July 8, 2008

I want to first thank all of our friends and family who have been here to visit, call, and send us email messages. It is amazing to see what wonderful friends we have. Your support means the world to us and is helping us through this time.

Stu and I went to see Brandon last night around 8:30 before Stu was going home for the night. Brandon was on his back when we got there and had spit out his pacifier since it is harder for him to keep it in on his back. His night nurse, Kate, showed us how to put it back in his mouth but he didn't seem to want to suck on it. He was crying a lot so Kate showed us something that we can do to soothe him. By the third time I did it, it seemed to work. I was able to cup one hand around his head and one hand around his feet and gently give press so it would feel like it did in the womb. He really seemed to enjoy that. Kate told us to come back tonight a little before 8:00. She is going to show us how to lift him to weigh him and let us lift him with her as well as how to change his diaper and do a few other things she does with him.

It is 5:30 and I just woke up. I just called the NICU and spoke to Kate to see how Brandon's night was. She said he was doing great. His levels were all great. She said he started crying but she had given him his pacifier and he had been sucking on it for the past four hours. He is on his side so it is easier for him to keep it in his mouth when he is on his side.

I just got back from seeing Brandon. I got to walk to the NICU by myself for the first time. It is a little after 1:30. Brandon was sleeping when I was visiting him. He kept stretching his legs. It was really cute. I talked to his doctor when I was there. He is off the bilirubin light for now because his jaundice levels are good. She told me not to be surprised if he has to be put back on. She said that is common. She said she did not hear his heart murmur at all. She said sometimes one dose of the neoprophin closes it. He will have another scan of his heart on Thursday to see if it closed. He also has a scan of his brain on Thursday to see if there is any bleeding. This is something that they have to check all preemies for. Brandon's nurse gave me some pictures that she took of him with the NICU camera. She took some really good pictures. When I was there I was talking to his doctor and I mentioned to her how amazing it is that all of his features are so perfect even though he is so small. She commented that when he is two it will be hard for me to remember how small he once was. It is so great how positive the doctors and nurses are.