Please pray for McKenna today. Her heart rate is so high they are doing more tests today. They have taken her off the meds that tell her brain to remember to breathe. They took her off those last week to see if that would decrease her heart rate. It didn't and she was having so many apnea spells, or heart rate drops that they put her back on it. So they will take her off it again for a few days to see how that effects her.
They are also doing an EKG, ultra sound, blood count tests, chest and gut x-ray. This will be to see if she has an infection and to make sure her heart murmur is okay, and that she isn't having problems, and to see if they can find anything. They did a few of these tests last week and didn't find answers, so they are retesting again today to see if they can figure it out. It is possible that it is just how she is. We are praying they can fix it either way, because a heart rate that gets up to 240 is not normal or healthy.
They are also taking McKenna's isolate temperature down and putting her in clothes to see if that helps. They are thinking maybe she is just warm blooded and her body temp a little cooler will help.
Please pray for answers, direction and wisdom for the doctors and that they can help our baby girl. We are a nervous wreck today and anxiously awaiting results. Hopefully we will get some answers tonight, but most likely will take a couple days.
Thanks everyone!!! Will let you know what we find out.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Next Week
Keaton is up to 4 lb 8 oz tonight. He is more awake this week and tolerating all his feedings. The nurse said that next week we will be trained on the apnea heart monitor, do the first aid training and car seat test, then we will take Keaton home. This is exciting but nerve racking. Hope we do well taking care of him and that we are able to come up with a system for visiting McKenna. We are not allowed to take him with us into the NICU, but can take him to the NICU waiting room. Problem with that is that we are risking him getting sick or an infection from being at hospital, so will most likely figure out a system where Keaton and Kyle hang out at home while I go to hospital, and Keaton and I hang while Kyle visits McKenna.
Kyle got really nervous today when Keaton choked again during his feeding. It was scary, but I know that he will be capable and do a good job if that happens when he is home with him.
McKenna is up to 3 lb 6 oz. Her heart rate was up to 240 (usually is around 160 average) and any time she is awake or moving it spikes up in the low 200s. We are praying and believing with maturity this will fix itself. She is still really pale so they will do another blood count in a couple days.
Please keep the family in your prayers. We are hoping to finish getting stuff ready for the nursery tomorrow or next day. I ordered the bassinets yesterday and they should be here within a few days. So hopefully all will be ready for Keaton's homecoming, and McKenna's will be right behind him.
Kyle got really nervous today when Keaton choked again during his feeding. It was scary, but I know that he will be capable and do a good job if that happens when he is home with him.
McKenna is up to 3 lb 6 oz. Her heart rate was up to 240 (usually is around 160 average) and any time she is awake or moving it spikes up in the low 200s. We are praying and believing with maturity this will fix itself. She is still really pale so they will do another blood count in a couple days.
Please keep the family in your prayers. We are hoping to finish getting stuff ready for the nursery tomorrow or next day. I ordered the bassinets yesterday and they should be here within a few days. So hopefully all will be ready for Keaton's homecoming, and McKenna's will be right behind him.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Almost Home
Found out this afternoon that Keaton had taken bottles for 24 hours so they were removing his feeding tube. We were surprised to go to NICU tonight to see McKenna had hers removed too.
Keaton's feeding tonight without the tube was a little tiring for daddy. Keaton didn't want to eat, was bored with it and then fell asleep. He made it through the whole feeding though. He has to be able to take his entire bottles for 24-48 hours without help or the feeding tube goes back in. Please pray for this. That would be painful for him I am sure.
We had three nurses today tell us that Keaton will be going home soon, and two of them seem to think that it will be next week. We are excited to have our son home, but also a bit worried. He will have to have the heart monitor which is a scary thought. Plus his sister will still be in NICU for several more weeks while she gains weight and she can't have heart drops. So that will be a struggle to try to plan it all out with visiting her and Kyle working and taking care of Keaton.
Keaton weighed 4 lb 7 oz tonight. Woo hoo...getting closer to the five pound mark.
McKenna struggled drinking her bottle tonight. She usually eats it so fast she struggles to breathe in between. Tonight she got exhausted really quickly and fell asleep while eating most of it...She also choked on it three times. Was a little scary. Same rule applies to McKenna...if she doesn't eat all her bottles, tube goes back in.
