God is good

Wow.  It seems like a lot has happened since I last posted an update.  Wes is still on the CPAP machine and therefore breathing on his own with only some assistance to keep his airways and lungs from collapsing.  The doctors have indicated that he is toeing the line of being re-intubated and put back on the vent, mostly because he seems to be working very hard and has not really found his rhythm yet.  They don't want to exhaust him, but he does have almost 3 1/2 days under his belt off the vent.  We are so proud of him!!  Even if he does have to be put back on the vent for a period of time to allow him to regain his strength, the last few days have been a real gift from God as He has given Wes the strength to outlast all of the doctors' and nurses' expectations.  Considering all of the other events of the weekend, it was a real joy to be able to call and hear that Wes was still breathing on his own.  He continues to do very well with his feeds of 20 mls of breast milk every three hours, and is currently on just enough sugar water to keep his PICC line open.  There have been discussions amongst the doctors that Wes could be ready to have his PICC line removed (that is the IV that threads all the way up his arm almost to his heart).  Max has had a crazy couple of days.  Crazy in a good way for the most part.  He had been on very high vent settings of roughly 46-50 and high O2 in the 80-90% range.  The doctors did decide to go ahead with the steroid treatments.  As expected, Max's blood pressure elevated.  To combat this, the doctors have implemented Inhaled Nitric Oxide (INO) which is used much like Nitro Glycerin in people with high blood pressure.  It helps to open up the blood vessels, and Max's application is used in conjunction with his jet vent and delivered right into his lungs.  Also, I mentioned that Max got a larger ET tube as well.  Needless to say, one of these things worked worked, and since it is hard to pin point what variable lead to the changes detailed below, we are just going to say it was God.  When we left the hospital tonight, Max was at a vent pressure of 30 and his oxygen was about 65%.  He has not been on vent settings that low in weeks!!  The respiratory people have been suctioning a lot of liquid out of his lungs, and this fluid shows evidence of Staph bacteria and possibly pneumonia.  Also, Max seems to have episodes where he fights the jet vent and his body starts to shake quite a bit.  Not shaking like in The Exorcist, but pretty active shaking for a 2+ pounder.  The doctors are a little puzzled by this, and they may be leaning towards using the conventional vent more than the jet at this point.  We are ecstatic about the improvement on the vent settings, but a bit concerned about the shaking and possible pneumonia.  We trust that God will continue to hold Max tightly in His grip and grow and develop Max's body in His timing.  Also, both boys weighed 2 pounds 7 ounces last night...so we are very happy about their weight gain as of late!!

This weekend was both beautiful and difficult at the same time.  It was incredibly hard to commit Mom's earthly body to the ground at the graveside ceremony, but the memorial service at night was such a beautiful celebration of her life.  God has certainly been covering us with His grace over the last number of days, but the reality that Mom is gone is starting to set in.  With it being the week leading up to Mother's Day, it is particularly difficult.  Please pray for Kate, Dad, Becky and Lisa (and myself, Henry and Joe), that God will continue to pour out His grace, to grant a comfort and peace that only comes from Him.  We all know that Mom is in Heaven and no longer has to fight or suffer, but there is still a void in our hearts that will never again be filled.  We do not anticipate the healing process to be quick, easy or anything in between...it never is when you love someone as much as we loved Mom.  But as Christians, we have hope.  Hope that we will again see Mom when Jesus has finished preparing our homes in Heaven.  I cannot wait to sing the song "Sanctuary" with her again.  It was a song that she loved, a song that we sang at her graveside ceremony, and a song that Kate and I have sung to the boys every night, either in Kate's belly or in their incubators.  It is a daily reminder to me of her legacy...a life lived for her savior Jesus Christ.

Lord, prepare me to be a Sanctuary

Pure and holy, tried and true

With Thanksgiving, I'll be a living

Sanctuary for You.