Well, thank you all for your prayers, but today was another hard day.
Wyatt did great last night, he ate even more than he was supposed to. YAY!
But this morning a little before 7am his respiration rate shot up and his oxygen level bottomed out below 70%.
When I arrived at 7 to feed him, he was back on oxygen and doing so poorly that they would not let me feed him. They weren't even going to let me hold him until I promised that if he got worse I would put him back. I got to hold him for 30 minutes. He was still breathing really fast and they had ordered another chest x-ray. I spoke to the doctor and she was very reassureing saying that he was getting close to being ready to go home but that having him eat all his feedings for the last 24 hours must have over tired him. They had not put the feeding tube back in yet and wanted to wait till 8:30 to see if he would eat on his own. I had to go home to wake up the kids so I left and said some prayers.
When I called at 9:30am he had his tube back in. They had tried to feed him but he choked immediately so they had to do the full feeding through the tube. They took the chest x-ray and it looked a little hazy but not bad. So all that was left to do was wait and see how he did when I got to go back at 12:30.
I walked in at 12:30 expecting to nurse but was told that he was too worked up to nurse but if we could get him to calm down (respiration rate below 60) I could try the bottle. When the nurse checked it was right at 60 so she let me try.
While I was holding him waiting for him to calm down to eat I noticed that his bottle had changed again to a much slower flow bottle that his occupational therapist had ordered last Friday. I asked about it because one of the nurses had switched him to a different bottle on Tuesday and even after I asked her to change it back she refused. This information sent my new nurse on a hunt for answers. I was very thankful for her. Some of the nurses don't take me very seriously, so to be listened to and to see her take action was refreshing.
She found the day when Wyatt's nurse had changed the bottle from the ordered one to a faster flow and what do you know, it was the day that things all fell apart. He had been doing fine and that day he was on oxygen for the first time since he was a week old, had three different blood tests in two days and two chest x-rays. My nurse said she couldn't say that the change in the bottles was what made all this happen but that it was "quite a coincidence."
I was upset...okay really mad at that first nurse who changed things just because she couldn't find the right bottle and was too lazy to go back and get a new one. But then I was just really thankful for Ashlee my nurse today and all she did to make it right. I now have the authority to tell any nurse "No, you may not change his bottle unless his OT orders it." Feels good to know that I can fight for my son and do it with permission from the NICU staff.
In the midst of all this research and new found authority, he finally settled down. He took the whole bottle and did really well. He was still on oxygen but it was good to see him eating well again. I got to hold him for a while longer and was off to the Ronald McDonald house again to be mommy to Kennedi and William.
His third feeding of the day was at 3:30 and we got him real worked up before we tried to feed him. He does not like getting vital signs or blood pressure taken. He was even mad when I took his temperature. He calmed down at 4 and literally chugged the milk from the bottle. He ate all 45mls in 8 minutes!!! And then he passed out. :-) So I just held him close and sang to him till it was time to go back home.
As of tonight his respiration is getting better and his is down to a very small amount of oxygen being added to his air. He did have to be tube fed at 7 but I think if we had been able to be there they might have tried to calm him down and then feed.
So we are letting Wyatt have a day or two to bounce back from this hard week and then they will reevaluate him to see if they will take the tube out again, etc.
Thanks so much for all of your prayers, encouragement and support. Please keep us in your prayers. And please pray for wisdom for all those taking care of our son.
Also I met a really nice grandmother on my way out of the hospital yesterday and her two year old granddaughter, Lainy, is in the ICU with brain cancer. They don't think that they can do anything for her. I can't imagine the agony that their family is going through to see their sweet daughter go from full of joy and energy to being confined to bed and struggling to survive. God knows what is to come in their lives, please pray that they will draw near to him in this time when nothing makes sense.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Feeding tube out!
Wyatt has had a lot of ups and downs lately but with all of it he has still been eating really well. He has only had to use the feeding tube twice in two days. He is also off the oxygen and doing pretty well. His oxygen saturation goes down now and then but doesn't stay down for long.
