Doing Hard Time...

Gus' time in the NICU is now hard time - he is big enough to come home but has to get past a few hurdles before he can do so. He has to be able to eat every feed with the bottle or breast - he is now getting the bottle twice a day. It takes a lot of energy so he has to build up to it. He also has to get past his major apnea events - he is down from over a dozen a day to only a few, but they are big ones when he has them.

Gus looks pretty content here in Jill's arms after eating his bottle. He had one major apnea event while eating - he was either falling asleep or had forgotten to breathe for a very long time. We were unable to get him breathing again by rubbing and turning him so Nurse Susie had to "bag" him and give him breaths before he picked it up on his own. REALLY scary to see as a parent so obviously we want Gus to outgrow this before he comes home.

Gus gained over three ounces yesterday - up to 4 lb 14.25 oz!!! We just talked with the nurse this evening and he had lost an ounce this evening due to "fluid output." That is OK too - what goes in must come out... Gus will have his eyes examined on Monday to see if the retinopathy has progressed/regressed. Please continue to pray for healing and a positive outcome.

Live at MVH (thanks Johnny Cash),
Gregg, Jill and Gus