RSV Update

Caleb is still in Wichita, KS. His x-rays are showing that the pneumonia is clearing up. He's still on bipap (the big mask), but the oxygen flow/pressure is gradually being weaned down. Hopefully, he'll be able to get off of bipap today or tomorrow. Once he's done with bipap and switches to a nasal cannula, he should be able to start eating and drinking. Since he can't eat/drink yet, Caleb got a NG tube placed yesterday. He's receiving continuous nutrition through that. We expect that he'll be in the hospital for several more days. We appreciate your continued prayers.

Our little family of four was able to FaceTime for a few minutes yesterday evening. I can't wait until Caleb is well, and we're all back together!

RSV

Caleb woke up from his nap Saturday afternoon, and we played together for about thirty minutes. Suddenly, things changed. He got very clingy and upset. He started feeling warm. A fever and cough developed. He coughed and cried so much that he vomited a little. We didn't want to take any chances of Caleb getting sick around Tyler, so Brad took him straight to pediatric urgent care. The doctor said that Caleb probably just had a virus. We were supposed to do Tyler's baby dedication at church the next morning, but we cancelled those plans when we realized that Caleb wasn't going to feel well enough to go to church. Since he had missed out on Tyler's birth day, we didn't want him to miss out on the baby dedication too. 

Caleb's fever and cough persisted through Sunday and Monday. I called the pediatrician's office on Monday afternoon. The triage nurse said to watch him for another 24 hours. My mom was visiting that day, and we decided that Caleb should go home with her that evening. That way, we were able to keep Caleb and Tyler away from each other. Before they left, I noticed that Caleb had some waxy drainage in his right ear. We started giving him some antibiotic ear drops that Caleb's ENT had given us after he got his last set of tubes. We were told to use them any time we saw drainage. Caleb's fever broke Monday evening, but he still had a cough. 

On Tuesday morning, my mom called. She was really concerned about Caleb's cough and was bringing him back to OKC. I called the pediatrician's office again, and I spoke with a different nurse. She said that his symptoms were probably just from a virus that was turning into an ear infection. She said to watch him for two more days, because she said it might take 72 hours for the antibiotic ear drops to start helping. She was sure it was an ear infection, and she didn't want him going in for an appointment and catching something else in the waiting room. 

I didn't feel comfortable waiting two days, so I asked Brad to take him to the pediatric urgent care after he got home from work Tuesday evening. Caleb had a terrible cough, his fever had returned, and he was getting very lethargic. Brad and Caleb waited about two hours before they were called back to the triage area. The nurse put the pulse ox sensor on his foot, and his oxygen saturation was in the low-80s. The doctor saw him immediately. He tested positive for RSV and an ambulance was called to have him transported to the local childrens hospital.

Caleb spent the next 27 hours in the ER at the childrens hospital, because there wasn't a pediatric ICU bed available. The doctors checked with other hospitals in the state and in the Dallas area, but they couldn't find a bed anywhere. Late Wednesday evening, a bed came available at a hospital in Wichita, KS. Brad and Caleb were flown up there Wednesday night.

Caleb is receiving excellent care now. He's on a bipap machine which is forcing oxygen in through his nose and mouth. He's receiving breathing treatments every two hours and is getting fluids through an IV. He has developed pneumonia, so he's getting a couple antibiotics for that. 

Tyler and I can't be at the hospital, for risk of Tyler getting sick. For now, we are at home in OKC. We might go to Wichita and stay with friends soon, but we'll just see how things go. Brad's mom and my parents are in Wichita and are helping Brad out since I can't be there.

Please pray that Caleb's health improves soon. And also pray that Tyler remains healthy.

Tyler's Birth Day

On Friday, January 23rd, Brad and I went to the hospital for my scheduled induction. We had decided a couple weeks earlier, at the suggestion of my perinatologist and OB, to induce since Tyler measured on the "big" side at my last two ultrasounds.

We arrived at 7:30 and got settled into a room right away. I had been dilated to 3-4cm for over a week and hadn't made any further progress. Pitocin was started at 8:00, and my OB broke my water at 9:20. Brad and I spent the next couple hours reading and watching TV. My contractions strengthened, and I requested an epidural at 11:30.