The doctor has put him on a 12 hour trial to see if he can eat what he needs without the tube. I had to promise not to have a meltdown if he had to get the tube in again in the morning. I promised, feeling confident that God's timing is over all of this so if Wyatt is not ready to go it alone we'll just keep waiting and praying.
So far he has eaten twice and has taken just under 100mls. His minimum requirement is 150mls, so he is doing well and is close. He could take that much in one feeding. So we are hopeful and praying for him to be able to do this on his own. That is one of the biggest steps toward going home that we have left.
Please join us in praying for Wyatt to be strong enough to do what he needs to do to get home...in God's perfect time. We've been here a month today (3 and 1/2 months total) and sure would love to be home as a family. But have been learning to wait for the last three months so we are prepared to stick it out as long as we need to.
I'll let you know how the night goes.
Thanks for all your prayers. Our family sure feels them. Energy and joy that have no rational reason to be there :-)
Grace to you.
The doctor has put him on a 12 hour trial to see if he can eat what he needs without the tube. I had to promise not to have a meltdown if he had to get the tube in again in the morning. I promised, feeling confident that God's timing is over all of this so if Wyatt is not ready to go it alone we'll just keep waiting and praying.
So far he has eaten twice and has taken just under 100mls. His minimum requirement is 150mls, so he is doing well and is close. He could take that much in one feeding. So we are hopeful and praying for him to be able to do this on his own. That is one of the biggest steps toward going home that we have left.
Please join us in praying for Wyatt to be strong enough to do what he needs to do to get home...in God's perfect time. We've been here a month today (3 and 1/2 months total) and sure would love to be home as a family. But have been learning to wait for the last three months so we are prepared to stick it out as long as we need to.
I'll let you know how the night goes.
Thanks for all your prayers. Our family sure feels them. Energy and joy that have no rational reason to be there :-)
Grace to you.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The last two days
Wyatt had a blood transfusion yesterday(10/10/11). He was anemic, not uncommon for premature babies since they have a harder time making more blood than term babies and they have their blood taken a lot to test for all kinds of things. The nurses reassured me that this was not an emergency procedure and that it should help his energy level as well as his coloring, etc. So that went well and he was doing well the rest of the day.
Today I called the NICU and the doctor had said that we could try to see if Wyatt could eat by himself with out the feeding tube. The feeding tube would remain in his nose, but if he ate 180mls in 12 hours or 4 feedings, they would take it out that night. We were stoked. I had thought that the blood transfusion would be a setback but this was looking good. Once the feeding tube is out it is only a matter of days till you get to got home...
Things looked good at his first two feedings, but his third he didn't take much so he needed a big feed at 4pm for us to make it. I was really hoping for it...a bit too much to be honest. But when I got there my perspective changed. He had two spells of reduced oxygen saturation in his blood while he was in deep sleep that day and the doctors were worried that it might mean he had a respiratory infection or pneumonia. The nurse had just finished taking blood work and had ordered a chest x-ray. He was on oxygen and was very tired from all the blood work. He ate a little but had to be fed the rest through the tube. The tests came back negative for infection but the x-ray was a bit hazy so the doctor ordered the tests to be taken again tomorrow morning. We are praying that everything is fine and that he is not sick but we are thankful that they are taking every precaution to keep him safe.
Sufficed to say he did not make is 180mls in 12 hours so the feeding tube is still in, but he did great at his 7pm and 10pm feedings so one never knows when he'll be strong enough to do it all on his own. We are praying for patience and trust in the Lord for His timing to bring Wyatt home, not ours.
I'll let you know if anything changes. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support in this hard time for our family. We have been so blessed by all of your care for us. God bless you too!
Today I called the NICU and the doctor had said that we could try to see if Wyatt could eat by himself with out the feeding tube. The feeding tube would remain in his nose, but if he ate 180mls in 12 hours or 4 feedings, they would take it out that night. We were stoked. I had thought that the blood transfusion would be a setback but this was looking good. Once the feeding tube is out it is only a matter of days till you get to got home...
