Tycen's heart murmer is sounding SO much better! For a long while the doctors and nurses would all say it sounded the same (relatively loud and very apparent). In the past several days, they've all said they either cannot hear it at all or it is very faint and intermittent. This means it is closing!!
**Thank you all so much for your dedicated prayers and of course, praise the Lord for answered prayers!! Please continue to pray that his murmer would heal completely. He will be getting another echocardiogram before discharge. If it looks like his PDA is closed or insignificant, he will not have to follow-up with the cardiologist on an outpatient basis (which would be SO great, considering all he's already been through!).
The babies are now sleeping together in the same isolette at all times and will be until right before they are discharged (they don't recommend babies sleep together in the same crib at home). They are also trialing keeping the isolette open without heat, which so far has been going pretty well, but Shaylie has been working a little bit harder than Tycen maintaining her body temperature mostly because she's smaller. If the babies can maintain their own temperature they will get to be switched to a regular crib soon!
**Please pray that our babies will be able to maintain their own temperature without working too hard or burning extra calories. Pray that Shaylie can keep up her temperature like Tycen so they don't have to be separated again (she may have to go back into a closed isolette).
Shaylie (right) giving Tycen (left) a kissTycen got his first bath! He did SO well :) Shaylie also got a bath (her second). They both seem to really like the water. After their bath, we dressed them for the first time! It sure does make diapers and temperatures more of a process but now that their isolette is open, it's important they have the extra layers. Plus, they are SO adorable in their little outfits!!
Tycen's first bath
Shaylie and Tycen's first outfitsThe past couple of days the babies haven't been gaining much weight. This probably goes hand in hand with switching to an open isolette and also doing more frequent activities (breastfeeding, bathing, longer time with diapers, etc). The doctor increased Tycen's fluid intake to 160 ml/kg/day and Shaylie is now at 170 ml/kg/day, which will hopefully help them to gain more weight.
**Please pray that our babies will continue to steadily gain weight! This will help them to maintain their body temperature (and if they're over 5 lbs at discharge, we won't have to buy them new car seats).
Tycen is now off his caffeine (Shaylie was off caffeine about a week ago, this is used to help up-regulate the CNS and decrease apnea/bradycardias) and his pulse oximeter was removed (which is used to monitor blood oxygen levels...one less wire connected to him!). These are all steps closer to going home! Praise God!