McKenna weighed 3 lb 4 oz tonight. She is really getting up there in weight and you can tell she is finally filling out a little. We still are not able to hold her, mainly because the feedings. She is too small for her body to handle being fed plus being held. It would burn too many calories. I pray that this doesn't effect her long term - not being held.
Keep them in your prayers. Today was another good day.
Keaton's feeding tonight without the tube was a little tiring for daddy. Keaton didn't want to eat, was bored with it and then fell asleep. He made it through the whole feeding though. He has to be able to take his entire bottles for 24-48 hours without help or the feeding tube goes back in. Please pray for this. That would be painful for him I am sure.
We had three nurses today tell us that Keaton will be going home soon, and two of them seem to think that it will be next week. We are excited to have our son home, but also a bit worried. He will have to have the heart monitor which is a scary thought. Plus his sister will still be in NICU for several more weeks while she gains weight and she can't have heart drops. So that will be a struggle to try to plan it all out with visiting her and Kyle working and taking care of Keaton.
Keaton weighed 4 lb 7 oz tonight. Woo hoo...getting closer to the five pound mark.
McKenna struggled drinking her bottle tonight. She usually eats it so fast she struggles to breathe in between. Tonight she got exhausted really quickly and fell asleep while eating most of it...She also choked on it three times. Was a little scary. Same rule applies to McKenna...if she doesn't eat all her bottles, tube goes back in.
McKenna weighed 3 lb 4 oz tonight. She is really getting up there in weight and you can tell she is finally filling out a little. We still are not able to hold her, mainly because the feedings. She is too small for her body to handle being fed plus being held. It would burn too many calories. I pray that this doesn't effect her long term - not being held.
Keep them in your prayers. Today was another good day.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Roller Coaster
Yesterday was awful, today is great. This truly has been the roller coaster ride the doctor's promised.
Keaton is still at 4 lb 5 oz but gained grams, so that's great. He also drank several full bottles today which is great since he has been slacking with that. His newborn rash still comes and goes. Was back tonight but has been gone most of this week. He didn't have any heart drops today and seems to be more alert the past day or two.
McKenna is doing bottle feeds every other feeding and doing great. She almost always finishes her entire bottle. She is still having problems with a high heart rate but didn't have any heart drops today. She is the exact same weight tonight as yesterday. No change in ounces or grams.
Kyle got home after his first business trip since babies were born. It's fun to see how well they respond to him. McKenna was fussing when we got there, and as soon as daddy stuck his finger for her to hold she clinched to it tight and just starred into his eyes. Her heart rate slowed down to normal range and the fussing stopped. For sure he has the magic touch. And Keaton drank an entire bottle for him, and even burped for Kyle.
Grandpa Dana came to visit the babies tonight too and held Keaton for the first time. Keaton slept in his arms most of the time but it was fun to see how comforted he was with Gramps.
And, the best news today was that I don't have MRSA. We are SO excited and feel very blessed. Thank you for your prayers! The babies are back on drinking breast milk tonight which means they are going to get the antibodies that formula can't provide. Hoping this will help them continue to grow and gain weight.
Thanks everyone for your commitment to praying for our family. We feel every prayer and it is so helpful to know when we are having a hard day and feel like we can't pray anymore, there is a group of people lifting up our tinys!
Keaton is still at 4 lb 5 oz but gained grams, so that's great. He also drank several full bottles today which is great since he has been slacking with that. His newborn rash still comes and goes. Was back tonight but has been gone most of this week. He didn't have any heart drops today and seems to be more alert the past day or two.
McKenna is doing bottle feeds every other feeding and doing great. She almost always finishes her entire bottle. She is still having problems with a high heart rate but didn't have any heart drops today. She is the exact same weight tonight as yesterday. No change in ounces or grams.
Kyle got home after his first business trip since babies were born. It's fun to see how well they respond to him. McKenna was fussing when we got there, and as soon as daddy stuck his finger for her to hold she clinched to it tight and just starred into his eyes. Her heart rate slowed down to normal range and the fussing stopped. For sure he has the magic touch. And Keaton drank an entire bottle for him, and even burped for Kyle.
Grandpa Dana came to visit the babies tonight too and held Keaton for the first time. Keaton slept in his arms most of the time but it was fun to see how comforted he was with Gramps.
