first feeding was half way done. He then proceeded to finish eating. After his second meal on demand, I felt warm wetness creep across my lap. I thought that the NG tube had come unplugged and was leaking on me. This has happened a few times already, so even though I'm not technically nursing my baby, I still always have the smell of milk on me. But it wasn't the NG tube. Silas had peed so much, and so fast that it was pouring out of his diaper and soaking my pants. Thank-you little boy. I was wondering when I'd get baptized by him. His diaper wasn't even that wet! It just poured out the side. Between his clothes and my clothes, I do a lot of laundry around at the Ronald McDonald House.

Right now, we are looking at a discharge date of Tuesday, May 23. That will be exactly six weeks from when Silas was mercy flighted up here to Legacy. We don't yet know if "going home" will mean home to our house or home to the Rouge Valley Medical Center NICU. He is having a couple more tests and some consultations on Sunday and Monday to make a determination about that. We still have many things that will require continuing care once we go home. Silas's blood pressure will need to be monitored closely, at least once a week, probably twice. It is difficult to find someone who has the ability and knowledge to take a proper blood pressure on an infant. Dr. Jenkins does a clinic once a month in Medford, so we won't have to go all the way to Portland for his monthly check up.

Silas will also have continuing physical therapy which the wonderful doctors from Northwest Newborn Physicians (read "doctors in charge of all NICUs in the area") are helping us setup. The physical therapists here are pleased with Silas' improvements. Even though he has a ways to go to develop his muscle tone again, I can see a difference already. I have a bunch of exercises they've given me to do with him and he doesn't seem to mind them too terribly much.

Becky's Joshua is still not doing well. He won't quit throwing up and they can't figure out why. He is being sustained through the nutrients given in the IV. He is not eating anything and yet every time she moves him he vomits. She is amazingly strong and good natured through all of this, but I know it is breaking her heart into a million pieces. Please pray for Joshua's miraculous healing to shock everyone around him. He is a beautiful big boy and his smile is so precious. Becky said tonight what awesome little people they all are to still smile after all they've been through. I think the same about her.

Aunna is remarkable. She was moved off the ventilator and onto CPAP. Then off CPAP and onto a pressure nasal cannula (minor CPAP). Her mommy gets to hold her now. WOW! And she is looking less like a wrinkled old woman and more like a baby. When I see her, it is like getting a glimpse inside the womb. We are watching her form. She is "fearfully and wonderfully made" by the mighty hand of God. To see the chubby tissues forming under her skin and her little body grow is unbelievable. She had a shunt placed in her skull as well, to drain the fluids building up. I've seen this in other preemies around the NICU. It doesn't stop them from doing well. I actually commented, "Wow. She is getting long!" Imagine saying that about a baby who is thirteen and a half inches. But you have to keep in mind she was only eleven and a half at birth. She is doing so well and pleasantly surprising her doctors I'm sure. She IS a survivor!

Nanette is home and looks wonderfully content. Check her out at www.nanettecooke.blogspot.com and also remember that I post pictures at my website for Silas. That address again is www.silaskyne.blogspot.com.

I really must get some sleep now, so I'll say goodnight to the computer and thank-you to all who read these words and pray for the little people enduring so much just for the chance to live. May God bless you in ways you can't even imagine. May His son, Jesus, fill your hearts with His peace, love and forgiveness. May He make His name known to you and His precious blood cover you. - Tanaya