Still Doing Good

Kaidyn is still doing good. She is still on the conventional ventilator. She won't been weened this weekend. Her CO2 levels are still high so they think she is still adjusting to the new ventilator. Other than that she is doing great. She is still moving around kicking her feet and tossing her hands, but Kaidyn does mean spirited.

We're Having a Great Day

Kaidyn is doing great today. She was put on the conventional ventilator and is doing very well. They are working on weening her off of that ventilator so she can be ventilator free. Her head scan was great, no brain bleeds. They have increased the amount of food she is getting from .5 mL to 1.0 mL. So basically from one drop to two drops. It's days like today that make getting through this easier. Since she is in the process of being weened off the ventilator and getting food she is not getting her "happy calm down medicine", so she is feisty. All the nurses have commented that she was feisty before but now it's more so. She was trying to turn her head and crawl out of her isolette today. Well not really crawl out, she was pushing up with her legs and feet, pushing her forward. I guess that means she's feeling good. So, today was a very good day!

Out of the Valley and Back on Top

Kaidyn is doing great! I guess she was telling us she needed steroids. We heard today that her PDA is officially closed! She has started receiving feeds again, and so far she has been digesting the milk well. She is requiring less oxygen and they have been able to decrease the settings of her ventilator. They are hoping that by tomorrow she can be put back on the conventional ventilator. I am just so proud of her! She is handling her hands on time much better. She still doesn't particularly like it, but she tolerates it and recovers faster than before.

Today I was reading a book I received from a mom who has been through the NICU roller coaster. This book, "The Work of Your Hand" was written by a christian NICU nurse. As I read a few chapters and the bible verses the book offers, I realized all the emotions I am feeling are common. This book speaks about being scared, the questions to God that run through your mind, the unfamiliar noises your hear that first day in the NICU. What stands out to me is the first chapter of the book, My child, the work of God's Hand. This chapter speaks about the initial thoughts and emotions you experience, one in particular, that of perfection. I had wondered why I didn't get the perfection every parent strives for when they find out they are pregnant. But this book made me realize that even though the method of Kaidyn's delivery wasn't "perfect" in the eyes of man, God doesn't ask for perfection. All God requires from me as a parent is to love my child; my child who is wonderfully made by God. Psalm 139: 13-14 says "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." Even though Kaidyn is sick and has a journey ahead of her, I know that she is a blessing that is fearfully and wonderfully made by God.

A Better Day

Kaidyn is doing so much better today. Even though I am sad she had to get the steroids, they are helping. They are starting to decrease her settings on the ventilator, she was able to be taken off both blood pressure medicines, and she is requiring less oxygen. So the steroids are definintley helping her. She had another heart scan today to check her PDA. We haven't gotten the results from the doctor, but the tech that did the scan said she didn't see a PDA. So lets hope she's right. All in all, Kaidyn has had a very good day.

Steroids

So, Kaidyn is doing okay. She was still having trouble recovering after any stimulus so they made the decision last night to start her on steroids. Its a little sooner than we all wanted or had hoped but praying and trusting God that she won't have any side effects from it. Continue to pray that her little body strengthens.

Everything is Still the Same

Kaidyn is still doing about the same. They are keeping her stable. There really isn't anything to update on. She didn't have any test today. She is sleeping comfortably in her house, well when we aren't doing her hands on. Pray that she stays stable so she doesn't have to be given steroids. She did some pretty bedding today.

They Said There Would Be Down Days

Today was definitely the bottom of the hill on this roller coaster ride. Kaidyn for sure has pneumonia so she will be on antibiotics for 7-10 days. Along with that comes x-rays daily to check the progress. She also started medicine for her heart murmur, or PDA as they call it. It is a three dose treatment and they will monitor how she responds. Her blood pressure is still not getting as high as they would like, so they added another medication. So much going on in such a tiny body.

We also had a small scare today when her stats started to drop considerably during her hands on. With all that is doing on inside her body she is telling us she wants to be left alone. She is having a hard time recovering after receiving hands on treatment. So it's all a catch 22 at times. She needs and wants to be left alone, but because she is sick and needs her diaper changed she is constantly having to be touched, repositioned, and suctioned.

Please continue to pray. Through all this, that is all any of us can do. When you pray, pray also for the many, many hands that touch her daily and those that make decisions on her treatment. Ask God to soften their touch and strengthen their minds.