Avigail
Deacon
Deacon
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Mom holding Deacon during dinner time
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Dad and Avi bonding
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
We Have Two Four Pounders
Avigail breaking 4 lbs!
Deacon all tucked in for the night
Avigail all tucked in for the night 
Monday, September 7, 2009
Two In A Crib
Avigail - 3 lbs 15.1 oz, 15.83" long
Deacon - 4 lbs 2.1 oz, 15.83" long
Avigail finally moved into a crib tonight!
Deacon - 4 lbs 2.1 oz, 15.83" long
Avigail finally moved into a crib tonight!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Deacon Breaks 4 Lbs
Avigail was taken off the cannula and put back on the vapotherm. She was starting to breathe much harder and you could see that her chest compressions were more defined.
Avigail and Deacon both had blood transfusions this evening. Avi's hematocrit level had dropped to 25 and Deacon's to 28.
For the best news yet today, Deacon broke the 4 lb barrier tonight weighing in at 4 lbs 1.3 oz. Avi weighed in at 3 lbs 14.5 oz.
Avigail and Deacon both had blood transfusions this evening. Avi's hematocrit level had dropped to 25 and Deacon's to 28.
For the best news yet today, Deacon broke the 4 lb barrier tonight weighing in at 4 lbs 1.3 oz. Avi weighed in at 3 lbs 14.5 oz.
Deacon breaking 4 lbs!
Saturday, September 5, 2009
Johnsonville
Another good day in Johnsonville (this is what the doctors call our area of the NICU).
Avigail is still on the nasal cannula and Deacon on the vapotherm. They have had some desats, but not much more than what they had when they were on the CPAP.
They both had their feeding tubes moved from their mouth to their nose (this couldn't be done until they were off CPAP since CPAP covers the nose).
They also each had a blood gas done today and they both looked good! It feels so good to be making such progress.
Avigail finally reached full feeds today and began the gravity feed.
And some big news for Deacon, he has finally outweighed his sister.
Deacon - 3 lbs 15.2 oz
Avigail - 3 lbs 13.6 oz
Avigail is still on the nasal cannula and Deacon on the vapotherm. They have had some desats, but not much more than what they had when they were on the CPAP.
They both had their feeding tubes moved from their mouth to their nose (this couldn't be done until they were off CPAP since CPAP covers the nose).
They also each had a blood gas done today and they both looked good! It feels so good to be making such progress.
Avigail finally reached full feeds today and began the gravity feed.
And some big news for Deacon, he has finally outweighed his sister.
Deacon - 3 lbs 15.2 oz
Avigail - 3 lbs 13.6 oz
The Johnson Family
Princess Avigail
Prince Deacon
Prince Deacon
Together again...Avigail and Deacon
Friday, September 4, 2009
Good-bye CPAP
We thought we were still another week away, but Deacon is being taken off the CPAP and put on the Vaoptherm (high flow oxygen)! The neonatologist isn't quite sure how he'll do, but wants to give him a try. The only episodes of apnea have been due to his CPAP blocking his nasal passage. He REALLY hates his CPAP and has quite an attitude when he needs to be put back on after his breaks.
Miss Avigail was also taken off CPAP and put on the Nasal Cannula (for babies who can breathe entirely on their own and just need some extra oxygen). They jumped to the cannula because Deacon got the last Vapotherm. Can you believe a hospital would run out? There is no guarantee that she won't have to go back on the CPAP, but they want to give her a try!
They both are doing really well and are the talk of the NICU. After having already been there 8 1/2 weeks, you can imagine the bond these nurses start making with the kids and the parents. During rounds this morning, one of the doctors said, "they're getting too big for me to carry them around in my pocket"!
Avigail hasn't yet been at her full feeds. They kept her on the two hour protocol for a few days because her tummy started to get big again. She went down to the one hour protocol today and will be on the gravity feeds tomorrow!
There's an order in the system to get Avi moved into a crib! It has been so nice with Deacon in a crib. Not only is he easier to see, but we get to hold him a lot more now too!
Miss Avigail was also taken off CPAP and put on the Nasal Cannula (for babies who can breathe entirely on their own and just need some extra oxygen). They jumped to the cannula because Deacon got the last Vapotherm. Can you believe a hospital would run out? There is no guarantee that she won't have to go back on the CPAP, but they want to give her a try!
They both are doing really well and are the talk of the NICU. After having already been there 8 1/2 weeks, you can imagine the bond these nurses start making with the kids and the parents. During rounds this morning, one of the doctors said, "they're getting too big for me to carry them around in my pocket"!
Avigail hasn't yet been at her full feeds. They kept her on the two hour protocol for a few days because her tummy started to get big again. She went down to the one hour protocol today and will be on the gravity feeds tomorrow!
There's an order in the system to get Avi moved into a crib! It has been so nice with Deacon in a crib. Not only is he easier to see, but we get to hold him a lot more now too!
Avigail on nasal cannula
Deacon on vapotherm
Mom smile says it all...it has been a very long 8+ weeks, but they are both finally in my arms together!
Two VERY special babies and one VERY content Dad!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
33 Weeks Gestation / BREAKING NEWS
Deacon graduated from an isolette and moved into a crib today! No more having to take pictures through plastic.
Yesterday, Avigail started prepping for her "big girl" feeds. She got all her milk in the first two hours of each care. Today they're giving it all to her in the first hour of each care and tomorrow it will in the first 10-15 minutes of each care via the gravity feed. She seemed to tolerate the 2-hour feedings yesterday.
Deacon is having a few more episodes of apnea. They recently took him off one of the steroid medications for his lungs, so they think this may be the cause. I think he was dependent on the medication. They have increased the pressure on his CPAP back to 6 (hopefully to help eliminate the apnea events). Basically, he's getting 6 liters of oxygen a minute. Once they get down to a pressure of 5, this is the lowest step they have on the CPAP. The next step would be the Vapotherm (high flow oxygen). The Vapotherm is really for when they don't need as much oxygen.
Yesterday, Avigail started prepping for her "big girl" feeds. She got all her milk in the first two hours of each care. Today they're giving it all to her in the first hour of each care and tomorrow it will in the first 10-15 minutes of each care via the gravity feed. She seemed to tolerate the 2-hour feedings yesterday.
Deacon is having a few more episodes of apnea. They recently took him off one of the steroid medications for his lungs, so they think this may be the cause. I think he was dependent on the medication. They have increased the pressure on his CPAP back to 6 (hopefully to help eliminate the apnea events). Basically, he's getting 6 liters of oxygen a minute. Once they get down to a pressure of 5, this is the lowest step they have on the CPAP. The next step would be the Vapotherm (high flow oxygen). The Vapotherm is really for when they don't need as much oxygen.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
8 Weeks Old
Sleeping beauty (aka Avigail) on a break from her CPAP 
Dad blocking the light from Avi's eyes
Deacon Ace
Dad blocking the light from Avi's eyesDeacon AceDad showing how big Deacon has gotten
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