Off the Vent!

Dylan has officially been off the ventilator for 4 days now!  He's on a machine called a SiPap which still gives him Oxygen and pressure but he has to do the breathing on his own.  Instead of a tube down his throat, he has a little mask over his nose which is rotated with prongs that go up his nose.  Technically he could go back on the vent at any time and the doctor gave him a 50/50 chance before we started, but as of last night, our respiratory tech said "He's not going back on the vent."  She would know and I'll take her word for it! : )

I haven't updated much since the surgery, but things were very up and down afterwards.  After surgery Dylan was breathing ok, but not great and he was having more frequent desats and needing more Oxygen.  So we agreed to give him steroids to help his lungs.  Steroids are amazing for lungs, but have potentially negative effects on head growth and some other things associated with the brain.  Of course the studies were all done with higher doses for longer periods of time, but even so the doctors don't give steroids unless they feel like they have to.  But Dylan just wasn't progressing well enough so we did the steroids.  And they seem to have done the trick!

Because Dylan is much more stable, I now get to hold him for about an hour each day (as long as it's a good day).  Yesterday was the first.  I hadn't held him since the last time I posted about it 3 weeks ago.

He's about 2 1/2 pounds right now.  He was gaining well before the surgery when he was getting breast milk, but he hasn't had any since then for various reasons.  The plan is to re-start feedings today.  One of my nurses said that it takes the longest to get to 3 pounds and then he will progress quickly from there.

Here's a look at his face : )

Ready for a photo bomb?  These are some of my favorites.

Eyes open!

Holding his bear : )  (The nurse put it under his arm to surprise me.)

In a comfy swaddle.  (These is the prong mask - above is over his nose.)