February 12th, 2010

Kierson continues to require high flow oxygen at 7 liters/minute. Thankfully no significant desaturations. She does much better when she and her momma are doing Kangaroo Care (Deitre holds Kierson cuddled on her chest). Kierson becomes calm and her O2 requirements improve. Deitre wishes she could do this all day long (she is doing it up to 3 times/day).

Kierson is doing better with the tube feeds which are slowly being increased. Minimal aspirates. Having bowel movements with the help of glycerin. They have talked about having Kierson try to breast feed early next week. Deitre is a little nervous about this (she is a very, very private person).

Kierson had her first eye exam today. Deitre called me during my shift today and asked to meet me in the lobby outside the ED. She was crying as she told me the findings. The bad news is that she does have Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). The upside is that it is only Stage 2 (of 5), so it is not too severe and will be watched.

We continue to feel so helpless as our little girl is having such a struggle to survive with premature, damaged lungs. We are glad to have the most recent apneic spell behind us and very happy that she is extubated and taking breast milk again. It's just hard to take the news of ROP (this develops due to the high oxygen environment that she has been requiring to survive). I was really hoping that she would come through this without developing ROP. I think I may have been fooling myself.

Kierson's neonatologist continues to make mention of the real possibility of Kierson being trached (cutting small hole in her neck and placing a breathing tube into her trachea). We are very much hoping that we can avoid this. Kierson really needs to grow and develop new lung tissue. This is the only way that she will avoid being trached. Please pray for growth and development of new lung tissue as well as no new infections. Please continue to pray for both of us as we are worn thin.