9 days old...

Uncle Scott & Connor holding hands - December 22, 2008

We're happy to report that Connor continues to do really well! They have taken him off the CPAP machine, and he's currently breathing warmed and humidified room air (no more than you and I breathe) through a cannula. He's also been tolerating his feeding increases very well and is up to 7mL per feed (a 2mL increase in the last 24 hours alone). The other night, he surprised Brian and Grandma Rogers by rolling over - he started on his stomach, then he was on his side, and before they knew it, he was flipped over on his back! Thankfully, all of his tests (bloodwork, spinal tap, etc.) have come back negative - none of the infection that plagued me after delivery was transferred to him.

The biggest issue facing Connor right now is his IVH. On the left side of his brain, he has a Level I bleed, but on his right, he has a Level III bleed. IVH is a common occurrence in premature infants of his age, and may manifest later in life as a minor disability. The doctors will continue to monitor him with weekly ultrasounds and head measurements to track his progress. While the situation concerns them, they also are somewhat confident that the impact on Connor's life, as a result of these bleeds, could be fairly minimal and maybe even nonexistent. We are trying to remain positive because we don't know what the future might bring, and we're comforted by the many other areas Connor is doing so well in.

One of the hardest things I've ever had to do was leave my baby behind in the hospital, while I went home. That's not how I imagined childbirth at all. Coming home with empty arms each day after visiting the NICU, is not getting much easier, especially as I watch other moms being discharged from the hospital with their babies. As I held Connor this morning during one of his feedings, my mind couldn't help but fast forward to that joyous day, when we'll bring our little boy home!

I was released from the hospital on Monday morning. There's something to be said about sleeping in your own bed... uninterrupted! Hospitals are not exactly conducive to getting rest... vitals have to be checked, IV drips changed, blood draws taken... around the clock. I never had any idea how rough recovery from a C-section would be, though it didn't help matters much that I pretty much didn't get out of the hospital bed for a week - further lengthening my recovery time. But, I'm finally on the mend, and that's all that matters.

Slowly, both Brian and I are recovering from the last 2.5 weeks of health drama, and adjusting to our new normal. We're both completely exhausted - physically and emotionally. But, so incredibly grateful for the wonderful Christmas gift we've received this year in Connor.

Meanwhile, we're celebrating Christmas this year with a much fuller house than we had planned... and we couldn't be happier about that! My mom is here for the duration, and my dad and brother Scott are here for the week. We also hope to have Brian's parents here with us over the weekend.

Thank you again for all of your support! We couldn't have gotten through all of this by ourselves - your love and prayers have helped to carry us. While we know Connor has a long road ahead of him, we're confident that Heavenly Father and the talented team of doctors and nurses at Rush-Copley are looking out for him.

While this isn't how we planned to celebrate Connor's first Christmas, we are grateful for our many blessings, including a very tiny boy with a huge will to live and grow strong.