Wednesday, March 31

As we type this, Tara is holding Andrew in her arms. We thought that he would be paralyzed for 5-7 days, but the doctor wanted to stop the medication because of some fluid in his lungs. They wanted Andrew to be able to move around a little to help get the fluid out. The only danger is that he could pull the tracheotomy out, so the nurses swaddle him with his hands down and watch him closely. His right lung was a little collapsed today, but it's back to being inflated. His x-ray looked great, his carbon dioxide levels are low, they stopped antibiotics, and he loves his respiratory treatments. We are very thankful because last night was hard. It was difficult to see his eyes look at us and recognize us, but his body couldn't move. He looks really great. He hasn't lost or gained weight and is still at 6lbs 2oz. He's also getting several girlfriends in Dallas. The nurses that care for him really like him, and a few had previously taken care of him at Grapevine.

Adelaide is doing great at home. She's really an awesome baby. She's not fussy until she's hungry. Adelaide had her first appointment on Tuesday, and the doctor said she looked wonderful. She weighs 7lbs. 11oz.

Mattie is getting stronger taking the bottle. We will be taking her home on oxygen and a monitor, so we'll room-in on Friday to practice with the equipment. She weighs 5lbs 15oz. She's almost 6lbs!

Praise
Being able to interact with Andrew.
Improvements in Andrew's numbers, labs, and x-rays.
Mattie coming home.
Adelaide being such a great baby.
The blessing of a fund started by the Carroll High School Student Council members. We are amazed and humbled by their compassion and generosity.

Prayer
Continued protection over Andrew.
Andrew wouldn't pull out his trach.
Rooming-in with Mattie would go well.
Rest for Kevin and Tara.

Monday, March 29

Andrew's surgery went perfectly. The surgeon was very pleased with everything. Minimal blood loss and leakage from the trach and g-tube. We are praising God! Andrew is resting and looks really good. He's pink, and we can see his beautiful face. God has given us a miracle. He is under sedation, pain medication, and medication to paralyze him. They need him to be perfectly still for 5-7 days, so the tracheotomy can heal. He will be in the Dallas hospital until he weans off the ventilator. The timeline is up to him. Once he weans off this ventilator, he'll be moved to a home vent, and then he can be discharged to Our Children's House. This is an in-patient therapy and teaching location where we'll learn to care for Andrew.

We got a second good news today. Mattie is scheduled to come home on Thursday. She is consistently taking a bottle, but still on nasal cannula. She will come home on oxygen and monitors that we'll have to learn to use. We're rooming-in on Wednesday, so we can get used to the equipment.

Praise
Andrew's great surgery.
Mattie coming home.

Prayer
Andrew's recovery.
Protection over Andrew while paralyzed.
Continued weight gain and growth

Sunday, March 28

We are thrilled to have Adelaide home. The rooming-in on Friday went pretty well. We had no major issues, but sleep was minimal. We spent the morning in the hospital taking care of Adelaide and visiting Mattie. We left at 2:00 on Saturday and headed for home. We almost didn't get to leave. Adelaide was attached with a monitoring bracelet, and our nurse forgot to remove it. As we got near the elevator, alarms started going off, and our nurse said that she forgot to remove the band. Nurses and staff started pouring into the hallways to see who was trying to steal a baby. We all had a good laugh. When we go, we go big. Adelaide had a good night, and we actually got some sleep.

We visited Andrew after leaving Adelaide with Tara's parents. He was doing pretty good. He responded really well to us being there. His blood oxygen went up, and the nurse weaned him down to 70 percent by the time we left. He was really calm. We also gave him a sponge bath. The staff started him on a round of steroids to help his lungs before surgery. His surgery is scheduled for tomorrow at 2:30cst.

Mattie's feeding tube has been removed. She took all 8 of her bottles yesterday, so we hope she can come home some time next week. She's still on the nasal cannula and is anemic. She should be getting a blood transfusion tomorrow to help her out.

Praise
A great night with Adelaide.
Andrew being calm when we are with him.
Mattie doing great on bottle feeds.
For all of our friends and family praying for us.
Cards and support from our church family.

Prayer
Protection over Andrew.
Skill for the doctor and staff.
Peace for Kevin and Tara.
Mattie could come off the cannula.

Friday, March 26

As we type this blog, we sit in the NICU family room with Adelaide. The staff saw her off today, and it was really cool watching Adelaide being picked up and held by the staff without a wire or tube coming from her. So far, she's not sleeping and we need her to. We'll spend the night with her and leave tomorrow around 11 for home.

Andrew didn't do very well on the SIPAP. He lasted about two and a half hours and his levels shot up. When we arrived at the hospital last night, the doctor was waiting to tell us that he was going to be re-intubated. Once he was intubated, his carbon dioxide levels came down and his need for oxygen was less. The doctors have decided to push his surgery up. Kevin met with the surgeon today, and Andrew is tentatively scheduled to have a tracheotomy, a g-tube for feeds, a double hernia repair, and a circumcision on Monday at 2:30. His surgery may get bumped depending in needs on the OR.

