Wednesday, February 25, 2009

We're Coming Home!!!

We're coming home from the hospital tonight! Hurray! Samuel was able to maintain his oxygen levels without help for a good part of the day so we're free! Yay!

2 Months or 1 1/2 Weeks?

Yesterday was the boys' 2 month birthday. My question is this: since they weren't due until February 14th, are they now 2 months old or really just 1 1/2 weeks old? What are your thoughts?

The boys are continuing to grow grow grow, in spite of being sick. They are both over 8 lbs now. It's hard to believe they are now more than double the size they were at birth.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Slowly But Surely


Well we made it through another day at the hospital. I thought I was going to lose my mind this morning after about 1 1/2 hours of sleep last night and enduring ear piercing alarms going off every few minutes when the doctor tried taking Sam off his oxygen. I honestly wanted to throw the machines out the window. Thankfully, Sam has been off oxygen for several hours now and seems to be doing very well so far. If he keeps this up, maybe we'll get to go home tomorrow.

Wesley is managing to stay just well enough to dodge hospitalization so far. Praise God for that! My parents came this afternoon to relieve me for a few hours so I could go home and get a shower and a short nap. Jeff's parents were at the house helping to care for Wesley and fixing a nice home cooked meal for us. So nice! It was so wonderful to get to see my sweet Wesley and have a quick visit with Jeff before heading back to the hospital tonight.

As I write this, the alarms are going off again. Sam isn't keeping his oxygen level up high enough. Please pray that he improves so we can go home soon.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Update

So Samuel and I are in the hospital for another day. He's still on oxygen and they have to wean him off slowly and then monitor him for 12 - 24 hours after that. They just turned him down to half of what he was getting so we'll see how he does over the next several hours. He seems to be feeling better today and his appetite is increasing. Praise God!

Wesley is still holding his own at home. Grandma Carroll graciously agreed to spend the night with him last night so Jeff could get some sleep and then again today so he could go to work. We may have to take him in for a follow up visit to the doctor today to make sure he doesn't need to come in to the hospital as well. These respiratory infections can take a quick turn for the worse in these little guys so we don't want to take any chances.

I am very grateful to have the opportunity to receive the care we are getting for Samuel. believe it or not, it has been quite peaceful here in his hospital room and I am actually getting more sleep here than I would at home. It's kinda nice getting to spend some one-on-one time with Samuel, although I'd rather it be under better conditions. Still, I need to focus on what I have to be thankful for. I thank God that things are going as well as they are. Thank you everyone for your prayers!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Our Home Away From Home

I am sad to say that Samuel and Wesley have been sick this past week. On Friday, we became concerned enough to take Samuel to see the doctor because his cold had gotten worse and his breathing more labored. The doctor gave us a prescription that didn't end up helping and asked us to bring both boys in for an exam on Saturday. We were sent to the ER just to be on the safe side because the doctor wasn't comfortable with how either of the boys were breathing. In the end, Wesley went home with Jeff and Samuel and I stayed here at the hospital.

I find myself back in my old familiar haunt, ordering off the same menu, only now I'm not the patient. At least this time I can sleep by Samuel's bedside and I don't have to go home and leave him behind like we did when the boys were in the NICU, although, I miss my little Wesley (as well as my sweet husband, of course). Samuel and Wesley both have RSV but Samuel is having a more difficult time with it. He's not in serious condition but is on oxygen so he doesn't have to work so hard to breath. Today he's been a little better and has had a little more of an appetite than he has for a few days. There's no way to know for sure how long we'll be here. He needs to be eating better and be able to keep his oxygen levels up without help for 12 - 24 hours straight. For the most part he's comfortable. So far there has been no need for IV fluids and I pray it stays that way. I feel grateful to have the hospital facilities and staff available to monitor him and give him a chance to recover from this safely.

Please pray with us that the boys get through this quickly. There's no medication they can really take for it, just have to wait for the virus to run it's course.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day

Yesterday was the boy's official due date.  Yes, they were supposed to be Valentine's babies but ended up being Christmas babies instead.  They have now broken 7 lbs each and continue to grow like weeds.  We're enjoying them more and more as they are awake and alert for longer stretches each day, although this means more work for us as well.  It's totally worth it.  Jeff and I are incredibly sleep deprived but managed to get out for our first date to the movies since before I went on bedrest in October.  My parents watched the boys while we went to see The International.  To tell you the truth, I think we would have both preferred a 5 hour nap.  Fortunately, Grandma and Grandpa were happy to continue holding the boys after we got home so we did get a 2 hour nap in.  Hurray!  How's that for a romantic Valentine's Day?!

Here are some pictures of the boys in their full term, 7 + lb glory...