June 8, 2006

Dear Folks,

Silas’ doctor had some encouraging words yesterday. Silas gained 2 ounces in 3 days. We are thrilled. Last time he gained 3 ounces in 6 days so his intake is coming up. He is having problems with gas bubbles in his tummy which causes him not to sleep anymore than half an hour without fussing. Tanaya and Albert are so tired. The Pediatrician said (we love this lady as we have all the doctors who have cared for Silas) Tanaya will soon need to try putting him onto the breast. You can’t imagine how excited Tanaya is about this prospect. Way back when Silas was in Portland Tanaya was told that he probably wouldn’t ever nurse. He milk supply instantly decreased by half. She is still making enough to keep filling him up and freezing a little extra. Please pray Silas will transition without too much trouble; when she offers it now he screams and will have nothing to do with it. I don’t know how they will get him to take it but Tanaya has the best lactation consultant in the world on her side. Not having to pump her milk would mean that life could get back to normal for the Kyne family—and me! (To our knowledge he hasn’t had another seizure. Tanaya did some studying on the internet and found out that 50% of babies who survive ECMO have to deal with some kind of seizures. The doctor doesn’t seem too concerned and we are hoping it was a one time occurrence.)

Lisa Bruce, my daughter in law, was induced yesterday morning and had her baby last night. He needed to be taken by emergency C-section. Lisa had pushed for a couple hours with no success. It turned out that he was presented with his head up instead of down and was jammed so tight against her pelvic bones that he has dents in his little head. He had some breathing issues when he was first born, too, that took a couple hours in the NICU to work themselves out, but he is now doing fine and nursing. (His name is Isaac Lawrence and he weighed 8 pounds 13 ounces and is 21 inches long. Lisa is a size one girl!) Lisa, however, has had a bad night. She hasn’t slept all night and is very agitated. This morning she had an allergic reaction to an anti inflammatory drug they gave her and she was hallucinating and feeling pretty bad. Please pray for her to have a calm spirit, to get some sleep and heal without complications. Thank you for praying.

Jeannie Bruce