Mattie is doing good. She got to see Adelaide up close personal today. Since Adelaide was wire-free, we set her in Mattie's crib. There wasn't a single hair pulled out of anyone's head. Mattie is taking about two bottles a shift.

Praise
Adelaide alone with us.
Andrew has calmed down and his levels are looking good.
The tracheotomy will get Andrew home faster.

Prayer
Everything goes smoothly tonight with Adelaide.
Andrew's levels get down to a point good enough for surgery.
Protection over our baby boy.

Thursday, March 25

Andrew had a better night. He de-satted less, and this morning his lungs looked better. He seems to be a little more comfortable. The move was a big shock to his system. We spoke with his doctor this afternoon, and we're waiting on some treatments the pulmonologist started on him yesterday. The plan is to wait until early next week to make a decision on a tracheotomy. There's a small chance the treatments could replace the need for the surgery. For now, they're taking him off sedation, extubating him, and putting him back on SIPAP. If a tracheotomy is needed, it will be performed later this week.

Mattie is doing well. She anticipates leaving the NICU in the next few weeks. She still is inconsistent on her bottle feeds. She did take a bottle yesterday in 10 minutes. She weighs 5lbs. 10oz.

Adelaide took 80cc of milk today followed by 70cc during her next feeding!! She's 7lbs 4oz. She's ready to go home.

Praise
Andrew had a better night.
Adelaide taking more milk.
For our marriage and having each other to share this experience.

Prayer
God's will for Andrew's treatment.
Protection and comfort for Andrew.
Andrew's continued lung improvement.
Mattie and Adelaide to get stronger on the bottle.
Strength for us.

Wednesday, March 24

Today is the babies' due date and yesterday was the longest Tuesday we've ever had. We got to the hospital at 2:30, and Andrew was already on a ventilator. He was very agitated and needed to be sedated. His weekend girlfriend (nurse) made a special visit to see him off. His weekday girlfriend was on duty and much of the staff gathered around as the transport team put him in a special incubator gurney. There were lots of tears flowing when we left. We followed the ambulance down to Dallas and waited to get Andrew checked in. He is heavily sedated and drops his blood oxygen a lot. His left lung is slightly collapsed, and he was seen by the pulmonologist this morning. We're waiting for his lung to inflate, and then they will re-evaluate. There's no timeline on a tracheotomy, but three doctors have told us that it needs to happen. Andrew just had an episode of clamping down. He wouldn't let the ventilator work and the staff had to come in to hand bag him. His heart rate dropped really bad as well.

Adelaide's discharge has been postponed. We hope to room-in on Friday and take her home on Saturday. She weighs 7lbs. 3oz.

Mattie waits patiently at Grapevine. She still is inconsistent on her bottles, but hopefully will do better over the next few weeks.

Our lives are going to be crazy for awhile, but the next few weeks will be really bad. We hope to visit Mattie every afternoon until the shift change at 6:00, and then head to Dallas to see Andrew into the evening while our moms watch Adelaide at home.

Praise
Andrew's transfer went well.
Adelaide continues to get stronger.
The support from the NICU staff.
The support from our family and friends.

Prayer
That Andrew wouldn't clamp down.
Andrew's lungs would inflate.
Wisdom for the doctors.

Tuesday, March 23

Thank you all for your prayers. Andrew had a really good night. His bi-carbonate levels came down significantly, and his carbon dioxide levels came down as well. We were really excited about the good news until the doctor called this morning. Even though, his bi-carb and carbon dioxide levels were lower, he is working too hard to breathe on the nasal cannula. The doctor wants to make sure that Andrew doesn't get pulmonary hypertension, so she suggests that we re-intibate, put him back on a ventilator, and send him to another hospital to have a tracheotomy performed. We've decided this is the best plan, so Andrew is being put back on the ventilator today and will be sent to Baylor Downtown Dallas. He will receive a tracheotomy and will have another few months stay in the hospital. When his oxygen levels are lower enough, and he is stable, we will be able to take him home on a ventilator that hooks up to the tracheotomy. He will live with the home vent for up to two years. Each baby is different, so it could be a shorter or longer time. Andrew weighs 5lbs. 11oz.

The rooming-in with Adelaide is now being put on hold until we can get Andrew settled. We hope to room-in later this week and bring her home after that. Adelaide is 7lbs. 2oz.

Mattie is still doing really well. She's on very little air from her nasal cannula and her carbon dioxide levels are low. She weighs 5lbs. 8oz.

Praise
The doctor is not waiting for pulmonary hypertension to set in.
Andrew had lowered bi-carbonate levels.
Adelaide is still coming home.

Prayer
Pray that Andrew's hospital transfer would go smoothly.
Pray that Andrew would react well to being put back on ventilation.
Pray that Andrew's tracheotomy would go smoothly.
Pray for Kevin and Tara as we make decisions for the babies.
Pray for us as we'll have one baby in Dallas, one in Grapevine, and one at home.