Fifty Days in the NICU

Today is our fiftieth day in the NICU. My how our lives changed in fifty days! If all goes according to plan (ha! what plan?!) Okay, let's try that again . . . if Clara and Wilson get to go home "around" their due date of September 22nd, today marks the half way point of our stay in the NICU. There are moments, even days, when this seems insurmountable, but then we look around the NICU and see glowing parents strapping a baby into the car seat and are filled with hope that we will be those parents in another fifty days.

Even with all of the ups and downs, some things remain constant; pooping is very important in the NICU. Our sweet baby girl had a major blowout (on the nurse) last night and apparently that was what she needed. After her explosion, the nurse decreased Clara's oxygen flow from four liters to three liters and her oxygen percentage decreased into the thirties for the first time in two weeks. The doctors are still worried about the condition of her lungs, but any improvement is a welcome sign. She is already back in the 40% range tonight and further treatment will likely be necessary to reduce the inflammation in her lungs. We really appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers for Clara. Today we celebrate her improvement with caution, as we know she still has a long way to go.

Wilson on the other hand, seems to be enjoying his stay in the NICU. He has people feeding him, changing him, and generally making sure he is comfortable. In the last 50 days he has been to the tanning bed (the ultra violet lights used for jaundice), experimented with several all-liquid diets, received sponge baths, and been coddled with skin-to-skin massages. So far it has paid off. Wilson continues to gain weight and has been breathing on his own since 11:45 a.m. on Thursday. He is also doing a great job of maintaining his body temperature which means he will likely move to an open air crib next week!

The NICU is far too often referred to as an emotional roller coaster, but that is the most concise way to describe this experience. In the past fifty days we've felt the incredible highs of becoming parents and watching our children grow. We also experienced staggering lows brought on by fright, uncertainty, and helplessness as our kids struggle to overcome so much so quickly. In the whole scheme of things, however, we know it could be much worse. Neither of our children has measurable bleeding in their brains and both of their hearts are functioning as well as can be expected. The only truly scary news we received was about Clara's MRSA infection and the potential problems with Clara's lungs. We therefore try to focus on the positive and remain thankful for the overall upward trajectory. We appreciate all the love and support and truly have faith that this story will have a happy ending.

Below are pictures of Clara and Wilson taken on the day they were born and pictures taken in the last day or two. You can already see how far they've come!