Things looked good at his first two feedings, but his third he didn't take much so he needed a big feed at 4pm for us to make it. I was really hoping for it...a bit too much to be honest. But when I got there my perspective changed. He had two spells of reduced oxygen saturation in his blood while he was in deep sleep that day and the doctors were worried that it might mean he had a respiratory infection or pneumonia. The nurse had just finished taking blood work and had ordered a chest x-ray. He was on oxygen and was very tired from all the blood work. He ate a little but had to be fed the rest through the tube. The tests came back negative for infection but the x-ray was a bit hazy so the doctor ordered the tests to be taken again tomorrow morning. We are praying that everything is fine and that he is not sick but we are thankful that they are taking every precaution to keep him safe.
Sufficed to say he did not make is 180mls in 12 hours so the feeding tube is still in, but he did great at his 7pm and 10pm feedings so one never knows when he'll be strong enough to do it all on his own. We are praying for patience and trust in the Lord for His timing to bring Wyatt home, not ours.
I'll let you know if anything changes. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support in this hard time for our family. We have been so blessed by all of your care for us. God bless you too!
Peace in the midst of the storm
I am so thankful to have God on my side. If not for him I would have surely been undone to the point of no return. This time has been more than my strength could handle. I have been stretched beyond my own strength. My supposed control has been shattered. I control nothing. I would have surely despaired if my only solace was myself or the wisdom of man. But Praise God that he is ever over all things. He is the one who sustains life, all life. Mine, Wyatt's, Kennedi, William, Mitch....and yours. And He is good. No matter what is going on in my life, He is good.
I was tempted and fell into the temptation to pity myself in this season. The last two weeks I was flustered at every turn, disheartened, upset, feeling pretty hopeless. And yet I knew there was a better way. I knew that in Christ I could find rest...I just couldn't get there. Couldn't give it to him..not yet. So I held on and lived my own little "hell" when all I had to do was let go. And he would catch me. He would hold me. He would sustain me.
It took today seeing Wyatt with the oxygen tubes in his nose, the thought of pneumonia or worse or nothing...It took tears that turned to praise. Songs came to my heart and out of my mouth right there in the NICU. The one that was the most powerful to me was "Blessed be the name of the Lord"
Blessed be your name in the land that is plentiful, where the streams of abundance flow, blessed be your name. Blessed be your name when I'm found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness, blessed be your name.
Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise, though the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be your name
you give and take away, you give and take away, My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name. "
I had been listening to John MacArthur teach on Psalm 103:1-4
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name, Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgives all our sins, and heals all our diseases, who redeemed your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.
When I took a look around me I saw that even in this hard, dark time He is good and He is blessing me and taking care of me. When I looked outside of myself and saw that there is a world of hurting people in the NICU, at the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield and beyond, I knew that this is bigger than just "why me" and it needed to turn into "Blessed be your name, no matter what may come, Blessed be your name!" "Thank you for being here with me, for sustaining my life and Wyatt's, thank you for holding this whole universe in your hands and knowing all that is going on at all times. Thank you for being sovereign and just and merciful. Thank you Lord for being Lord of all!"
And peace was ushered into my heart. Peace that this storm had drowned out of my heart for far to long.
Thank you Lord for peace and rest. You are good and I will continue to praise your name!
I was tempted and fell into the temptation to pity myself in this season. The last two weeks I was flustered at every turn, disheartened, upset, feeling pretty hopeless. And yet I knew there was a better way. I knew that in Christ I could find rest...I just couldn't get there. Couldn't give it to him..not yet. So I held on and lived my own little "hell" when all I had to do was let go. And he would catch me. He would hold me. He would sustain me.
It took today seeing Wyatt with the oxygen tubes in his nose, the thought of pneumonia or worse or nothing...It took tears that turned to praise. Songs came to my heart and out of my mouth right there in the NICU. The one that was the most powerful to me was "Blessed be the name of the Lord"
Blessed be your name in the land that is plentiful, where the streams of abundance flow, blessed be your name. Blessed be your name when I'm found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness, blessed be your name.
Every blessing you pour out I'll turn back to praise, though the darkness closes in Lord, still I will say.
Blessed be the name of the Lord, blessed be your name
you give and take away, you give and take away, My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name. "
I had been listening to John MacArthur teach on Psalm 103:1-4
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name, Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits who forgives all our sins, and heals all our diseases, who redeemed your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.
