News

Well eye appointment today went ok. Eye is structurally working great but the dr speculates that what Masons problem is is brain related. His eye is taking a good picture but his brain isn't receiving the message. The prognosis isn't good. This can improve over time as the development of the brain improves and he did make a referral for therapy. So we definitely need your prayers. That therapy will improve and that Masons brain will develop and grow. Please join us in praying.

We are so blessed by these 2 little boys.

Finally an update!

So I am FINALLY updating! So sorry but keeping up with these 2 boys have been keeping on my toes lately! But they are both doing great! Other than having a cold...

Mason is developing quite the personality. It is so nice to finally be able to see his personality and not have it covered by his head pain from the shunt malfunction. He is SO easy going and is pretty much always in a good mood. When he gets upset he will just let out a "waaa" and then it is over. He sleeps well at night through his bolus feeds and I have to wake him up around 7:30 to give him his first bottle. He always wakes up in a good mood and (when he is not sick) will smile and be happy. Corbin LOVES to help me in the morning and make him smile and kiss him on the head. He is a great big brother. Mason is also very sneaky. He pulls off his oxygen all the time and while we have gotten better  at taping it on it is also very entertaining. This afternoon I was doing work around the house and looked down and noticed that he had his hand on his tube and was pulling his oxygen cannula off his face and I called him out, "Mason." He immediately stopped, took his hand out, and pushed his cannula back up to his nose. I SWEAR it was like he knew he had been caught! Before this last cold he was doing great with no oxygen and we had tried him without it and was tolerating it wonderfully. Right now he is on 50 cc which isn't much. If he doesn't have it he will just hover around 92 on his stats even though as I speak he doesn't even have them in his nose and he is doing fine. Oh well!

Sweet boy at bedtime!

Medically we have found out some more information. We had his hearing test last week and it is official: he does have a severe hearing loss in his left ear. Good news is the right ear is fine and the left ear is "aid" able. They were worried it might be something dealing with the processing and the brain but it wasn't which is really good news. I am so thankful that the right ear is good! This means he will get early intervention therapy to work towards this and they are probably going to fit his left ear for a hearing aid. The other thing that is concerning right now is his vision. Mason has periods where, when laying down, he goes cross eyed and struggles to open his eyes all the way. But it is only when he is laying down. When he is sitting up it is just fine and he looks around and looks at toys. He also does not track toys and I have really tried to work on this but it just seems very difficult for him. He might do it for a second but struggles for longer. We have an appointment with the opthamologist this coming Wed. so I am hoping he can help answer some of my questions. Those are our biggest concerns right now. Mason is doing well with his tummy time and holds up his head and is more "midline". He will reach for objects and grasps well and will initiate with his right hand. The left hand is more sensitive and he will resist more. He brings his hand to his mouth at times. So overall we are pleased and blessed and still praying and believing in a full recovery. 

LOVE these pictures!

I am also constantly amazed by Corbin and his sweet and helpful nature. He is full throttle now, don't get me wrong but it has been so neat to watch him with Mason. He gives kisses to his brother on the head and loves to hold his hand. He always thinks Mason needs his toys and even though Mason may be laying there sound asleep, he will bring his toys and pile them up beside him or on top of him. One day I will get a picture! He is talking SO much and it is just unbelievable. He is SO grown up. Every morning it never fails he helps me take all of Mason's cords and monitor into the living room. He will grab them all and turn around and look at me and say, "Mommy are you ready?" We went on our first family outing since Mason has been home and introduced Corbin to Sonic. He just wanted a cherry after seeing the menu but he loved tater tots (but he called them tater tops). We are so blessed raising these 2 boys and I remember that no matter what are latest fear or concern is we must always trust in God. I read something the other day and I believe it is so true. "Let your faith be bigger than your fear". How true. May I live this every day.

Ups and downs

Last week was a great week for Mason. He started smiling, got good news from Pt saying some positive things about him and giving me exercises to work on, and he started actually tolerating tummy time and his overall neck control increased a lot. This week not so much.

This week began by Mason being up all night very fussy, throwing up all his foods, and spiking a fever. This week sent us to the ED again where they did cbc, urine cultures, rsv and flu test, shunt series, and MRI. Mason still had a fever in the ED and the overall consensus is that he has a virus. He acts like he feels horrible and I hate to see him this way. I also feel like we have lost a week because I can't do his exercises or work with him because he feels awful. I am also getting frustrated with being home bound all the time. I worry about Mason a lot and any set back like this stresses me out. I wish it wasn't so but it is hard not to feel this way. I am tired physically and mentally. I do feel like God sent me a verse yesterday. It was Mark 11:24 I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received i, it will be yours. True faith. I believe. In all the ups and downs.

Sweet baby smile

He started smiling yesterday and we got a good report from a PT consult! Thank you Lord! More details later but time to feed this boy a bottle.

Tummy time

Who is that man in the mirror?

Up to his old tricks

Mason keeps pulling off his oxygen and it is driving Josh and I crazy! Look closely at the picture and you can see his hands wrapped around the cord. Atleast when he does it he is still stating in the mid to high 90's. He is on .05 liters right now and doing pretty well. Thank The Lord!

Good report

Today we had an appointment at the NICU follow up clinic for Brenners and we got good news. They are pleased with his progress and continue to be amazed by him. Everything is within the average range as far as neurologically...he does have some central core weakness (needs more tummy time) and some hypersensitivity in his lower extremity but nothing major (even within the normal range so far). No spasticity or flaccid movements which are all wonderful things and due to prayers of healing. We need to work on him following objects with his eyes and tracking and he still isn't smiling (which at around 3 months of age we would expect to be happening). The dr. made a good point though that the majority of his interaction with people have been negative as he sees it to this point but she believes that he will catch up. He is interacting with me when I feed him and will play with my fingers or shirt and look up at me. They continue to be amazed that he will take food by mouth and he wants to nurse quite often which is great news! She noted his movement is very fluid and purposeful...when he is done with the bottle or needs a break he will push it away with his hand. We are very thankful and continue to ask for your prayers because they are working. He weighs 14 lbs. which puts him in the 50th percentile and his height was 22 in. (still not on the chart) and head circumference was 37 cm (also not on the chart yet). His dr. said today that they see miracles every day in the NICU but then there are those instances when there are special cases where there are children that are supposed to be there. That defy all odds...and Mason is one of them. They still can't believe that he made it through all that he did and she was remembering the time he was under her care and had his second case of meningitis and was looking up at her knowingly, with his hand on his breathing tube, saying, "I'm ready to get this breathing tube out or ELSE!" Mason didn't know that he should be unconscious and was very sick. He was fighting and he made it thanks to all the prayers that were and are continuing to be spoken for him. Just wanted to give you a positive report here. We are very thankful and continue to pray that our boy will be healed!