Life in the NICU - Rolls

It's official - our son has rolls - yes rolls! He is currently weighing in at 5lb 11oz! We can't believe he's almost at the 6lb mark - it's amazing how far he has come!

This week Jackson has had a few tests - Wednesday he had his eye check up. They found no change in the ROP. No progression is good, but we are looking for and waiting for regression of the ROP. They will continue to monitor him weekly until they see change.
He also had a head ultrasound. Back when Jackson was a few days old, we found out he had a grade 4 brain bleed. When we got to Iowa City, they did a repeat ultrasound, and reclassified it as a grade 3. Now that he is 36 weeks old, they did another ultrasound to look for PVL - a really long medical term that basically means damage to the white matter of the brain. The scan showed regression of the bleed (his body is re-absorbing the clot) that his ventricles were not enlarged, and no PVL. All this is very good news! PTL!!!
Jackson has started the process of learning to take food by mouth. He has gotten to try both nursing and a bottle and has done well at both. He will have to take a couple bottles a day to give him a few extra calories, so he has to learn both nursing and bottle feeding before he can go home.
Jackson's High flow was also reduced to 1.5 liters - we can go home on 1 liter, so we're very close to that mark.

Jackson's big hurdles for the next 4 weeks are his eyes, learning to eat by mouth , and getting his oxygen down to 1 liter or lower. Please pray for all these things as we're getting so close to his due date, and we're so ready to get him home!!

A week of change

This week has seen a few changes for Jackson. He started the week off by getting his high flow setting reduced from 3-liters to 2-liters. This oxygen level is one of the things that Jackson will have to get reduced before he can be released for home.

Tuesday, Jackson had a VCUG test. This test was to determine if the rupture in his bladder has healed properly. Thankfully, it has! The rupture has healed and he
shouldn't need a catheter in any more. He was also moved into an open crib and passed the crib test (sustaining his body temperature for 1 day) We are loving having him in the crib as we are able to pick him up and hold him whenever we'd like these things are a few positive steps towards coming home! PTL!

Wednesday, Jackson had another eye exam. Previously his eyes had gotten a little worse and if they continued to worsen he could require laser eye surgery relatively soon. The good news is that his eyes didn't get worse this week, but were stable. The doctors said that when a preemie's eyes get this condition, they usually either get better or get worse quickly. Since Jackson's eyes didn't get worse this week, its a good sign that maybe they will get better on their own.

Today (Saturday) Jackson weighed in at 4lb 14oz and around 16" long! He continues to grow and as he gets settled in on 2-liters of oxygen he should be able to start eating by mouth. Once he can take all of his feeds by mouth he should be able to come home!!!

Next week he will be having his 36 week head ultrasound. We re praying that this test will show improvement. He will also have another eye exam - we are hoping for regression of the ROP.

What a difference a month makes!

A month ago - Jackson weighed 2lbs 4oz today he weighs in at......4lbs 0.2oz!! -- He was on a Ventilator, and as of today, he is on High Flow Oxygen!
He no longer has to have a tube in his little nose, and will just have oxygen delivered through the nasal cannula! We pray that he does well on this, as being on CPap is hard on his little nose, and can be a little uncomfortable for him. Not to mention that we'll be able to hold him more easily!
He also had his 2 month immunizations on Sunday - he was a little trooper, and cried only when they had to poke him.
Jackson had another eye exam on Wednesday - it has shown a little progression in the ROP. We are still not to the point of surgery, but if the ROP continues to progress, he may need eye surgery - so we need prayers for his little eyes.

We have about 6 weeks to go if he comes home around his due date! 6 WEEKS! typing that makes me tear up. Jackson has really done so well for all the stuff he's had to go through. We're so proud of him and so ready for him to be home with us!

He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalms 91:4

Cruise Control

Jackson is 2 months old! Wow! We feel like time has gone so fast, but in the slowest way possible. I know that does not make sense, but it feels like both. Our little man amazes us every time we see him - he's looking much more filled out, and his little personality is just coming through more and more. Both of us have been able to recognize some of this personality traits, and things that he likes and does not like. He LOVES his pacifier! He does NOT like to be woken up (I'm hoping this means he'll be a great sleeper) He is content most of the time, and will occasionally be awake for a period of time and just like to look around - we catch him staring at his tubes every once and a while - It's pretty darn cute because he has to cross his eyes to focus on it. He LOVES to be held by mom and dad...and his mom and dad love to hold him!
Jackson got to experience wearing clothing for the first time! He looks just so darn cute!

Jackson just keeps on growing! He is within an ounce of doubling his birth weight! We are in what the doctors call "cruise control" Not much new happens - he eats, sleeps, and grows and they just let him do his thing.
They have begun to wean him from the CPap - they started him out of a CPap of 10 and is now on a CPap of 8 - once he gets to a 6 or 5, they will put him on High Flow! High flow is much like what adults have when they are put on oxygen. When he gets to this, it will be much easier to hold him and move him around!


Jackson has had a few eye exams over the past few weeks. They have come back with some ROP - which is Retinopathy of prematurity - It has something to do with blood vessels that go to his retina. As of now, he is only in the beginning stages, which most of the time will correct itself after a while. They will continue to monitor the status of his eyes weekly.

Thanks to all of you who continue to read our blog and pray for Jackson - We know we don't know all of you, but we appreciate all of the support!