The Third Week of Life

Fortunately this past week was uneventful. I wanted to give a quick update on the boys. Aaron actually pooped on Thursday night. This was unexpected given his condition and the fact that he has never eaten. Since things are "moving along" they began to feed him, which is awesome. We have been warned however that he is a good candidate to contract necrotizing enterocolitis or NEC. NEC can be treated. However if contracted, NEC is very serious. The team is "priming" his stomach for full feeds. His feeds are 1 cc of breast milk at present and will be for the next few days. Aaron's next hurdle is to not contract NEC. Only 5% of preemies get NEC (he fits all criterion for contracting NEC) so we are hopeful he will push his way past this next hurdle. Aaron had another EKG yesterday. The hole in his mitral valve did get a little bigger. He is not in heart failure and the size change seems inconsequential. Please pray that as his heart grows, the hole remains the same size. We were told that no heart surgeon would touch him due to his neuro workup , his critical condition, and the fact that valve replacements are not lasting. Aaron's endocrinologist was happy with his sugar levels. Now that feeding has been introduced, his team will have to find the balance insulin he needs. A month before discharge we will find out if he needs an insulin pump or will if the diabetes is transient (common in preemies). Aaron is tolerating his wean on dopamine and o2. He is still on a ventilator and probably will be for some time.

James is hanging out in the NICU. Aaron is pretty much the most high maintenance preemie, while James is the opposite. The final results are not back from our thyroid testing. My antibody levels were pretty high indicating Hashimotos disease, so it is probably likely he has transient hypothyroidism. He is still gaining weight, however some days he loses. James is right on the cusp of weighing 3 pounds. He gained 40 ounces yesterday. With a smile I write that he had a 30 ounce poop last week (that must be like 5 pounds to me). He is now in 'big boy' diapers (preemie size) due to his prolific pooping. He is tolerating the wean down to four liters of O2 at a rate of 21-28 percent. Please pray that he continues to eat and grow well.

Thanks and have a good weekend!