When I took a look around me I saw that even in this hard, dark time He is good and He is blessing me and taking care of me. When I looked outside of myself and saw that there is a world of hurting people in the NICU, at the Ronald McDonald House in Springfield and beyond, I knew that this is bigger than just "why me" and it needed to turn into "Blessed be your name, no matter what may come, Blessed be your name!" "Thank you for being here with me, for sustaining my life and Wyatt's, thank you for holding this whole universe in your hands and knowing all that is going on at all times. Thank you for being sovereign and just and merciful. Thank you Lord for being Lord of all!"
And peace was ushered into my heart. Peace that this storm had drowned out of my heart for far to long.
Thank you Lord for peace and rest. You are good and I will continue to praise your name!
Psalm 84
1How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts!2My soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God.3Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. 4 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah
5Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion.6As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs;the early rain also covers it with pools.7They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.8O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah
9 Behold our shield, O God; look on the face of your anointed!10For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.11For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor.No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.12O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you!
Friday, October 7, 2011
The Whole Vaught Family
Here we are, the new Vaught clan. The kids get to see Wyatt once a week and this was the first time they met him on the 17th of September. A lot has happened since then, but we are very thankful to God for our new addition.
Monday, October 3, 2011
More life in Springfield
The last week has been a lot more up than down. Wyatt still struggles with Jaundice. They have diagnosed it as breast milk jaundice and took him off my milk for 24 hours yesterday. His level was down from 10.9 to 10.2. I was hoping that it would be further down than that but we are thankful that it is down.
He has started eating a lot better took his first full bottle on the 2nd with me and has had a lot of feeding times of over half of his milk. He is getting stronger! Praise God! He got to practice breastfeeding for the fist time today. It was very sweet. Felt like life is supposed to. Just wish we were at home not sitting in the middle of the NICU with partitions around us. But this is another step forward toward our goal of being home by the 27th.
Wyatt is starting to gain weight now and we are very excited. He weighs 5lbs 2 oz and is 18 inches long. When he was born he was 4lbs 12 oz and 17 3/4 inches long. Will have pics of him up soon.
There were several little issues with his muscles etc that resulted in his long stay in a low amniotic fluid environment. The 1o weeks inside were great in getting his insides developed, so the little things are not such a big deal. And they are doing better every day.
He had some tight muscles in his neck so he couldn't look to the left without pain. His right arm was very tight and couldn't straighten. His right foot was a bit twisted to the right. His Occupational Therapist, Ashlee, has done great work with him and all is going well. He has had three different boots for his foot and it looks just about as good as his left foot. His arm and neck are getting much looser and more flexible. We are very thankful for such good people taking care of our little man.
Thanks for your prayers and support. God is mighty!!!
He is taking care of all of us. Great is our God and greatly to be praised.
He has started eating a lot better took his first full bottle on the 2nd with me and has had a lot of feeding times of over half of his milk. He is getting stronger! Praise God! He got to practice breastfeeding for the fist time today. It was very sweet. Felt like life is supposed to. Just wish we were at home not sitting in the middle of the NICU with partitions around us. But this is another step forward toward our goal of being home by the 27th.
Wyatt is starting to gain weight now and we are very excited. He weighs 5lbs 2 oz and is 18 inches long. When he was born he was 4lbs 12 oz and 17 3/4 inches long. Will have pics of him up soon.
There were several little issues with his muscles etc that resulted in his long stay in a low amniotic fluid environment. The 1o weeks inside were great in getting his insides developed, so the little things are not such a big deal. And they are doing better every day.
He had some tight muscles in his neck so he couldn't look to the left without pain. His right arm was very tight and couldn't straighten. His right foot was a bit twisted to the right. His Occupational Therapist, Ashlee, has done great work with him and all is going well. He has had three different boots for his foot and it looks just about as good as his left foot. His arm and neck are getting much looser and more flexible. We are very thankful for such good people taking care of our little man.
Thanks for your prayers and support. God is mighty!!!
He is taking care of all of us. Great is our God and greatly to be praised.
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