Hello,
Update on the twin’s progress…
Ventilators:
Carver is now on CPAP! He was put on CPAP 7/2/07 and is now at the lowest pressure (4). His oxygen needs have been in the upper 30% to low 40% range. It is possible that he will be off CPAP in the next week. Once he is off CPAP, he will most likely be placed on nasal canula for his oxygen needs. This will not prevent him from going home. He can go home on nasal canula. However, they want him to be as close to room air as possible (21% oxygen). Once he is on nasal canula, his last step will be bottle feeding. Based on how well he is sucking on a pacifier, it is likely that he will not have problems learning to bottle feed. Kinnick has really struggled since her intestinal surgery. She is still trying to heal and is requiring extra help from her ventilator. She is at an air pressure of 27/6 and a rate of 24 breaths per minute. Her oxygen needs have been in the 40-50% range. She is still very puffy – weighting in at 8lbs 3oz. She should be weighting around 6lbs. In addition to her healing, she has gotten pneumonia, so this is causing some additional ventilator help.
Seizures:
Carver and Kinnick are both on maintenance drugs to prevent seizures. They will continue to be on the maintenance drugs for quite some time.
Eyes:
Carver’s eyes continue to improve. Kinnick hasn’t been as lucky. Her eyes are continuing to get worse. A second doctor was able to perform another surgery on her eyes, however they continue to get worse. They will continue to monitor her eyes to see if the disease stops or continues to get worse. If it doesn’t improve, she will be transported to Detroit to see another specialist. His job will be to save as much of the retina as possible. We are told that the success of this surgery is not very good even in the best of hands. However, any part of her retina that is saved will be better then no vision at all. Both eyes are equally bad, so we’re hoping to see improvement soon. Please continue to pray with us that her eyes will show signs of improvement.
Bones:
Both Kinnick and Carver have been diagnosed with Rickets. This is a brittle bone disease. Carver has some fractured ribs that are healing. Their bones break very easy. This should get better once they have been on full feeds for a while and are getting good nutrition.
Feedings:
Kinnick lost her feeds again earlier this week due to an increase in girth size. It appears that her large colon is full of stool and is not emptying. We are hoping things start moving soon, so she can get back to her feedings. Carver is still on full feeds and doing great. In fact, he is now on an over-the-counter formula instead of the easily digested preemie formula.
Weight:
Carver weights 6 lbs 4 oz. Kinnick weights 8 lbs 3 oz (mostly due to water retention from being sick).
Temperature:
Kinnick and Carver are both in regular baby beds and are maintaining their own temperature.
Activities:
Carver continues to demand more attention (acting like a healthy newborn!). He’s been spending some of his spare time sitting in a vibrating bouncy seat and looking at himself in a mirror. He enjoys being held. The nurses in NICU have been taking turns spoiling him with lots of rocking and holding time. He also enjoys time with a “Cuddler” that comes in to hold and rock him. “Cuddlers” are volunteers that come in to hold and rock the sick babies.
I’m attaching pictures of Carver “Big Day”. He was placed on CPAP 7/2/07. There are 4 pictures. The upper left picture is his bath prior to the big event (you can see his vent tube), the picture on the upper right shows them pulling the vent tube, the picture on the lower left shows him with no strings attached (his cheeks have healed), and the picture on the lower right shows him with his new CPAP gear.
I want to thank you again for all of your Thoughts and Prayers! I hope you will continue to pray for our little miracle babies.
Update on the twin’s progress…
Ventilators:
Carver is now on CPAP! He was put on CPAP 7/2/07 and is now at the lowest pressure (4). His oxygen needs have been in the upper 30% to low 40% range. It is possible that he will be off CPAP in the next week. Once he is off CPAP, he will most likely be placed on nasal canula for his oxygen needs. This will not prevent him from going home. He can go home on nasal canula. However, they want him to be as close to room air as possible (21% oxygen). Once he is on nasal canula, his last step will be bottle feeding. Based on how well he is sucking on a pacifier, it is likely that he will not have problems learning to bottle feed. Kinnick has really struggled since her intestinal surgery. She is still trying to heal and is requiring extra help from her ventilator. She is at an air pressure of 27/6 and a rate of 24 breaths per minute. Her oxygen needs have been in the 40-50% range. She is still very puffy – weighting in at 8lbs 3oz. She should be weighting around 6lbs. In addition to her healing, she has gotten pneumonia, so this is causing some additional ventilator help.
Seizures:
Carver and Kinnick are both on maintenance drugs to prevent seizures. They will continue to be on the maintenance drugs for quite some time.
Eyes:
Carver’s eyes continue to improve. Kinnick hasn’t been as lucky. Her eyes are continuing to get worse. A second doctor was able to perform another surgery on her eyes, however they continue to get worse. They will continue to monitor her eyes to see if the disease stops or continues to get worse. If it doesn’t improve, she will be transported to Detroit to see another specialist. His job will be to save as much of the retina as possible. We are told that the success of this surgery is not very good even in the best of hands. However, any part of her retina that is saved will be better then no vision at all. Both eyes are equally bad, so we’re hoping to see improvement soon. Please continue to pray with us that her eyes will show signs of improvement.
Bones:
Both Kinnick and Carver have been diagnosed with Rickets. This is a brittle bone disease. Carver has some fractured ribs that are healing. Their bones break very easy. This should get better once they have been on full feeds for a while and are getting good nutrition.
Feedings:
Kinnick lost her feeds again earlier this week due to an increase in girth size. It appears that her large colon is full of stool and is not emptying. We are hoping things start moving soon, so she can get back to her feedings. Carver is still on full feeds and doing great. In fact, he is now on an over-the-counter formula instead of the easily digested preemie formula.
Weight:
Carver weights 6 lbs 4 oz. Kinnick weights 8 lbs 3 oz (mostly due to water retention from being sick).
Temperature:
Kinnick and Carver are both in regular baby beds and are maintaining their own temperature.
Activities:
Carver continues to demand more attention (acting like a healthy newborn!). He’s been spending some of his spare time sitting in a vibrating bouncy seat and looking at himself in a mirror. He enjoys being held. The nurses in NICU have been taking turns spoiling him with lots of rocking and holding time. He also enjoys time with a “Cuddler” that comes in to hold and rock him. “Cuddlers” are volunteers that come in to hold and rock the sick babies.
I’m attaching pictures of Carver “Big Day”. He was placed on CPAP 7/2/07. There are 4 pictures. The upper left picture is his bath prior to the big event (you can see his vent tube), the picture on the upper right shows them pulling the vent tube, the picture on the lower left shows him with no strings attached (his cheeks have healed), and the picture on the lower right shows him with his new CPAP gear.
I want to thank you again for all of your Thoughts and Prayers! I hope you will continue to pray for our little miracle babies.
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