Week 1

Happy 1 week Jackson!

It has been a very long and short week all at the same time, the days have all blurred together. We have so appreciated the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from our friends and family. Words cannot describe how difficult this has been and the range of emotions we go through on a daily basis. But it helps so much to know how much everyone cares about our sweet little boy. 

We wanted to keep everyone updated on how Jackson is doing and thought one central place would be the best way. Because if you ask me, I'm likely to give a vague answer focusing on only the positive. But Hunter has been doing an amazing job of sending a detailed update to our families that I will copy here. 

I started this blog when we found out I was pregnant as a way to remember and document all the new things we would be going through. Well this is certainly new. I can't bring myself to reread what I wrote prior to this. So if you go back and read them, please be kind on how naive I was. In a million years I never could have imagined this would happen. 

I am working on writing Jackson's birth story but the experience is still traumatic to think about and will have to come later. 

Day 1

Hunter arrived a few hours after Jackson was born, he had been in Gillette, WY for work. For those of you who didn't know, we were supposed to be moving there at the end of the month. They let Hunter and I into the NICU to see Jackson, even though the NICU was technically closed at the time. While talking to Jackson and telling him how much we loved him, Hunter said "How ya doing little buddy?" And I am not lying, Jackson put up his little thumb as if to tell Daddy "I'm doing ok, I got this."

Day 2

We found out Jackson has a grade 2 brain bleed on the left side and a grade 1 brain bleed on the right side that they are watching closely. Grade 1 and 2 are pretty common for babies this early and usually don't have any long term side effects. 

Day 3

This day was incredibly difficult as I was discharged from the hospital. Not that anyone wants to stay in a hospital but leaving our baby behind to go home felt impossible. But this was also the first, and only time so far, I have been able to hold our sweet baby briefly in my hands. 

Day 4

Jackson started getting his first breast milk. He got 2 cc every 3 hours. 2.5 cc is a half a teaspoon. So he was getting less than half a teaspoon but it was exciting. He also had his first poop that day. We've never been more excited. Changing Jackson's diaper every 3 hours is honestly one of the highlights of our day. Hunter and I wait around the NICU all day long staring at Jackson and waiting for our chance to change his diaper and be able to touch and cradle him. 

Day 5

Jax is doing okay today. Breathing is good. He has Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) causing a murmur. It is very common in newborns. They have done an EKG and will likely be giving him medication to try to close the vessel bypass. He is not taking food right now and is having some bile back up in his feeding tube but that is not scary yet but they will be watching him closely for signs of NEC development. PDA can keep blood from circulating properly and can contribute to NEC. NEC is scary crap so we hope to get him past all this. He was a little fussy so the nurses let mom and dad cuddle him with our hands on top of his head and feet. He opened his eyes looked side to side and calmed right down. He seemed very at peace with mom and dad. He succeeded on making dad cry a little. He's a tough little guy and he knows he's loved. 

Day 6

Jax day 6! 1 lb 14 oz. Overall day is going well. EKG results came in late last night. The Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) is open 1.5 mm so we started 3 dose Indomethacin treatment. This will help close the open artery that is causing the murmur and the blood to flow incorrectly. We will be watching him closely for side effects resulting from the treatment. So far so good. There is a chance if this does not close it completely (EKG on Friday to confirm) and he has no aversion to the drugs that they will run another 3 stage treatment . Respirator stats are good his ventilator is turned down pretty low right now we hope to wean him off of that as soon as possible. But it is a give take process and may take awhile. Blood gas numbers have been great from a respirator standpoint. His kidneys and liver are expelling a little too much so they counter that by changing his intravenous food (TPN). They will not feed him proper milk until after the indomethacin treatments to curb the risk of NEC. He does not need blood yet but he will very soon. They only use irradiated type O negative blood for premature babies. He will need multiple transfusions while he is here (all will be from the same donor) just because he is too small to produce enough blood and they have to pull a lot to continually check his stats. He still has bile coming back out of his feed tube so they are watching that closely. He is doing great overall and we are positive.  Shannon is sweet and is an excellent mother. Jackson can be pissed off then Shannon cuddles him with her hands on his head and feet. You can watch him calm down right away.  He loves his momma! 

Day 7

Jackson day 7! 1 lb 15 oz. they just turned down his oxygen to 21% so he is at atmospheric levels then back up to 22% . This is a game we play all day long and next time we move him we may need to adjust up for a bit then back down... I think he just likes to keep us on our toes. He is getting his second treatment of Indomethacin PDA. This will help close the open artery that is causing the murmur and the blood to flow correctly. No signs of side effects resulting from the treatment yet!!! They  weigh all fluid given and taken so every vile is weighed before and after taking blood, every diaper is weighed empty and full.  There is a chance if the treatment does not close the PDA completely (EKG on Friday will confirm flow) and he has no aversion to the drugs that they will run another 3 stage treatment. Blood gas numbers have been great last night and today. They will not feed him proper milk until after the Indomethacin treatments to curb the risk of NEC. He still does not need blood but he will very soon. They only use irradiated type O negative blood for premature babies. He will need multiple transfusions while he is here (all will be from the same donor) just because he is too small to produce enough blood and they have to pull a lot to continually check his stats. He still has bile coming back out of his feed tube but we are watching that closely but no signs of blood and his tummy measurements are good showing no signs of distention (no indicator for NEC). They are intermittently giving him Ativan for discomfort due to the respirator and only when he really throws a fit. They role him into new positions every 3 to hours or so to keep his little head round and this seems to help him loosen up gunk in his lungs that they can suction out via the respirator design. His bilirubin (causes Jaundice) count is getting pretty good and we may be able to turn down some of his lights soon. We asked the nurses for tips on the diaper and we are getting damn good at folding up the huge diapers so they fit the little fart. Jackson has lots of love and is doing great.