And, the best news today was that I don't have MRSA. We are SO excited and feel very blessed. Thank you for your prayers! The babies are back on drinking breast milk tonight which means they are going to get the antibodies that formula can't provide. Hoping this will help them continue to grow and gain weight.
Thanks everyone for your commitment to praying for our family. We feel every prayer and it is so helpful to know when we are having a hard day and feel like we can't pray anymore, there is a group of people lifting up our tinys!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Digressing
Difficult day. Babies are struggling to keep heart rates where they are suppose to be. Keaton has not had a heart rate drop for two weeks and this morning before we went in he had one. I assume it is because he is warn out from having to bottle feed every three hours and not just relying on the tube in his nose. Then after the bath today I fed him and he had two heart rate drops. Nurses say it is just from exhaustion but they don't think they are pushing him too hard by requiring him to do so much back-to back.
McKenna has been taken off the oxygen monitors. They have been saying that she is having sat drops throughout the day, so we were surprised by this decision, but the nurse explained her sat drops are due to heart rate drops. Supposedly as she matures the heart rate drops will decrease and eventually go away all together. We are a nervous wreck while we wait to see if they are going to go away.
McKenna is now receiving bottle feedings every other feeding. She chugs her bottles down really quickly and struggles to breathe after it because of how fast she drinks. Nurse tonight said to pull the bottle away throughout the feeding to remind her to breathe and catch up on it. Of course doing that causes her to fling her arms and start crying. Poor girl must think we are going to starve her.
McKenna is up to 3 lb 2 oz today. She still looks pale to me, but nurses think she is pink. She still has the eye gunk too.
It's bath day on Tuesdays, so I was really excited to give them their baths today. Grandma Dana came over and watched so she could see them awake for more than fifteen seconds. They did well. McKenna cried a few times, but the pacifier really seems to calm her. Keaton did really well with the bath and loves to have his head washed. He turns his head side-to-side while water is poured on him.
Keaton took a full bottle from me tonight - finally. He hasn't been eating his full bottles since the incubator heat was turned off. This morning when feeding him Grandma Dana was talking to him and said, "Your Grandma's here" and right then he got the biggest smile on his face. Of course it was probably gas smiles, but perfect timing.
So, looking back over this entry it doesn't sound like digressing or like things were that bad today. I think it is just frustrating and scary that Keaton had heart drops throughout the day, and that McKenna keeps having them. We worry about taking them home and that happening. Of course they would be on heart monitors but it would still be worrisome.
Prayer requests: Heart rates (no more drops for either of them, and for McKenna's to not be so high), healing of MRSA infection in Keaton, protection from infection in McKenna, healing of eye bacteria in McKenna, growth and weight gain, help with feedings and taking all that they are suppose to, overall organ protection, brain development, hearing, blood count increases to prevent transfusions and anything else you think is important for them. We are so grateful for your prayers! Can't thank you enough!
McKenna has been taken off the oxygen monitors. They have been saying that she is having sat drops throughout the day, so we were surprised by this decision, but the nurse explained her sat drops are due to heart rate drops. Supposedly as she matures the heart rate drops will decrease and eventually go away all together. We are a nervous wreck while we wait to see if they are going to go away.
McKenna is now receiving bottle feedings every other feeding. She chugs her bottles down really quickly and struggles to breathe after it because of how fast she drinks. Nurse tonight said to pull the bottle away throughout the feeding to remind her to breathe and catch up on it. Of course doing that causes her to fling her arms and start crying. Poor girl must think we are going to starve her.
McKenna is up to 3 lb 2 oz today. She still looks pale to me, but nurses think she is pink. She still has the eye gunk too.
It's bath day on Tuesdays, so I was really excited to give them their baths today. Grandma Dana came over and watched so she could see them awake for more than fifteen seconds. They did well. McKenna cried a few times, but the pacifier really seems to calm her. Keaton did really well with the bath and loves to have his head washed. He turns his head side-to-side while water is poured on him.
Keaton took a full bottle from me tonight - finally. He hasn't been eating his full bottles since the incubator heat was turned off. This morning when feeding him Grandma Dana was talking to him and said, "Your Grandma's here" and right then he got the biggest smile on his face. Of course it was probably gas smiles, but perfect timing.
