Sunny Day in Little Rock

Day 65

Weight: 3 lbs 2 ounces

Samuel is back up to .5 liters of flow into his nasal cannula. He just didn't do well enough on .25 liters to stay down that low. His breathing rate was really high and he seemed to be struggling to oxygenate himself well enough. This morning he seems to be doing much better at the .5 liters.
As I mentioned before, Samuel is getting diuretics - and the doctors have been trying to get him off the stronger diuretic (called Lasix.) They weened him down to giving him Lasix once a day and another diuretic called Diurel once a day too. Because his urine output dropped so badly, they had to give him two doses of Diurel and one dose of Lasix each day. His urine output picked up again yesterday so tomorrow they may take him off Lasix entirely. It seems like they are rushing that.....but I guess it doesn't hurt to see what Samuel can do on his own.
Samuel only has an ounce or two more to gain until they will consider feeding him through his stomach (via OG tube.) I believe that they will wait for Dr. Arrington, Samuel's head doctor, to get back on Monday before they decide on that. Honestly, I don't feel like they need to rush it now that Samuel is stable.
The doctor who has been on duty this week was Samuel's doctor at UAMS when he was first born. It was good to see Dr. Ross - and I know he is an excellent doctor - but seeing him makes me nervous because of how Samuel was during his stay at UAMS. Brings back a lot of scary memories. He said today "Wow, it's already been 9 weeks since I've seen you guys!" and I thought "ALREADY 9 weeks??!!!! These have been the LONGEST 9 weeks of my life!"
We have come so far but there are so many more hurtles to jump. Once we start the feeding process through the stomach, things become a little more precarious again. Please pray that he doesn't aspirate (get milk into his lungs.) We would really like not to have to go back onto the ventilator.
Dr. Ross mentioned that BEST case scenario - that means no hiccups - Samuel may go home by the very end of June (a week before his due date.) He said "It's not likely, but possible." I don't care how long it takes so long as Samuel continues to progress.....