quick update

Again, no news is good news (or simply no news). I didn't get home from the NICU until 9 last night. I got to hold Grace for over 2.5 hours!! So sweet - she really seemed to like it! I sure did. :)

Seth is MUCH better, praise God and thanks for praying! He's at 42% oxygen and well-expanded, although his lungs are chronically damaged (chronic being weeks or months, possibly years, to fully heal) as they have been these past few weeks. His carbon dioxide and other blood gases have been good enough to allow for oscillator weaning, for which we are grateful.

[The oscillator can be used for even several more weeks, the neonatologist said yesterday. I thought he had to get off of it, but it's just that the staff were trying to see if he could tolerate a step down to a regular ventilator in hopes they could extubate him before too long to CPAP mask (all the equipment that the healthier babies need as it delivers pressure and helps them remember to breath, but also covers their faces - all but Will's now, as he's just on the cannula - and looks WORSE than the ventilator tubes! But CPAP is a huge step in the right direction.)]

Speaking of extubating, Gracie is ready! She is on minimal settings only and is more bugged by the tube than helped, it seems at this point. Please pray for wisdom for the staff as to when they should take her off the ventilator and move her to the mask, and please pray for an excellent transition.

Grace is the size her big brother Will was when he was born! 1200 g, or two pounds ten ounces. Praise God and pray she keeps growing, please. She was hungry yesterday and got all squirrely before her feeding. :)

The other three are thriving. We are so grateful!

Pictures later . . .

Love and gratitude,
Carrie