01-29-2009 Zachary Update

I've got great news this morning! First off last night he had another eye exam and the doctor said that all his vessels have grown out into Zone 3 without stopping early, the ridge is gone that started forming on his retina and he no longer has any signs of ROP. So whereas he was stage 2 ROP for a while it has all reversed and gone away. I've been very OCD about his oxygen with the nurses etc over the past couple months since we learned he was starting to get ROP. So I'm so glad that the efforts paid off!

Next, his main doctor took him down to 1/2 a litre for his cannula. He's been on room air 21% since I got here. He was higher when I first came in then he pooped (finally rofl) and is back down to room air! So it's a miracle he's not had to be bumped up while on the 1/2 litre that means his lungs are ready to go w/out the oxygen or very very close.

I talked to the doctor about the possibility of him going home with supplemental oxygen. Meaning I'll have it on hand if he needs a few puffs here and there but he wouldn't have tubes up his nose. She said that if we can get him down more on the litres probably to a 1/4th etc and he's still on room air and only needs it for eating/pushing etc then we can do it. So hopefully he'll continue on his recent trend of staying on room air 90% of the day so we can work towards that.

Personally, I'd like to have some oxygen on hand if he needs it but not be giving it to him all the time. He clearly doesn't need it all the time anymore.

He's also up to 6lbs 6ounces (course he's now pooped 2x quite a bit after 2 days of not pooping) so he may be down a bit tonight when they weigh him. For the week though he's up a lot so he's gaining well!

So all in all a great week he's had so far. I really think he's wanting to go home he's definately acting like it. He's doing what the nurses describe often that when the babies are ready to go home they'll just one day start needing less and less oxygen they'll start eating better etc. He's definately starting doing all that.

We still haven't been told when he may be going home the doctors are just watching him and seeing how he's doing. I'm glad they're taking it slow with him I'd hate to take him home before he's ready. I think we've worked out the feeding issues with calories etc. We seem to have a good balance of weight gain ratio to work done etc. So really the last step is getting him off that tube in his throat then we'll be home free. It gives us some time to work on getting the oxygen down low so I don't mind working on the feeding part so much if it buys us some time :)

S