269th day in the NICU

It has been an amazing few days. Drayke's lungs have vastly improved. As in, for the first time, he has clear lungs. No signs of collapse or fluid. When you listen to him his RT's are asking "is this Drayke? There is no way this is the same boy, he sounds great!".

I have always had the feeling that if we get the trach things are going to change for the better and they have.

It has been cute watching him use his tongue to try to figure out where his tube has gone. He has started to make little popping noises with his lips.

Saturday & Sunday Little Man did not want to sleep. All he wanted to do was wiggle. Dr M was saying how its great that he doesnt seem like he is experiencing any discomfort but we cant have him moving around so much. They dont want the hole in his throat to get bigger so his morphine and ativan have been increased. So much so that when he does sleep he makes the vent do al the work.

Dr Y, Drayke's surgeon, came by yesterday and told Dr M & me that he sees no reason to have the baby snowed so the weaning process is beginning. Feeds are almost back up to where he was last weak.

The big change has been on his vent. O2 is 45. The pressure has been dropped from 25 to 22. PEEP from 10 to 8! These are the kinds of changes that will determine if he goes home with a vent or not. I am keeping in the back of my mind it may be possible. With all these changes his saturations are 98-100.

Next week we are going to start the weaning of the nitric again as well as get an updated echo. This one and the echo 3 weeks later is going to be really interesting. Is there going to be a change for the better? In my heart I believe there will be.

Almost forgot: his weight on Monday night was 15 pounds 6 ounces and today they are starting him on size 3 diapers.