NICU Day 18

Will had another great night. His feedings have increased to 4 ml today from 2ml yesterday. They have given him a steroid shot today because Dr Omara is going to try and take him off the ventilator in the morning. Please pray that Will will be able to breathe on his own without the help of the ventilator. We are so worried but we know God is in control. He is doing so good so thank you so much for your prayers for our little warrior.

NICU Day 17

Will had another great night. He is just doing so well after the hole in his blood vessel has closed. Speaking of that, Dr Omara ordered another heart ultrasound today just to make sure that the vessel had closed and it was all clear. Will's weight has gone down to 1lb 2oz or 520 grams but that is due to all the fluid he has gotten rid of with being on the indocin mediciation for PDA and not having any milk. Will is doing so good and regulating his heart rate between 150-170. They lowered his breaths per minute down to 25 on the ventilator because it had been around 30 which means he is taking more breaths on his own without the ventilator. We are hoping he can come off of it this coming week. I'll be so happy but yet so terrified when that happens. The other good news is that Will has resumed his feedings but is only getting about 2mls every 3 hours. They are starting him off slow to not interfere with NEC which is a stomach infection he could get. So today for this rainy Saturday all is well in Will's life. When we were there visiting him, he had both his eyes open so I got to see those beautiful eyes again. Such a wonderful thing to see.

NICU Day 16

Will has some great news to report today. Dr. Omara is in complete shock because he believes that the blood vessel is completely CLOSED! He delivered the news to Doug this morning and he literally hit his knees. This is a rare thing for the blood vessel to close after one dosage of medicine. It usually takes about 3 dosages for the vessel to close. But Dr Omara tells us that the vessel might open again but not to be concerned about it if it does happen again. But as of today, the blood vessel is closed.

Will is doing so much better today and looks so much better too. His heartrate has stayed between 150-170 range which is way down from the 170-200 range that is was yesterday. He had a blood transfusion yesterday and is doing so much better. It is amazing the difference a day has made in Will's life. He still weighs 1lb 3oz though but feedings should resume tomorrow. They are starting his feedings at a low dosage but at a very slow pace to help him from getting NEC which is a stomach problem that he could get.

The best news of all is WILL HAS OPENED HIS EYES! I literally could jump in the incubator and give me a big kiss. This just thrilled my soul and brought tears to my eyes. He opened his left eye first and our social worker got a picture for me and then he opened his right eye and I could grab my camera fast enough.

I see you momma and daddy

Praise the Lord my blood vessel is closed now I can get fed again

Exodus 15:26

For I am the Lord, who heals you

Psalms 119:18

Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Happy 2 Week Old Birthday, NICU Day 15, and Pictures

Will turns 2 weeks old today. I still can't believe he is here and is two weeks old. This just blows my mind. Through this whole process, I've realized it's not my plan and never was and that it has and always will be God's plan for my life. For someone who is a planner like me, that has been hard to digest but we are living every day according to his plan for our lives, whatever that may be.

Will decided to throw us a curve ball on his 2 week old birthday. The doctors ran some tests today to see if he could possibly have a blood infection but that was CLEAR! Now he has had to go under a blood transfusion and had to be pricked again in his tiny little head. I've learned this today, even though his blood type is O+, the NICU babies only receive O- blood. Interesting, I know. He also has a blood vessel that hasn't closed near his heart and will begin a medication for that until Saturday. Therefore, his feedings will be put on hold until Saturday. What he has is called Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) which is the most common heart problem in premature babies. Before birth, much of a fetus' blood goes through a passageway (ductus arteriosus) from one blood vessel to another instead of through the lungs, because the lungs are not yet in use. This passageway should close soon after birth, so the blood can take the normal route from heart to lungs and back. If it doesn't close, blood doesn't flow correctly. In some cases, drug treatment can help close the passageway. If that doesn't work, surgery can close it. With all that being said, Will's has not closed and they are treating it with medicine until Saturday.

Please continue to pray for Will and us as we continue this journey in the NICU. We have experienced some great days but today was one of those days that we will just have to climb back up that hill to reach the top and continue this roller coaster ride. Please pray that the medicine will work and Will's vessel will close without them having to do surgery on down the road and that we will be able to keep his weight gain and tolerate his feedings once he gets put back on them on Saturday.

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Now for PICTURES

Happy 2 week old birthday to me. I got pricked in the head today for my birthday!

He loves to have his arm above his head when he's on his back

Tummy Time, my favorite!!

My mommy keeps a close watch on me

I love to hold my mommy and daddy's fingers

Psalms 139:13-14

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

NICU Day 14

Will had another good night. They have increased his feedings to 11ml and the prolacta should take effect here in the next few days and hopefully we will see some weight gain on this little fella. Dr Omara has ordered some routine blood work tomorrow and also another head ultrasound. Pray that all is well with those tests tomorrow. That is all for today. I have a few pictures to upload but that will be later.

Thanks for all your prayers and keep them coming!

Afternoon NICU Day 13 update

We went to see Will this afternoon and learned some more information about him. They are beginning him on Prolacta with the breast milk. Prolacta is a human milk fortifier and is going to help increase the calorie intake and promote more weight gain and growth. Dr. Omara might take Will off the ventilator next week to see how Will reacts to being able to breathe on his own. But this is all depending on how he is still breathing on his own the rest of this week.

Please pray that the prolacta will work and Will will continue to gain some weight and that Dr Omara can take him off the ventilator and that Will will be able to breathe on his own.

NICU day 13

Will had another good night. Thank you Lord! He is being rotated from his belly to his back to help relieve some of the apnea spells and the doctors say it is working very well. He is really enjoying being on his belly. His weight is back up to 540 grams or 1lb 3oz. His feedings have been increased again to 10ml every 3 hours. Yeah for that! He is getting his pic line out today which is great because they normally keep it in for 30 days and Will has had his in for 13 days and the doctors believe it is not necessary for him to have it in anymore. He is getting a few blood tests done tomorrow to check all his levels and another head ultrasound as well. So all is well in the life of Will in the NICU.

Thank you all for your prayers! We are feeling them everyday and are still being strong for Will. God is amazing and we are beginning to see his amazing power and prescense over our little Will each and every day. The doctors have warned us there will be ups and downs so we are trying not to be too overly excited over his daily improvements but are rejoicing and praising God for those days that we get good news. Continue to lift him up daily in your prayers as well as the amazing staff, doctors, and nurses at the NICU.