Monday, September 10, 2007 - Evening Update

Jodi sent me this update late last night, I apologize I am just now getting this posted. - Stacie

Well, we just got home from the hospital and it’s close to 10 pm and we’re exhausted. Both Logan and Olivia have some rough days ahead, but I know they will get through it. Olivia, like I’ve mentioned before, has an infection and is on antibiotic. If the bacteria has entered her CVC line, they may have to remove it. They hope she will be fine without a line until the bacteria is gone. Then, they will put another one in. She is also fighting chronic lung disease (CLD). The ventilators that they are on can burn their lungs and form scar tissue. That scar tissue can lead to the lung disease. We basically have to wait it out and let her pull through it and we don’t know how long that will take. .maybe weeks. . maybe more. When I went to see her today, they were bagging her because she was desatting on her oxygen. It’s always so scary to sit there and watch their monitors. Olivia is only content when she’s not being bothered and is in the darkness and security of her bed. She doesn’t even like us to lift her covers or turn on the light to see her. We’re going to have to buy some night goggles just to see our precious baby girl. Again, this is pretty common of a 23 weeker and she will become more tolerable of handling as she gets older.

Logan now has a cute little belly button. He also starting taking some milk today (just .9 cc) I got to take his temperature AND change his little diaper today. Later tonight, Ryan got to take his temperature and change a diaper as well. He does have some collapsed air sacs on his lungs. They are turning up his ventilator settings slowly to help open them back up. Dr. Hsiao (pronounced like shower without the –er) compared it to opening up a bag. You could just shake it hard one time and get it to open, but that could cause damage to the lungs. Instead, you just gradually pull it apart. Logan also has CLD as well. Most premature babies outgrow some to most of this as their lungs further mature. Logan is off of his antibiotic. . his last culture came back negative.

When we got home, we went to get the mail and Logan and Olivia had their first pieces of mail!!! Of course, they were only their insurance cards, but they were addressed to them and so they will go in the scrap book. It kind of brightened our day!!

I still can’t believe the outpouring of love and the number of prayers that our family has received. It is because of your prayers and because of God’s love that Ryan and I are able to get through each day. Many of you know me, although some of you do not. If you looked up ‘strong’ in the dictionary, you would not find a description of me. I’m a very sensitive person. . .I’ve always considered myself too sensitive. For example, when we lived in our apartment, I took care of about 10 stray cats. I still feel guilty to this day about leaving them there and that was 3 ½ years ago. I never thought I would ever be able to go through anything like this. Am I mad sometimes? Yes. I don’t understand why this had to happen. Why would God make me wait so long for a baby and endure that hardship only to face another? I don’t know. People tell me the best place for the babies is at Wesley’s NICU and I’m so grateful for their expertise and knowledge of premature babies. I then have to tell people that a BETTER place for my babies would be my womb. Truth is. . .the BEST place for them is in God’s hands. That’s where they’ve been and that’s where they will continue to be. I know HE is watching out for them and I pray for the day that I get to bring them home. Thank you for keeping all of us in your prayers.