The anesthesiologist was a very nice guy, but he made me a little nervous when he broke two glass bottles/vials while getting everything ready. I had to trust this person to precisely place a catheter in my spine, and he just clumsily broke two bottles?! Hmmm. Fortunately, he did just fine with my epidural and the medicine started working its magic by 11:40. Brad and I didn't have any visitors right then, so I took advantage of the quiet time and closed my eyes for a much-needed nap. The nurse woke me up at 12:20 because she could somehow tell on the monitors that I was progressing. She checked me, and I was 7cm dilated. She predicted that I'd probably deliver in a couple hours. No more nap... things were starting to get exciting! She checked me again at 1:00, and I was at 8cm. And at about 1:30, I started feeling some pressure. The nurse checked another time, and I was at 9.5cm. Almost there! Nurses and techs came in to get things set up, and I started pushing at 2:10. Brad and the nurse kept telling me "so close", "he's almost here", and "you're doing great", but I kept thinking that they must be lying. If Tyler really was "so close" and "almost here", my doctor would have been down where the nurse was standing rather than off to the side making small talk with me between contractions. Once she traded places with the nurse, I knew it really was time. And after just a few more pushes, Tyler Cole arrived at 2:38pm!

He was immediately put onto my chest, and I held him while the nurses clamped his cord, cleaned him, and checked his vitals. Then they took him to the warmer set up across the room to weigh, measure and finish cleaning. Tyler weighed 8lb, 1oz. My doctor had predicted 7lbs, and I thought 7lbs, 8oz, so we were both surprised that he topped 8lbs! Tyler was 21" long! Everything about him is long and skinny... torso, legs, toes, arms, fingers, etc. 

For the next hour, I held Tyler skin-to-skin and fed him. And then Brad took some time to hold him before we invited family in. 

We spent the rest of the day bonding with Tyler, taking photos and visiting with family. It was a "perfect" birth day, aside from one thing...

The night before, we had plans to go out to one last dinner as a family of three, and then Caleb was going to spend the night with his grandparents. Caleb started running a fever though. We decided to get takeout for dinner rather than going out to eat. We still had to send Caleb to the grandparents' for the the night, since we needed to be at the hospital fairly early the next morning. Brad's parents kept us informed of Caleb's condition on Friday morning, and by late morning, we decided that he needed to see his pediatrician. Since Brad and I were obviously not available, Brad's mom took Caleb to his appointment. Afterward, Brad's mom called and told us that Caleb had tested positive for the flu. So rather than coming up to the hospital to meet his little brother, Caleb spent the next several days with his grandparents and his little friends, Pedialyte and Tamiflu. 

Tyler's Here!

Tyler Cole arrived on Friday, January 23rd at 2:38pm! I'm working on writing out his "birth story", but it's taking me a while to get it done. Between playing with Caleb and feeding Tyler (all the time... hungry boy), I just haven't had a chance to finish it yet. 

For now, I'll leave you with a few photos!

37 weeks

I had an ultrasound this morning, and Tyler is still measuring a little more than a week ahead. Based on measurements and whatever calculations the perinatologist did, she estimates that he's 6 pounds, 11 ounces. We didn't get any great 3D/4D images, because my poor child is so crowded in there! The cord, a foot, and a hand were all smashed up against his face. I guess that's just what happens when my belly is measuring right on track and he's measuring a week ahead. My bump is seriously ALL BABY!  Maybe that means good things for fitting back into those pre-pregnancy clothes soon?! 

Unless Tyler decides to come on his own between now and then, we will probably induce in a couple weeks.

Heart Update

Caleb had his annual cardiology check-up today. His AV Canal repair still looks great! His surgeon told us two years ago that Caleb might need to have a repair done on his mitral valve at some point, but it's still good for now! Caleb is cleared for another year, and we'll celebrate his 2nd "heart day" (anniversary of his open heart surgery) on February 1st!

36 Weeks

I'm 36 weeks pregnant! Tyler Cole will be here before we know it! I start weekly OB appointments this week, and I'll have one last 3D/4D ultrasound on Friday!