Getting closer

The boys are continuing to do well. They both weigh about 4.5 lbs (I can't remember the exact weights or I would give them too you.) They are continuing to work on their bottle feeding and nursing. Their nurse said last night that they really seemed to show an interest in their bottle feedings. It is still a lot of work for the boys to take a feeding from a bottle and they get tired quickly.

The past couple of times we have visited the boys or talked with the nurses on the phone, we hear more and more talk about discharge. Before they can be discharged they have to take all of their feedings from a bottle or the breast and no feedings in the tube. In addition to the feedings they must not have any spells where their heart rates or breathing rates drop. They are still at a point now where they are having spells after eating, due to all the hard work of eating. As soon as the spells decrease they will increase the number of feedings from the bottle or breast, until all feedings are from the bottle or breast.

Soon David and I will have car seat training. We need to learn how to put the boys in the car seats so that their breathing or heart rates don't decrease. After we are trained on it, we will be observed putting the boys in their car seats and they will be monitored to be sure they don't have any spells. We don't have a specific date for discharge, but their nurse yesterday seemed confident that they could be discharged by their due date August 13. It is exciting to start having discussions about what to expect when they go home and what we have to accomplish before going home. I imagine that it will still be a couple of weeks before they come home, but that time will be here before we know it.

Thank you to all of you who have kept us and the boys in your thoughts and prayers. We know that it is because of all those thoughts and prayers that the boys are doing so well. We really apprecaite all your thoughts and prayers.