Prayers Needed

Brody is a little better today than yesterday but still not doing his best breathing. He has spells where he just breaths with the vent and not above it, even with his prescription of caffeine. The medical staff believe that the vent tube may be creating more secretions which could be a factor. He is on the lowest settings on the vent which makes them believe that he will do better on a mask rather than the ventilator. Unfortunately, the last time they extubated him he had a pulmonary hemorrhage. They haven't had a baby do that for probably 2 years. It is rare to happen and some of the staff has told me it was bad and scary. Brody's MD is telling us this is the next step and he appears ready but as you can understand we are not so sure. We need prayers that the medical staff make the best/correct decision for our son and that he is ready for this next step.

The road ahead is still very long, I knew nothing about preemies before this and I am learning quickly. Some of you may know this but if you are like Brent and I you are clueless too. I want to let you know our road so you know how to pray for our little man. Once he gets off of the vent successfully then his PDA will be our next hurdle. Sometimes it closes on its own, sometimes it takes medication, sometimes - surgery, I believe God is closing it. He has started feeding (1cc every 6 hours then tonight move to 1cc every 4 hours). His bowels are moving OK with the feedings but it is not uncommon for these little guys to create hernias from their weak stomach muscles, which would also need surgery. And not sure yet of all the details but he may also have to have surgery on his testicles if they herniate or don't do something properly (still learning about this condition). Then his eyesight will need checked because detached retinas are common in preemies his gestational age. He may also require eye surgery. He had a small bleed in his brain which is OK (normal for his 28 week gestational age) but we had to have 2 CT scans to monitor it. He has had too many chest x-rays and heart echo's to count. His RN said his lungs did look better tonight. But when he does come home in December (so far away) he will be on an apnea monitor and a prescription of caffeine. We have also been told that he will be more susceptible to RSV and cold/flu. Therefore, we have already been told not entertain nor take him out until March. I didn't realize ALL of this with a preemie. I didn't understand that one more week in utero can make a difference between a baby making it or not. I just thought they didn't weigh very much. My sister-in-law was a little baby which I didn't realize is not the same. There was so much on Brody that wasn't finished developing not just his weight. It seems everyday I find out one more hurdle we have to jump.

This is our road. Pray for our strength, for good decision making, and for Brody's health at every turn. I DO NOT worry. I know God has got tomorrow covered because He is already there waiting for us. He is with Brody when we come home. I know that there is nowhere this life can lead me that God is not there with me. And some of you may have heard me say this before, life is just icing on the cake, heaven is the dessert. No matter what happens on this earth...........I'm goin to heaven!!!!!!!!!! (But that doesn't make this life less exhausting)