News about Lucas

I apologize for not updating in a couple of days. First, let me say thank you so much for all the prayers because they are definitely working! Thank you for all the calls, emails, and text messages. I am so sorry that we have not been able to respond. We are exhausted!!

Luke was on an isolette warmer Saturday night, Sunday, and most of today. Today they moved him to a crib because his breathing has been so good! Praise God!! They were holding all of his feedings on Saturday and part of Sunday. They did this because they did not want him to aspirate on his feeding making the matter worse. This has been the main concern since his breathing has been faster than normal. Sunday afternoon the doctor decided that he could receive feeds through an NG tube which is a tube that goes down his nose into his stomach. He tolerated this well. It was hard to see our son with a tube down his nose, but we kept reminding ourselves that this was a positive step in the right direction. Sunday afternoon the doctor decided that he could have some feedings by mouth via bottle. This was even better news. The nurses checked his respiratory rate prior to every feed and if it was below 60 then he could have a bottle, but if above then he would have to have the feed via the NG tube. He had to have 1 NG tube feeding but the rest have all been bottle. Let's just say that the pump and I have gotten very close over the past couple of days! I was able to start nursing again today as well which of course says that everything is going in the right direction.

The doctor has said that if everything keeps going according to plan then Lucas will stay tomorrow and Eric and I will spend the night tomorrow night in one of the family rooms with him just to make sure that everything is OK and if everything goes well then we will be able to take him home on Wednesday!! PLEASE PRAY FOR THIS!!! Eric and I were discharged from the hospital today and let me just say that it was so hard to come home without our little guy. We serve an amazing God who is so good to us and we are so thankful for the many blessings he has already given us with Lucas. Let's just say that Saturday Eric and I were still saying that it still hadn't hit us that we were parents. After all of this we definitely feel like parents because we didn't realize how we could love something so much that we haven't even known for more than a few days. It is amazing!! Thank you again for all of your prayers. I will post more pictures in the next few days. Please keep the prayers coming, and as you pray for our sweet Lucas please pray for all the other infants that are in NICU because there are some very very sick babies out there that need our prayers too!! Thank you again! We love you!