Six weeks?!

Hard to believe that it has been six weeks.  The boys are doing well.  Wes is still doing well on the CPAP, and his oxygen needs were in the 30-40% range today, which is as low as they have been since he was taken off the vent.  Max's pressures are starting to climb a bit.  He is currently at a pressure of 38, but his oxygen needs have been in the 40-50% range, which is good.  He has also been passing some good fluids and he is not nearly as puffy as he has been in the last few days.  The boys are actually in isolation right now due to a bacteria that they both tested positive for.  Apparently the NICU has seen an influx in kids testing positive for Serratia (I think), which is somewhat unusual because they work so hard to prevent the transfer of bacteria.  Right now, kids in every nursery in the unit have it, so all of those kids (10-11 total) are in isolation.  That includes Max and Wes.  Isolation simply means we need to gown up in this awkward robe thing (that is clearly not a "one-size fits all" type of garment) to be near their incubators.  It is a bit of a pain, but the upside is that we have two of the most comfortable chairs in the entire unit (a very hot commodity), and other people cannot steal them when we are not there...because the chairs are "unclean."  I have been knocking down crossword puzzles in record time simply because I am comfortable.  

The big highlights of the day was that I got to hold Wes for almost 2-hours.  Kate has been holding him almost every day because he has been doing so well on the CPAP, but today was the first time I got to hold him.  I wasn't able to do skin-to-skin because of the awkward gown things, but I was able to swaddle him, which was awesome.  He was kind of jumpy at first and he got the hiccups (which I personally hate but find absolutely adorable when my 2 1/2 pound children have them), but after a few minutes he settled down and we took a nice long nap together.  It was really a special time.  It is hard to describe, but that was the first time I have really been able to hold either one of my sons and they are 6-weeks old.  Maybe "surreal" is the best way to describe it.

Kate and I are so excited that the boys have had a good couple of days.  We are so proud that Wes beat all the odds and is breathing like a champ almost by himself.  Max's pressure are climbing, but overall he is much improved over even 4-5 days ago.  Please join us in praising God for His providence...for watching over our little boys and carrying them through a lot of difficult times in the last number of weeks.  It is crazy to believe that they have both had heart surgery and they are barely 30-weeks old from a gestational perspective.  It will be fun to celebrate Kate's first Mother's Day tomorrow...but at the same time, the reality that Kate's Mom is not with us will be very evident.  I covet your prayers for Kate, her sisters and her Dad tomorrow.  Pray that God will surround them with His love and comfort in a very special way.