Saturday, June 26

We are starting the rooming-in process with Andrew. We're required to room-in and take care of Andrew's feeds, medicine, diapers, and respiratory treatments. They want to make sure we know what we're doing before taking him home. Tara roomed-in for 24 hours from Thursday to Friday, and Kevin is rooming in today until tomorrow, hence the down time to write the blog. Tara did a great job during her stay, but just before she started, Andrew decided to pull his g-tube (feeding tube) out of his stomach. Luckily, the staff was around the bed when he did. There was some blood, but they got him cleaned up and put a catheter in for feeds. The inside of the g-tube was deteriorating, so it was a good thing that it came out. They put in a mickey button the next day. This is similar ot what you blow a beach ball up with. It sits flush against his skin and there's a flap you lift to insert a feeding tube. It's much easier than a g-tube. Andrew is still on target for July 6. We're not saying that he's going home; we just say that he's going fishing. We hear that some babies will slow the process down if you say "home". Andrew is still spitting up on occasion. Today, he projectile vomited, so we're a little concerned. We don't want him aspirating.

Adelaide and Mattie are doing really well. They had their 6 month checkup, and the doctor said they were thriving. Adelaide is 13lbs. and in the 80 percentile for her age. Mattie is 11.5lbs. and has increased into the 20 percentile. Both of them smile and coo. Adelaide does a lot of baby talking and loves to study our faces and smile while she's eating. It's hard not to laugh and smile back at her. We try to stay straight face, so she can concentrate. This is really a fun time with all three because of how they interact with us.

We picked a home healthcare agency for Andrew. We're really excited because two of his nurses from the Grapevine NICU are with this agency and are already assigned to him. We really liked their work ethic and attention to detail, so we know it's going to be a great fit. We're still in the process of getting his room ready. We still have things to store away and move, and of course, we still have to paint. Some friends are coming this next Saturday to help paint. We are so blessed.

Praise
Andrew getting a mickey button.
Finding a healthcare agency.
The girls are thriving.
A week and a half until Andrew's fishing trip.

Prayer
Strength and endurance for Kevin and Tara as we prepare for Andrew's arrival. There's still a lot to do and little time.
Healing of the infection around Andrew's mickey button.
Weight gain and strength for Andrew.
Mattie would wean off her oxygen.

Tuesday, June 15 - Power of Prayer

It's been awhile since we posted updates. We hope everyone is doing well and that you haven't given up checking on us. Thank you for continuing to pray for our family and for looking at our blog.

Andrew has had a great few weeks. It all started on Saturday, June 6. His doctor called us with an update. He told us that he had just seen Andrew, and it was the best he'd ever seen him. He hadn't spit up, he wasn't laboring on his breathing, and his lungs looked better. The doctor made some weaning changes to Andrew's vent and wanted to check his blood work on Monday. On Sunday, our church had a prayer night, and Kevin went to have the elders pray for the family and specifically for Andrew. The next day, Andrew's carbon dioxide had come down to 42 from 57, and the staff decided to wean him even more off the ventilator. This time they weaned his pressures. They gave him a week on these settings, checked his blood work, and the carbon dioxide levels came up a little to 51. Still a very good number. Yesterday, they felt he was doing so well that they weaned his rate, again! This time down 4 to 14. It's a big jump. Well, this morning his carbon dioxide was 48! We're so excited to see his progress. One of the nurses practitioners has told us that she thinks he's "turned the corner". We believe that the prayers that he's received has helped him to improve, and we thank God for it. Andrew is 9lbs. 2oz.

The girls are doing great. Adelaide's been eating better. She still has trouble in the late morning feed. We started mixing in formula bottles with the breast milk bottles since the supply in the freezer is almost out. Tara has done an awesome job of providing for them all. The girls are smiling and cooing all the time, and we think Adelaide is close to a chuckle. We're really enjoying spending time with them. We took them for their first walk last night. It's so hard to find the time to get them out, but there was a gap in between the feedings last night at dusk, so it worked out great. We also took them to meet their great grandmother for the first time. Mimi's birthday was on July 9, so we met her halfway for lunch. The girls did great on the trip, and we had several people stop by the table to ask if they were twins. We have the feeling that it was the start of many more table visits. Adelaide is 12lbs. 10oz. and Mattie is 9lbs. 5oz.

Praise

Andrew "turning the corner"

Great blood work results on Andrew.

Andrew not laboring after the changes on his vent.

Adelaide and Mattie eating better.

Our babies will be 6 months old on Friday.

Prayer

Continued growth and strength for Andrew.

Adelaide and Mattie would adjust to the formula.

Finding time to make preparations for Andrew's homecoming (getting his room ready, painting, interviewing agencies, etc.)

June 2010 Pictures - Andrew

June 2010 Pictures - Adelaide and Mattie

Wednesday, June 2

We had a Care Conference yesterday, and the staff at Our Children's House have pushed Andrew's tentative release date out to July 6. He's not as far along as they had hoped he would be, and his ventilator settings are still too high. While we're a little frustrated of having two more weeks added, we're thankful that Andrew will have more time to grow and get stronger before coming home. We certainly wouldn't want him to come home before he's ready. They have weaned him a little off the ventilator last night and will have a blood gas to see if his numbers will change. He also had some bacteria in his trach that they're treating with antibiotics and an infection in his g-tube area that is starting to clear after antibiotics. He weighs a little over 9lbs.

The girls are still doing good. We're trying a few different techniques to help Adelaide while she's feeding. Some days she takes her minimum, and other days she really struggles. We'd like her to be more consistent, so her doctor suggested a few things to try. The Nexium medicine that she's on seems to be working for her acid reflux. She arches her back and cries less frequently while eating. Adelaide and Mattie are starting to smile more and more each day. It's a great feeling to walk up to them in their crib, and they look up and start grinning really big.

Praise
The girls acid reflux is less.
Andrew's infection has started to go away.
Andrew is starting to get weaned off the ventilator.
Mattie takes her bottle consistently.

Prayer
The new techniques for feeding Adelaide would work, and she would take her minimum for each feed.
Strength for Kevin and Tara as we travel to Dallas each day to visit Andrew. Help us to remember the goal.
All the details of Andrew coming home (training and using the equipment, finding a home healthcare service, preparing his room and rearranging the home) would go smoothly.
Growth and strength for all the babies.