So, looking back over this entry it doesn't sound like digressing or like things were that bad today. I think it is just frustrating and scary that Keaton had heart drops throughout the day, and that McKenna keeps having them. We worry about taking them home and that happening. Of course they would be on heart monitors but it would still be worrisome.
Prayer requests: Heart rates (no more drops for either of them, and for McKenna's to not be so high), healing of MRSA infection in Keaton, protection from infection in McKenna, healing of eye bacteria in McKenna, growth and weight gain, help with feedings and taking all that they are suppose to, overall organ protection, brain development, hearing, blood count increases to prevent transfusions and anything else you think is important for them. We are so grateful for your prayers! Can't thank you enough!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Exhausted
How in the world do women do it? Have babies and take them home right away and then find energy to care for them and still get other things done? They are amazing! So are the men that do that.
Spent almost the entire day with the babies. Was able to do three of Keaton's feedings. He is slacking a bit with it. He still only got half of the bottle drank each time and then they had to put the rest through the tube in his nose.
Nurse today and the doctor both said they didn't feel the hernia and they weren't sure what the nurse was talking about. So that's a blessing and we pray if he had one that it is gone for good.
Keaton gained an ounce and is now 4 lb 3 oz and 17 1/2" long. Such a big boy. He has the sweetest eyes and looks adorable in the crib he moved into this afternoon.
McKenna is 3 lb 1 oz now and 15 1/4" long. She has grown quite a bit. Due to her increased number of heart drops (three earlier today) and sat drops they put her back on the meds that tell her brain to breathe. They thought that may be increasing her high heart rate, but they have to do something to help prevent or decrease the drops, so this is their answer.
Her eye culture came back that she has a little bacteria in the eye, but not an infection. Their suggestion is to massage the tear duct and see if that clears things up a bit.
McKenna's skin was looking even more pale tonight so they are going to do another blood count tomorrow morning. We usually get results back pretty quickly. They also did another MRSA test on her today to make sure she still doesn't have the infection. It's a bit frustrating they have done three on her since Keaton was diagnosed with the colonization of MRSA but have not done another one on Keaton. We are also still waiting for results on my tests for MRSA and should get those tomorrow.
Hoping to finish things up in the nursery this week, just in case Keaton IS able to come home. Think that will help us to feel a little more calm about him coming home...having things organized and ready for them.
Please pray for Keaton to start taking all his bottles, for him to continue to do so when they remove the feeding tube, for him to hold his body temperature, for MRSA colonization to go away, and for overall health and weight gain.
Please pray for McKenna to gain weight, continue drinking her bottles (can now have two a day), breathe without stimulation, heart to beat like it's suppose to, eye bacteria to go away, blood count to go up on its own, and for overall health and well being.
Spent almost the entire day with the babies. Was able to do three of Keaton's feedings. He is slacking a bit with it. He still only got half of the bottle drank each time and then they had to put the rest through the tube in his nose.
Nurse today and the doctor both said they didn't feel the hernia and they weren't sure what the nurse was talking about. So that's a blessing and we pray if he had one that it is gone for good.
Keaton gained an ounce and is now 4 lb 3 oz and 17 1/2" long. Such a big boy. He has the sweetest eyes and looks adorable in the crib he moved into this afternoon.
McKenna is 3 lb 1 oz now and 15 1/4" long. She has grown quite a bit. Due to her increased number of heart drops (three earlier today) and sat drops they put her back on the meds that tell her brain to breathe. They thought that may be increasing her high heart rate, but they have to do something to help prevent or decrease the drops, so this is their answer.
Her eye culture came back that she has a little bacteria in the eye, but not an infection. Their suggestion is to massage the tear duct and see if that clears things up a bit.
McKenna's skin was looking even more pale tonight so they are going to do another blood count tomorrow morning. We usually get results back pretty quickly. They also did another MRSA test on her today to make sure she still doesn't have the infection. It's a bit frustrating they have done three on her since Keaton was diagnosed with the colonization of MRSA but have not done another one on Keaton. We are also still waiting for results on my tests for MRSA and should get those tomorrow.
Hoping to finish things up in the nursery this week, just in case Keaton IS able to come home. Think that will help us to feel a little more calm about him coming home...having things organized and ready for them.
Please pray for Keaton to start taking all his bottles, for him to continue to do so when they remove the feeding tube, for him to hold his body temperature, for MRSA colonization to go away, and for overall health and weight gain.
