Better

We are better. Thank goodness. Samuel was down on the oxygen - this morning he was hovering somewhere around 30%. On the x-ray, his lungs looked overexpanded again, so they had to decrease one of his other ventilator settings...which in turn made Samuel need more oxygen (right now we are around 38%.)
The doctors made rounds this morning and they are fairly certain that Samuel has pneumonia (caused from being on the ventilator.) They believe that the antibiotic he was on for staph had begun to work by the time they took the culture from his lungs - explaining why the culture didn't grow anything.
The nurse weighed Samuel this morning. He is barely under two pounds now. It looks like it will be at least ten days before they try feeding him again. It seems like every time we come close to that point, something else comes up, forcing us to wait longer. I'd like to think that there is a reason for it....maybe it's God's way of saying that Samuel needs more time before we try.
Another victory that I never thought I would celebrate - Samuel made a poopy diaper today. It is a great sign that his intestines are working. We just need to get to the point where we have more of those. He is being 'fed' intravenously at the moment. It is far from ideal because it is hard on his liver. Obviously, a lot of the issues we are facing would be solved if Samuel could eat and grow.
It's days like today that I'm learning to appreciate. No, everything's not right. No, Samuel isn't getting better exceptionally quick. We don't have the luxury in knowing how all of this will turn out. But we do know that each little success is a miracle from God......little poopy and wet diapers, coming down on ventilator settings (no matter how brief), every single ounce gained, the way that people seem to love him when they meet him (so many nurses have signed up to be his primary-care nurse...they are fighting for him.)
He is so beautiful...I can't wait to share him with you.