Week #2 Update

Jillian modeling her preemie hat and booties
Made lovingly by a Preemie Project Volunteer

Last week was incredibly emotional, which I wrote a bit about previously. Thankfully the invasive and aggressive measures that the medical staff here in the NICU took for Britian's lungs have helped. Over the weekend her P.I.E. healed and her lungs are better expanded. Sunday she also self-weaned on her oxygen levels. Since the P.I.E. episode began her oxygen levels on the jet vent had been upwards of 70% (room air is only 21%). However, Sunday she started getting high blood oxygen saturation levels and the nurses were able to bring her oxygen levels down to 40% or so which is great considering she was still paralyzed and sedated. Sunday they also took Britian off of her paralysis medication, by Sunday evening late she began moving just a bit and taking sporadic breaths on her own. This morning (Monday) she is moving much more, opening her eyes and flinching in response to touch. Once they remove the sedation medications (complete weaning by Wednesday) she should start to return to her normal self again, kicking and moving her arms all over the place. Oh what a beautiful day that will be!! I miss seeing her legs stretch up high in the air and her arms and hands move around her face. I am just so thankful that her lungs have healed so nicely since late last week. I prayed non-stop since this episode started that God would hold her and heal her, my prayers have been answered (along with all of your prayers if you have been praying for my girls). Praise Him!! Hopefully now she will recover for the sedation quickly and easily and move forward with her growth and progress.

Jillian had a great week! She has continued to stay stable on her jet vent and is now at such low settings on this vent that she has no room for improvement. The next step for her will either be a conventional vent or extubation to a CPAP. I really don't think she is ready for the CPAP. She is still so tiny, still less than 2 pounds, and considering her rough start in life I truly believe that her lungs need to mature and develop more before she can be successful on the CPAP. The goal here of course is to cause her the less amount of stress possible. If she fails on the CPAP she will have to endure being intubated again. Jillian is tolerating her breastmilk feedings very well and is up to 24cc's every 24 hours. We are waiting for that critical point where her breastmilk calories can be high enough so that she really starts putting on the weight and growing. 

Both pictures in this post are of Jillian. She got to have her first modeling session yesterday afternoon. She wore her knitted hat and booties from The Preemie Project. Jillian first wore her hat on the day she was born, at that time she was swimming in it. Now I fear this will be the last time she can fit in it, that hat was just a tad snug on her little head yesterday. I sure hope Britian fits in her hat and bootie set for her modeling session.  The girls' day nurse yesterday was able to make scrapbook pages for each of them. Jillian's is hanging on the door of her room and Britian's is made up but just waiting for pictures to be taken. Because of the sedation Britian is a bit swollen and retaining fluids. We are going to wait for her swelling to subside before we take the pictures for her scrapbook page spread.

Please continue praying for my sweet babies. I can attest to the fact that your prayers are being answered. I know we will be here for months but every step in the right direction is a step closer to being home and completing our family.