Please pray for McKenna to gain weight, continue drinking her bottles (can now have two a day), breathe without stimulation, heart to beat like it's suppose to, eye bacteria to go away, blood count to go up on its own, and for overall health and well being.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Almost Home
Was so excited tonight when I walked in to Keaton's "Suite" and saw that his incubator heat was off, he was in a full sleeper and had a hat on. One of the big steps before he can go home is holding his own body temperature, and so far he is doing it. If he continues to hold it until tomorrow afternoon than they will put him in a bassinet. He looked so adorable!!! The other main steps are drinking full feedings every time (still at 35 ml every three hours, but occasionally falls asleep before finishing full bottle) and not having any apnea spells. The nurse predicts he will go home in about a week. WOO HOO! This Tuesday they will be 35 weeks if I was still pregnant.
He has been having greenish-yellow gunk in belly button past couple days and nurse today realized he had a suture still in there from when he had the IV put in his belly button. Hopefully now that they removed the suture he will not have any more puss. She noted also that Keaton has a small hernia there so they will keep an eye on it. We are going to request the doctor look at it on his next rounds.
Keaton was looking really pale again tonight too, so they will do blood work in the next couple days to make sure his numbers are okay and that he doesn't need a transfusion. Not sure how it works if he needs a transfusion or how long he has to be in hospital. I would imagine that would delay his coming home, but I would prefer the delay as opposed to him having to be checked back in for the transfusion.
Also, his rash is still on his face. Please begin praying the rash and hernia go away or God heals him of these things. And pray his blood count goes up on its own so no transfusion is needed. We are also praying he continues to hold his own temperature, gains weight and begins eating all his bottle feedings.
McKenna has a lot of gunk in her eyes and this morning she could hardly open her left eye due to the large amount of sleepers. Apparently they continued to build back up throughout the day and the nurse plans to do a swab on them tonight and will see if it is an infection. If so, they will have to giver her antibiotic eye drops and hopefully that will heal her.
She drank her entire bottle for me tonight (25 ml) and then was wiped out. She is a good eater though and seems really hungry by the time it's feeding time.
McKenna is exact weight tonight as yesterday. She had a heart drop today and several oxygen drops throughout the day too.
Please pray for McKenna's eye infection to go away, that she continues to drink her one a day bottle, that she gains weight, that she is protected from the gut infection and/or MRSA, and that her blood count goes back up on its own so another transfusion won't be necessary.
Thanks everyone for all the mother's day wishes! That is so sweet. It was a wonderful one and I am so blessed to have two beautiful babies.
He has been having greenish-yellow gunk in belly button past couple days and nurse today realized he had a suture still in there from when he had the IV put in his belly button. Hopefully now that they removed the suture he will not have any more puss. She noted also that Keaton has a small hernia there so they will keep an eye on it. We are going to request the doctor look at it on his next rounds.
Keaton was looking really pale again tonight too, so they will do blood work in the next couple days to make sure his numbers are okay and that he doesn't need a transfusion. Not sure how it works if he needs a transfusion or how long he has to be in hospital. I would imagine that would delay his coming home, but I would prefer the delay as opposed to him having to be checked back in for the transfusion.
Also, his rash is still on his face. Please begin praying the rash and hernia go away or God heals him of these things. And pray his blood count goes up on its own so no transfusion is needed. We are also praying he continues to hold his own temperature, gains weight and begins eating all his bottle feedings.
McKenna has a lot of gunk in her eyes and this morning she could hardly open her left eye due to the large amount of sleepers. Apparently they continued to build back up throughout the day and the nurse plans to do a swab on them tonight and will see if it is an infection. If so, they will have to giver her antibiotic eye drops and hopefully that will heal her.
She drank her entire bottle for me tonight (25 ml) and then was wiped out. She is a good eater though and seems really hungry by the time it's feeding time.
McKenna is exact weight tonight as yesterday. She had a heart drop today and several oxygen drops throughout the day too.
Please pray for McKenna's eye infection to go away, that she continues to drink her one a day bottle, that she gains weight, that she is protected from the gut infection and/or MRSA, and that her blood count goes back up on its own so another transfusion won't be necessary.
Thanks everyone for all the mother's day wishes! That is so sweet. It was a wonderful one and I am so blessed to have two beautiful babies.
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