July 31, 2008 12:45 pm

Hello everyone! Today starting off to be much better than last Thursday! The doctors did not make any changes this morning during rounds. Laurie is completing her last day of antibiotics. Her rate and pressures have been weaned quite a bit, however she is still requiring too much oxygen to take her off of the vent at this point. Laurie still weighed 1lb. 13 oz. last night. Natasha, Laurie has a very "fancy" bed--it weighs without having to move her! Don't ask me how this works!?! It will even convert her weight from grams to pounds and ounces, which means no calculating for me!!! Thirty grams equals one ounce, so she may gain a few grams at night without the ounces actually changing.

Please continue to remember Laurie and her doctors and nurses in your prayers. Also, remember Todd and Mother has they travel to and from Birmingham tomorrow.

Love,
Todd, Leah, Cole, and Laurie

July 30, 2008 10:30 am

Hi! The doctors made their rounds early today and decreased Laurie's rate and pressures on the vent a little more. Hopefully, she will tolerate these changes and be able to come off the vent soon! Her weight today is 1 lb. 13 oz. As you can tell from the picture most of that seems to be in her cheeks! Cole would have been so happy last night to see her dressed in a cap, shirt, and booties! Of course this was the one time I didn't have my camera with me, but the nurses made some pictures for us. By this morning Laurie had shed the cap and booties--I'm sure she just wiggled and kicked out of them! She still pulls and wiggles anything that is attached to her--like her vent tube, IV, beanie pillows, etc... She would probably get rid of the shirt if she could! It is good to see that she is back to her feisty self!

Please continue to pray for Laurie to come off the vent soon with as little damage as possible done to her lungs. Thanks for your continued love and prayers!

Love,
Todd, Leah, Cole, and Laurie

July 29, 2008 12:30 pm

Hello! We are having another quiet day, which means Laurie is doing just what she is suppose to do--rest and grow. We once again witnessed answered prayers this morning when we received news that Laurie's 30 day head ultrasound results were normal!!! The doctors did not make any further changes to her care plan today. They will continue to wean the rate, pressures, and oxygen settings on her vent. Laurie also weighed 1lb. 12 oz. last night. Please continue to pray for her lung development and praise for the normal ultrasound results! God continues to bless us daily!

Love to all!
Todd, Leah, Cole, and Laurie

July 28, 2008 2:00

I am one month old today!!!

Hi from the RNICU! Today the doctors are continuing to slowly wean Laurie's rate, pressure, and oxygen levels on the vent! The blood and spinal tap cultures are still negative for infection. Her 30 day brain ultrasound was done last night, but the results are not back yet. Laurie has gained another oz. and now weighs 1 lb. 12 oz. We are celebrating Laurie's 1 month birthday with a quiet day for her lungs to grow and develop. A new friend of another baby in the RNICU made her the cutest birthday hat. I just couldn't resist showing everyone her 1 month birthday pictures!!! Thank you all so much for your prayers over the last month! Please continue to remember Laurie, her nurses and doctors, and the other babies in the RNICU in your prayers!

Love,
Todd, Leah, Cole, and Laurie

July 27, 2008 6:30pm

Cole and Laurie--July 27, 2008

Hey everyone! I know some of you have been worried since I have not posted this weekend, but we have had computer problems (this time it was not the me, believe it or not!) and Cole was here, which left little time to deal with computer issues! He was more interested in going shopping to get supplies for "big school"!

Laurie seems to be slowly recovering from the pneumonia and the stress of Thursday's testing! She is back to full feeds of 12 cc every 3 hours and weighed 1lb. and 11 oz. last night! She will have a few more days on the antibiotics, but has completed the IVIG and fluids. She had another blood transfusion (16 cc) today. Hopefully, this will help increase the red blood cells that carry oxygen, making it easier for her to breathe. Overall, she has had a good day today.

Thanks for caring and keeping up with Laurie's progress each day! It helps make us stronger to know that we have so much support, love, and prayers at home! Please continue to pray for Laurie to grow stronger and that her lungs will continue to develop!

Hope you have a great week!
Love,
Todd, Leah, Cole, and Laurie

Hello everyone!
Well, I am posting this blog from Elba because the internet at the hospital where Leah uses the computer each day is down. Laurie had a better day yesterday with the doctors leaving her alone and letting the antibiotics do their job. They put her back on feedings of 6cc and have increased that today to 12 cc. Leah said the doctors are trying to slowily wean her ventilator readings and hope to get her back on the C-pap as soon as possible. I will be returning to Birmingham tomorrow and Judy will come home. We are so blessed that we are both retired now and can take turns being with Leah so Todd can be at home to work and see about Cole.
If we don't have a blog again tomorrow, please know that we are still having internet problems. Hopefully, the next few days will be a time for Laurie to get stronger and return to the C-pap.
Thanks for all your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for Laurie's lungs and also for the doctors and nurses taking care of her.

Love,
Nancy

July 24, 2008 6:30pm

Hello everyone! Well, for the last 24+ hours we have been on the "roller-coaster" ride everyone has been warning us about. Late yesterday afternoon Laurie began having trouble keeping her sats stable. The doctors were not able to wean her oxygen rate or pressures without having her de-sat (drop in oxygen levels in the bloodstream). It was an afternoon and evening of watching her monitors and numbers fluctuate from one extreme to another! Mrs. Judy and I finally left the hospital at about midnight when she stabilized. However, during rounds this morning the doctors decided to do another complete work-up because she was still not able to tolerate the decrease in her vent settings and there were inconsistencies in last few blood gases (used to measure levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood). All signs of infection! Laurie has really had a long, hard day of testing! She has had a blood culture, CBC, spinal tap, blood transfusion (7cc), two IVs started, a blood gas, tube adjustment and an x-ray all done today! The x-ray and CBC confirmed that Laurie has pneumonia and a collapsed right lung. They have started her on 3 different antibiotics and IVIG (used to help her immune system). Currently her feedings have been stopped and she is getting IV fluids. Laurie did gain an oz. last night and weighs 1lb. 8oz. The preliminary results from the spinal tap look good--thank God! Please pray for Laurie to respond quickly to the antibiotics, her lung development, and wisdom for her doctors and nurses! Please also pray for safe travel as Todd and Cole come to Birmingham tomorrow! This will be the 1st time Cole will be staying the whole weekend and we had planned to be able to have some time with him. Hopefully, Laurie will stabilize enough that we will have the opportunity to do so!!! Thanks so much for your continued love, support, and prayers! We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful support system!

Love to all!
Todd, Leah, Cole, and Laurie