Milestone Weekend

Dear Samuel,

What a great weekend!

We reached another milestone over the weekend....Your feeding tube was moved from your mouth to an "NG" tube down your nose. This, is supposed to be, much more comfortable for you. If it were me, and I had to choose I would definitely choose nose over mouth. Check it out:

Your oxygen needs have been dropping too. You were down to 0.5 liters of wall air and were sitting at 21% (or "Room Air" aka what the rest of us are breathing right now) for most of the day yesterday. The doctors and nurses were toying with the idea of doing a test with taking you off of oxygen to see how you would do. We never got to that point, but still an encouraging sign that they would even consider it! You still struggle with feedings a bit, so they have to bump you up to 1 liter of wall air around 25%-30% O2. 

Now that your NG tube is in, You and Momma have started practicing with nursing and also taking a nook. Today was the first practice and you did really well! 

You dropped about 30 grams today (Sunday) but your weight is still doing really well. You're at 2 pounds 9 ounces. 

Overall, everyone in the NICU is amazed at how far you have come and how well you are doing. You are ahead of schedule for A LOT of things (Most of them listed above) for your gestational age. Needless to say, you amaze us everyday too. Keep fighting buddy! 

Love, 

Mom and Dad

Superstitions....Confirmed.

Dear Samuel,

I'm beginning to think you may have some sort of supernatural effect on Wisconsin sports teams while being held by your Mom or I.

Exhibit A) Wisconsin Badgers. News Years Day. Outback Bowl. We didn't get to the hospital until late in the game and the Badgers were actually losing at that point. Well, once I was able to hold you the Badgers tied the game up and forced OT.....You know the rest.

Exhibit B) Green Bay Packers. Today. We didn't get to the hospital until halfway through the third quarter. Down most of the second half, Mom started holding you, and it all turned around. (It's too bad we didn't stay for the Badger game tonight, they could have used our help.) We will for sure be there next Sunday though, we have another game to win.

GameTime for Sammy

Enough about my theory....

Today was another good day. 

Your alarms were far less today. The blood culture they drew on Friday came back negative at the 48 hours mark (they'll culture it for 5 days total). Also, your O2 needs were significantly less (or maybe it just seems like it, because it's lower than 30) than yesterday. When we were there today, you were set at 27% (And remember, "Room Air" is 21% aka the air the rest of us are breathing right now). Tonight, when I called down, you were set to 25%! 

Weigh-In today was even; you are still at 2 pounds 2 ounces. 

Your eyelids were getting heavy....

Your nurse today mentioned how much more comfortable you looked today compared to yesterday. I'm hoping that means that we are "Out of the Woods" with the RSV, especially with your O2 needs being lower.

Here's to another good night. 

Love, 

Mom and Dad