Beating the Odds

I am so grateful our Thomas had made it this far. Every day I am grateful.

Dec. 18-

Skin to skin is amazing. Thomas looks at me while I hold him and looks so rested. His numbers all improve when i hold him. Sometimes I wonder if he's crying just because he wants to be held by his momma. The poor boy is working so hard to breathe and to heal. I worry about him tiring out. 

He  can now grip our finger and I can change his diaper. We don't know how long he'll be in the NICU. But I'm hopeful he'll eventually get to come home. 

Dec. 22- 

Our little boy is doing better on oxygen and pressure. He throws up his vitamins though. He loves looking in the mirror and being held. All of his numbers go down when he's in our arms. Grandma Broadbent held him for the first time yesterday when all of a sudden I felt the flu but it was just mastitis.

All of a sudden I felt so sick and had to leave the hospital. I felt dizzy and like I had been punched in the stomach. I'm doing better now though that I'm on antibiotics for the mastitis.

Dec. 25-

I can't believe what Thomas has overcome. He is such a strong little boy. Not only is he trying to heal from fractures that are head to toe, but he has overcome jaundice, is dealing with a hernia, and is slowly getting stronger at breathing. I'm so proud of him.

We are in awe at all the donations given to the babies at Primary Children's. Thomas received so many sweet gifts from private donors, families, past NICU parents, and businesses. Some of the stuff was so thoughtful and intended to help us with the burden of having a baby in the NICU. We plan on passing it forward and will be doing the same next year.

They told us this week that if he keeps improving we should be able to take our boy home with us in about a month.

Dec. 30- 

Yesterday when I was with Thomas I was concerned because he didn't calm down like he normally does when I held him. He looked like I was holding him properly but he started to fuss out of no where. It really makes me sad when his heart rate shoots up and you can tell he's distressed but you can't tell if it's pain or if it's him crying over typical baby stuff. 

Thomas poops when he gets really mad, which he did at this time and I could tell he was really uncomfortable. We also know that he gets upset if his diaper isn't changed so I put him back in his bed and we changed his bum. Thomas didn't calm down until after his bum was changed and was swaddled. 

Rainbow Kids came to talk to me yesterday and asked if Sibling Support had reached out to us yet about Taylor. I mentioned that they had talked to us the first week Thomas was born but hadn't reached out to us since. They said they'd get that taken care of. 

Later last night after Shane had visited Thomas, he had brought home some things for Taylor FROM Thomas: a letter, a picture and a frame for her to decorate, a doctor kit, a doll that has the same tubes on him as a Thomas, a snowman kit, and some pictures of his "bedroom". It was so nice this morning to go through all of that with Taylor so she could have a better understanding and connection with what's going on. 

We also got a phone call this morning from our nurse that Thomas had some blood in his diaper and that they were concerned. He was going to get some tests done and have his feedings stopped temporarily. Shane and I were both worried. I made a post about it on Facebook asking for support and prayers. A few hours later I received a call that the tests came back normal, that he was going to go back to feeding, and that they were just going to keep an eye on him. Prayers were answered. 

Thomas also got his hearing checked today and we were told that he may get to go home in the next week or two!!!