30th Day In The NICU

Jack wieghts 5 pounds 12.8 ounces.  Not long he will be 6 pounds.  They increased his feeding to the 22 calorie formula and they also increased the amount he is getting from 46 to 54.  His procedure went well.  The nurse said that he didn't cry at all.  The found out that he has a bad case of colitis and that he is allergic to milk.  Even though he is allergic to milk I'm so happy to have an answer to why he is having bloody stools.  The formula that he is on (Neocate) will continue to help the colitis clear up.  This could take a few weeks because his bowels were pretty irritated.  I pray that he out grows this problem, but atleast for no we have an aswer and we know what to do to clear it up!  :)
Jack can come home as soon as he takes all his feedings by mouth! 
Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.

29th Day In The NICU

Jack weighs 5 pounds 11.2 ounces.  They changed his formula to the 22 calorie from the 20 calorie formula to help him continue to gain wieght.  He has only had one heart rate drop in the past 48 hours.  They are going to go ahead and do the procedure tomorrow between 10:00 am - 10:15 am.  Please pray that my little bug doesn't feel any pain during this procedure.  Rodger came to the hospital and Blessed Jack tonight.  While Rodger was praying Jack had a small heart rate drop but brought himself right back up.  We were saying that when the Lord wraps his hands around you, you do tend to become pretty relaxed.  Jack just got a little too relaxed and forgot to breath for a moment!  :)  Thanks for the thoughts and prayers!
Great News Candy did so well during her surgery!  Thanks for the thoughts and prayers for her! 
God is so Great! 

3 Weeks 5 Days in NICU

Today Jack is doing a little better.  His night nurse got him to eat almost all of his feedings by mouth and he continues to do the same today.  The blood in his stool is not visible anymore but still shows up when they do their little test.  So they are going to go ahead with the GI consult tomorrow.  They will take a little biopsy of his colon.  He will be awake for this procedure and they tell me that it's not painful but I still find that hard to believe.  Pray for my little bug that he doesn't feel pain during this!  The biopsy is going to tell us if he has a formula intolerance.  If he does they can switch him to a lactose free formula.  Thanks for the thoughts and prayers! 

First snow of my little bug's life today!  :)  Wish I could show it to him! 

December 9th

Well great news today!  We believe that we have found a formula that Jack's stomach can tolerate.  The last two stools have been blood free!  Yeppie!!!  He weighs 5 pounds 5.3 ounces!  I am so glad that he is able to tolerate his feedings now.  He had to have the feeding tube put back in.  They were increasing his feedings and he finally made it to his max today and it was just too much for him.  He is still growing and getting stronger so they think that he will get the hang of eating all his feedings soon.  They took the IV out of his foot today.  So we traded the IV for the feeding tube, which I think I would rather him have the feeding tube them the IV.  Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers! 

2nd and 3rd week in the NICU

I'm so sorry it's been two weeks since I updated.  Time goes by fast and so do the days.  Well I'm excited to say that they removed the lights and Jack has been moved into an open crib.  Jack started taking bottle feedings and was working up to eating about half of his feedings through bottle and the other half through the feeding tube.  I was trying to feed breast milk, but my milk never came in and I wasn't producing enough to feed him so we started formula this past Saturday December 4th.  Apparently his belly didn't like the new formula on top of the new multi-vitamin the doctors started him on because he started having blood in his stool.  They stopped his feeding and he went about 13 hours without eating.  They had to start an IV and after three times they finally got one in his little head!  Since this time they have had to replace it four times.  It is now in his little foot as of this morning.  They removed the feeding tube when they had stopped his feedings because he didn't need it and it was time to replace it so they gave his nose a break.  They started him back on 10 cc's and went up one cc every three hours which is every feeding.  He has been able to take all his feedings through bottles and is up to 33 cc's.  They decrease his IV fluids with each cc he gets of formula until he gets to 46 cc's which is his max.  When he reaches 46 cc's they can take his IV out.  We are praying that they get to take it out either tomorrow or Friday.  Also we are praying that he will be able to continue to eat all his bottles by mouth so we won't have to put the feeding tube back in!  His heart rate drops are starting to decrease which is so exciting.  All we have to do to get him home is work out this formula situation and get his heart rate drops to stop and get him off his caffeine. 
Jack is a fighter and we have faith in the Lord that he has a special plan for Jack.  Everything happens for a reason. 
God gave Jack a special  nurse named Candy.  From the first time she took care of Jack I just loved her.  I believe that God places people in our life for a special reason.  Candy needs prayers because her breast cancer has come back.  We all know what prayers can do we have seen it with Jack.  Please spread the word to pray for our friend Candy.  The NICU needs her back and the world needs more people like her.  God knows what he is doing and even though it's hard not to question things I know that God is working in her life!  I'm so thankful for the new friend God has allowed Jack and I to meet in this troubling time!

8th Day in the NICU

Well today was a great day again!  Jack's levels are down to 6.1. Which means fingers crossed they will remove the lights tomorrow.  Jack has an awesome nurse Candy and she said she will beg the doctors for Jack to have them removed so we can take the shades away.  I did skin to skin with Jack for the first time today.  It's an amazing feeling holding your bare skined child to your bare skined chest.  It's just amazing.  Jack is still having a few heart rate drops but Candy said that as the days go on and he gets stronger and more mature he should stop those.  It's so hard leaving each time, but it's a good feeling knowing that the nurses are there and they are so caring.  Jack was up to 28 cc's of breast milk.  Almost one whole ounce.  In one week he went from 2 cc's to 28!  :)  What a big boy! Today Aunt Bev came to the hospital with me.

ONE WEEK OLD!!!

Well it's hard to believe that Jack has already been born for one week!  It feels like just yesterday.  The days kind of run into each other.  Brian and I got to see Jack today because Brian was off work.  I held Jack for about 30 minutes.  He is up to 23 cc's of food.  His blood levels are down to 7.1.  The doctor didn't write orders for him to be removed from the lights.  I can't wait until they take them away.  Jack has the prettiest eyes and I know he hates those shades.  He is always pulling at them.  He is such a wiggle worm.  It's so cute to watch him stretch out real big.  He has such long limbs.  Tomorrow I'm going to start skin to skin with him.  I can't wait to feel my handsome boy against me.  I also got to kiss Jack for the first time today.  Brian was going to hold Jack, but he woke up with a little cough so we wanted to be safe than sorry so he is going to wait until Thursday to hold.  If he is over the cough.  All in all it's been a great day.  I can't wait until tomorrow.  Thanks for the thoughts and prayers.