Hopefully I can get through this post without our computer crashing. It barely wants to turn on these days. Anyway, Colt is doing pretty well. He is still in the NICU where he was moved back when he got the NEC infection. He got over that very fast and was back to drinking his bottles after he finished 7 days of antibiotics. Since then, he has been upgraded to a crib, so no more plastic bed thingy. But, I am ultra paranoid one of the nurses will leave a side down and he will roll out. I know, I know, they are nurses and know what they are doing and i'm sure that would never happen. What can I say, I'm a paranoid mama. And, even though he is only four weeks old, he can roll over! When they weighed him last night he was still 5 pounds 5 ounces. His weight fluctuated some- when he was on IV fluids and milk at the same time he of course gained right much fast, then once off the IV he lost a little and is now back up to what he was. Hopefully he will continue to gain. He has done great to go 4 weeks without needing his surgery. The doctors wanted to wait until he started showing signs of heart failure before they performed it. Of course they did not want to do the surgery if he didn't need it yet. Unfortunately he is now showing signs of heart failure. It's bad because no one wants to see their child that way, but it is also good because that means it's time for surgery, and that means we can see a light at the end of the tunnel to when we will go home. His breathing has been labored for about 3 weeks, and he has been on medicine to help with the fluid in his lungs to help this out. He is now receiving this six times per day, which is the maximum. Since last Wednesday his oxygen saturation levels have been low, so last night they had to put him on oxygen. He looks so pitiful with the nasal tube, but doesn't seem to really bother him. He just pulls it out when it annoys him just like he did with his feeding tube, haha. He is still eating well, which is good, because tiring out during feedings is also a sign of heart failure. The cardiologist told us today they plan to do the surgery early next week, maybe Monday or Tuesday. Hopefully we will know a definite date by Wednesday or Thursday. I gave him a bath for the first time last night, and needless to say he did not like it!
We still cannot believe how blessed we are to have such a precious little boy. Our days are pretty exhausting going back and forth to the hospital, but we wouldn't trade it for anything. We are just so thankful to be able to stay so close to him here at the Ronald McDonald House. When we see other people that have been here for months, and even years it really puts things in perspective. I was scared to death that Colt would be tiny, and somehow God blessed us with a plump almost 5 pounder 7 weeks early. I thank Him everyday, especially when we see babies everyday in the NICU that were 2 and 3 pounds at birth, and whose parents are unable to visit everyday, because they either live far away or eventually had to return to work. I can relate because Drew is out on unpaid leave while we are here. Thankfully we had some money saved because we knew he would be out for a while, but didn't know it would be this long. Somehow we will make it work. I really don't want to be here alone if he has to go back to work before Colt is able to come home. I try not to think about it, and give it to God and trust that everything will work out. The days and weeks ahead will be much harder than the previous weeks. Please continue to pray for us. I pray God will continue to give us the strength and courage to get through it.
Andrew at 5 weeks, aka Colt's twin :)
