Sunday, January 25, 2009

Update and another soap box

Hello,
I have an update from Kinsley. She's doing better today! Her fever is gone, and they've stopped the antibiotics. They're keeping her oxygen set between 2 and 2.5 liters, and her oxygen saturations are staying in the 80's most of the time. They no longer think it's pneumonia... They think it's something viral instead. Kinsley's mom said she was smiling and interacting this morning and acting more like herself... They'll stay at Vandy til Kinsley's oxygen needs are back to normal, but right now they're still waiting for a room. She thanks you for the prayers and, of course, keep them coming!

And Payton's doing great! She's still on CPAP and is doing great with it. Her mom says they're going to wait a few days before trying the cannula, and they'll also try her first bottle soon, too! What a miracle baby!

And no update for Baby Drayke. Please keep on praying for him and his family, along with all these other sick babies, too.

As far as Daxton's weekly update, he's doing fantastic! He's 14lbs 7.5oz and 24 inches long as of tonight. His voice has really started to get louder over the past couple of weeks, and today Shep swears he heard a "dada." I think it was wishful thinking... I know Dax's 1st words will be "Feed me woman! I'm starving!"

And he decided he could sit up this week! Only about 30 seconds or so at a time, but it's a start. He's also this week stopped doing the "J-Lo booty" as we call it, where he sticks his booty out as far as he can when you try to make him stand. He'll now stand almost completely upright for a minute or so if you hold his hands. He's such a big boy!

One thing we're seeing more of as he gets older, and especially when he's tired, is "bobble-head baby." Sometimes when he's holding his head up it wobbles excessively, like he's nodding yes rapidly over and over. I'm not sure how much is head control and how much is cerebellum, but we're keeping an eye on it. It's definitely nothing major in the grand scheme of things.

As far as his oxygen, he's staying between .2-ish to .9-ish and doing great. When we're able to get his pulse oxometer to behave, we almost never hear his alarms at night... Sometimes it's hard to get them to behave, though...

Oh, and I have a quick soapbox... Kinsley's mom mentioned to a doctor yesterday that Daxton is a 23-weeker, and the doctor was quick to tell her that "23-weekers don't live." I've been told that by multiple sources over the past 10 months, with lots of implications that I "must have had my dates wrong." This, of course, has never set well with me, as I can tell you all of the important dates involved, and probably more details about one of those dates than you would care to know. There are hospitals who will only attempt to save 24-weekers and older because "23-weekers are not viable and don't look like Dax." The hospital where Dax was born believes every baby deserves a chance and will try to save any baby that is big enough to intubate, because every baby DOES deserve a chance. They've saved 22 weekers and 23 weekers, and, God bless them, tried their best on my 21 weeker. (There are two 21-weekers known to date that have survived at hospitals around the globe, and at least one of those had a due date verified by in-vitro.) My point is, you can't always assume that what you know is all there is, because new, wonderful things are happening every day. My son is one of those wonderful things. So, ye medical professionals, don't discredit him and everything he's been through just because you've never seen it before!

So I guess that's all our news! Love you all, and thanks for all the continued prayers for us and our friends. You guys make all the difference!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great news about Kins and about Dax!!!

As far as anyone who doesn't believe that 23 weekers can survive, let me direct you to a website that saved a 22.6 weeker. www.jzaj.com
And this little kiddo was also born at the same hospital as Dax and Kinsley. And yes, their dates are right.

Mom said...

Great news about Daxs girlfriend....and I have heard that too about 23 weekers and I have two of them and they are so healthy(minus the trachs). Dax is proving them all wrong just like my twins. Congrats on the sitting up.

Laura (speaking for everyone!) said...

I'm glad that Daxton is doing so well! He is gonna amaze you and you will always be in awe of your miracle.

and..
Girl- let me tell you, some people are just uneducated and down right stupid. Shortly after I had brought Tatum home, a lady Jeremy works with flat out told me- "you know, your baby should have died. I don't know why she didn't." I just looked at her and told her she didn't know what she was talking about and walked away.
It doesn't matter why or how our babies are still here- what matters is that THEY ARE STILL HERE! Overlook retarded people!

Drayke's Mom said...

My son was also born at the same hospital. They are fantastic with micro preemies. I doubt he would have survived those early days anywhere else.

4 on the go said...

Glad they all hada good day.
Your little guy sounds like he is doing great. He seems as if he has a heck of a lot of fight in him. He will be bigger then my Caden soon( they are not far off in weight, and he just turned 1 lol)

As for that doctor i would of had a few things to say to him that would of left him speechless. It's arrogance on his part. I know alot of 23weekers that are doing great now from when i had both my boys.

Congrats on his sitting up by the way