joyful days

Hi everyone!

We've been riding high the past few days, hoping and praying we don't make a sudden rapid descent again health-wise with the babies, especially Seth of course. He has been doing remarkably well. He is way down on his nitric and on his ventilator settings compared to where he was when they transported him to Children's. There is still some concern he may have pulmonary hypertension that just isn't evident on the echocardiograms, so they're keeping a close eye on how he does as they wean the nitric. If he appears to still need a vasodilator, they will switch to a different drug that is safer for long-term use. We pray he won't even need that, of course! He's at the lowest vent settings he's been since he was put on the conventional ventilator a month or so ago, and he's actually doing better with his oxygen saturation tonight than he was at the higher machine pressure setting earlier today. We pray that continues! There's been no mention of switching vents as the oscillator does such a good job for his kind of scarred lungs, plus he's tolerating it so well. His nurse tonight said he's just super content, even when being weighed (5 lb 7.5 oz!) and bathed and dressed. His oxygen levels aren't dropping like they used to upon stimulation. Yay, buddy! Hallelujah, God! And thank you all for praying! Please continue! He was at 100% oxygen saturation (55% oxygen being delivered by machine) when I was there today singing and cupping his little head and legs in my hands. He likes that. :) He sure can stare into my eyes!

Grace has very slight vascular abnormality in her right retina ("very light stage 1, no plus, outer zone 2"); please pray that resolves/doesn't get any worse and that her retina develops fully normally. We pray that for all the babies, especially Seth since he's been on the most oxygen which can damage the retina.

A huge praise is that Will and David's final head ultrasounds look completely normal! No "white matter" brain disease at all from their prematurity. We pray their siblings are doing just as well even though they aren't due yet for that exam as they aren't as close to coming home.

David is up to 6 feedings by mouth out of his 8 feeds a day! Both boys are nursing well; Will more so than David right now. David is just the skinnier, sleepier boy despite being more bright-eyed than Will in the pictures we posted earlier today. :)

Will is up to 6 lb 10 oz - wow! I don't know David's weight today and I'm too tired to call . . .

Gracie is in an open basinet like her siblings now! Hurray, Gracie! She is 4 lb 1 oz and maintaining her temperature well. Her eyes are so huge in her tiny face when she peers up at me! Darling dolly.

Marcie is almost ready for bottle feeding to start, most likely tomorrow! She's on only 1.5 liters of air and a tiny bit of oxygen, just like Will. She's 5 lb 1 oz, the big girl.

So LOTS of praises and thankfulness around here. I keep finding myself waiting for the other shoe to drop, then realizing I am praying like I expect God to snatch back some lovely gift He's given me. I need to trust the same One who gave me these blessings will continue to do what is absolutely best and loving for us all. And I deeply hope and pray that includes working in Seth's lungs to continue to heal them and bring him to full health, home with us. (Wow, this place is going to change in a matter of days when David arrives with Will not far behind, Lord wiling!)

Love and gratitude for all you servants, prayer warriors, quint co-laborers, encouragers, crafters, administrators (Stacey!), and generous givers,
Carrie