More good news :-)

The results are in from Blake and Addison's head ultrasounds. Addison's is continuing to resolve (Praise God) and Blake's is "getting there". One of the ventricles that is effected has started to shrink (Praise God) and the other is just a tad larger BUT the Neo and the Neurosurgeon both agree no intervention is needed at this point, and their is still hope that it could all completely resolve on its own!!!!! Very blessed to have such wonderful news again today. And (gasp) I heard a rumor that the Nasal Cannula is going to be used tomorrow...on Mr. Blake. Please say a prayer that he is really ready for it this time and we can work on getting him off CPAP for good!

I am trying to very hard not to get my hopes up too high, but once he is on the cannula then home isn't THAT far off the radar. (And realistically it's not that far off for either of them anyway.) Can you believe in less then a week these miracles will be two months old and our NICU journey *should* be 2/3rds of the way over? I am still trying to grasp that concept.

I know many of you have asked me the question, "What needs to happen for them to come home?"
Well there are a few things...
1.) Be able to maintain body temp. (they are both close enough to the weight requirements that if their temps stay consistent for a few days they will change them to manual settings on their isolates, monitor their temps and again if consistent try them in an open crib.)
2.) Taking full feeds by breast and/or bottle. (Every feeding, the full amount, without having any Bradys or destats. And still gaining weight.)
3.) Pass a car seat test. (Being able to sit in a car seat for an allotment of time without having any Bradys.)

The optimal goal is to have them both home without oxygen support and without a heart monitor, however needed those two things or one of those two things does not stop a home coming. All of this could occur earlier but will more likely be closer to my actual due date of May 23rd.

I feel like right now we are at a crossroad. The end of our NICU time is so close, yet seems so far away. I keep trying to tell myself it's not that much longer, it's really not that much longer.

And when they do come home we will have a whole new journey. At home it will be our job to protect them as best as we can from being exposed to germs that could cause illness. To do all of this we will have to limit visitors and set very strict guidelines for any who visit. We have already been cautioned to avoid school aged children and ANYONE who is remotely sick or been in close quarters with anyone who is sick. We know and appreciate that everyone will be eager to meet them, but we hope that everyone will understand that the first year is the most fragile. What may not bother a full term baby or even an adult could result in another hospital stay (or worse) for our little ones. 

While I am sure small exceptions will be made (mainly for their Christening), this is not something we can really budge on. The holidays this year will be exciting and tough all at the same time, because we will be on lock down for all of RSV season. But it will be worth it in the end to keep our babies as healthy as we can.

Anyway, that's all for tonight. I am actually going to enjoy the little bit of "extra" time I seem to have today and get some sleep.