Sweet sweet baby

Today we kind of found out what was going on with Mason. Blood cultures came back positive for infection. They had already started him on 3 anti-biotics last night because that is what they suspected. Around 12 a.m. last night he had become very agitated and wasn't happy and basically nothing they gave him was calming him down or working. His oxygen was up to 100% and he was only breathing in at 65-70% this morning. Thankfully, things got better throughout the day I think as the anti-biotics started to work. His vitals came up, blood pressure started reading again, blood gases got better and tonight they are on 35% and he is taking in 95% for his oxygen. They are concerned about some puffiness in his belly and his bowels and are keeping an eye on that for now but he is still NPO for now until they get this infection under control. So right now the infection is in his blood and they were going to check his lungs to see if the same infection was in there as well. No matter what they find, his treatment that they already have him on, will stay the same wherever the infection shows up. We are thankful that the PICC line is in and they put in a central line last night so that way they don't have to continuously prick his heels. His urine output was great today and by tonight he was calmer (after more doses of anti-biotics). Again, thank you for your continued prayers. We greatly appreciate them. Here is a picture of me trying to calm him down. When I put my hands on his head, he reached out to grab my thumb. The nurse said it helped his stats and he did calm down. Such a sweet boy.

2 weeks old tonight

Tonight at 10:36 p.m., Mason will be 2 weeks old. Hard to believe. I guess I should go ahead and talk about what happened before I forget because at this rate I could forget pretty quickly. On Monday, 5/21 in afternoon car duty I began having some cramps but didn't really think much of it. I remember calling Josh on the way to my dentist appointment that afternoon and telling him I was tired and hoped that he could be home from work at a decent time so that he could help me with Corbin. After that I felt pretty much ok and went and got Corbin and headed to the grocery store. About the time I got home and was unloading the groceries I went to the bathroom and realized that I was bleeding. Pretty badly. I was actually on the phone with Josh (who was on his way home) and I hurried off to call my dr. I remember the dr. saying well, it is probably. Well, come on in anyway just to ease your mind and they will check you out. So as soon as my mom got there to take care of Corbin we headed on to the hospital. When we got there it was pretty busy in the waiting room and I was trying not to think the worst. They called me back and did the usual work up but when the lady checked me she immediately put me back on my head and her eyes got big. My bag of waters was right there and she wasn't expecting that. She went to call my dr. and let her know what was happening and they got to work setting up IVs for magnesium. After a what seemed like a whirlwind, I was being admitted, taken up to a room to wait things out hoping that the magnesium would work and I would be on bedrest or even better gravity would take over and everything would kind of go back to where it was supposed to be and they would stitch up/close my cervix.

The next day was filled with many meetings with the neonatologist to discuss what our plans would be for our baby when it would come. The odds weren't good...this year so far at Women's NICU they haven't had a 23 weeker survive and of those that did survive in country 80% of them have global delays. An outside ultrasound tech. came to see how big the baby was and discuss options. Off and on during all of this, I was having contractions and they moved me to a labor/delivery room. For a couple of hour I was contraction free which was exciting and Josh was planning to stay home with Corbin but I really felt like he needed to be up there that night. We had talked several times during the day trying to decide what we were going to do and couldn't make a decision. I knew I wanted dr.'s in the assess the baby but that is as far as we could get. Later on that night my contractions came back like gang busters and were 2 minutes apart and I was feeling like I needed to push. No dr. was there and my nurses weren't being very helpful but it wasn't too long and my water had broke. All of a sudden a midwife appeared and the NICU team. Fran, the midwife started searching for the baby's heartbeat and couldn't find it so she said it was time to push. With 1 push, Mason was out and I remember they kept saying for Dad/Josh to hurry up and cut the cord. I remember hearing Mason making noises which I felt like was a good sign and Josh came over and said the dr. said he was fighting to breath on his own and his skin looked good and they were going to help him. I was so thankful that we didn't have to make that decision. The dr. would later come into our room at around 2:30 a.m. and talk with us and say that he was a fighter and that he did nothing heroic by doing what he did and that any other dr. would have done the same thing. Again, so thankful that God had a plan during that time because there is no way as a parent we could have made that decision.

I had posted his picture on facebook and news that he had been born. By 2:30 a.m. I already had a message from a mother who had reached out the me because she had a child born in the same situation (another 23 weeker). The outpouring of love and support from people who have found out Mason's story and reached out to us have been wonderful and we have felt totally supported and prayed for by God. We are truly only making it through this because God is carrying us every step of the way and because of those who keep reaching out to us through their prayers and support. Thank you all for your continued prayers for this sweet boy.

Almost 13 days

Well, today has been a rough day. Mason had some bad blood gases beginning last night and they have made some changes in the bent. They tried to do the arterial line but that was unsuccessful so he had to have an IV in his head to receive some blood through today. Overall he just seemed dehydrated so he got some fluid and blood to try to help with that and improve his blood pressure. They mentioned another procedure that would allow them to get blood and give blood (a central line) but needed to see if that dr was in the country and available. Blood gases had looked better but then he had another bad one which caused some more changes. With all the things going on today they are going to start him on some antibiotics just in case he does have an infection. Dr was in the country ( had just flown in last night) do central line is in and they will now draw blood and be able to give blood through this. They think he has an infection since there has been such drastic changes today so back on antibiotics. It has been a busy day and we pray for continued healing. It is discouraging to have days like this but we have to remember Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Happy anniversary

This is what Mason made for us for our anniversary yesterday. We love it!

11 days old

Our first family picture...Corbin had his mouth full of ice.

Thank you Lord for good days and positive reports. We spoke with the neurologist and he said that the more good days that Mason has the better chance for recovery from his brain bleed. Where his bleeding is would affect his left leg but he says statistically speaking that 50% of these children recover with minimal effects. So pray for no infection, to come off the vent soon, for his gastro-intestional system to start working, and for him to start tolerating feedings better so that he can grow. They are going to give him medicine to try to get him to pass some more poop so hopefully he will tolerate feedings better. Thank you all for your continued prayers. It means so much! He is doing well and is opening his eyes a lot. 

Silly big brother

Spaghetti face and all. We sure love this sweet boy! Josh said yesterday he wanted to see baby brother and went and got his hands sanitized and held them in prayer position the whole time. He walked back and said "Maston" and then went back to his bed and said, "Maston out". He then said "Baby brother" and "I love you baby brother." This little boy has grown up so much in the past week or so. He still is such a sweet boy even though his world has been turned upside down. Atleast I am feeling better and I think I will be able to be with him more since I am feeling better. 

Almost 10 days old

Well, today we found out after an EEG that there wasn't seizure activity! Praise God! Mason started acting a little aggravated after all the procedures and I got to help "calm him down" by holding his feet in with one hand and then placing my other hand on his head. We are consulting with a neurologist to just give some more information. Feeding were started up again this morning (the had been dc'd last night due to seizure like activity and they were getting a lot of green slime material out of his stomach). His brain scan also showed that the bleeding was about the same but there looked to be slightly more fluid in the left hemisphere probably due to some of the bleeding resolving itself. The Dr. said during rounds that Mason doesn't present with a child that has these severe bleeds. That normally children with those kinds of bleeds  show visibility on his skull through the soft spot and act poorly but Mason isn't showing any of those signs. I know that God has all of this and Mason in His hands and I am so thankful for all of your prayers.   God is carrying us every step of the way.

I'm back under my spotlight today!

We saw this rainbow while we were at dinner. It was Corbin and Mason's brother rainbow (atleast that is what Corbin said).