"Here we are, another week gone by, everyday getting us closer to bringing our twins home! No discharge date mentioned at all yet, but we are hoping no more than 4 weeks. They are 11 weeks old now, which makes them 36 weeks gestation. Another 4 weeks would put them to my due date with them. I am excited to say that yesterday they took both Jaron and Teagan off the medications they were on (meds such as diuretics to help them get rid of any extra fluid, etc). They had eye exams again this morning and the Dr. said Jaron looks great, no need to check him again, and Teagan looks good too, but he just wants to see her again in another 2 to 3 weeks. Jesus, we ask that when Teagan's eyes get checked again in a couple of weeks that it will be her last as well!
Feedings are going well, I am now nursing both of them two times a day. They are beginning to coordinate their sucking, breathing, and swallowing, but sometimes it's a little hard for them and they "alarm." I believe I asked about praying for this before, so just continue the prayer that this coordination for them will just click.
Jaron is now 5 lbs. 3 oz, and Teagan is so close to hitting 5... she is 4 lbs 14 oz. Everyday the nurses come by and say how much they can't believe how the twins have grown. They just dote over them and say how cute they are. I hear all the nurses have a little crush on Jaron :-) He's already workin' his charm. I am not sure the staff will let us leave, they love our little kiddos so much!
I am praying that these last few weeks go by quickly, or maybe I just need to pray for patience. It's like the end is so close, but still feels far away. I am longing for the day to hear the words get ready to take your babies home. I have been SO excited for the families we got to know from the NICU that I got to see take their babies home, I can't even imagine how excited I will be when it's our turn. Just thinking about it right now makes me want to burst!! That is the update I cannot wait to give. Until then, like I said, pray for our patience.
We love you all so much.
- Heather"
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Update: 10.15.09
"Wow, how the time passes me by, and here I am giving a much needed update! Jaron and Teagan are just awesome! They are still on some oxygen support. Teagan is now on the regular nasal cannula, which is the last step for respiratory support! Jaron is still on the hi-flow nasal cannula, and we are praying he will soon be like his sister and onto the regular. It's been just over a week now that I have been able to try nursing Teagan once a day, today I actually tried twice. She is showing great progress with it. Jaron got to try for the first time today, and he did great for the first time! This is exciting for me, and a great step to getting them home. Today makes them ten weeks old. I can hardly believe we have been doing this over 2 months... they have come such a long way. Looking back at pictures of them is just amazing. They don't even look like the same babies anymore... they are getting their chubby cheeks and little bellies!! Absolutely adorable.
I have probably mentioned this before, but what's on our hearts to pray for is that when it is time to go home, we will be leaving with the BOTH of them. A lot of times twins will go home separately because one is doing better than the other. I would love to have their homecoming at the same time, and have our three children under the same roof. And that they won't be coming home on any kind of oxygen or monitor, because they keep telling us that is a possibility too.
Jaron is now 4 lbs 15 oz, and Teagan 4 lbs 7 oz. We are soon going to see that 5 lb mark! Who knows, Jaron probably already hit it when they weighed him tonight!
Since you all have been such awesome prayer warriors for Jaron and Teagan, if you think about it, you can be crying out for some other very little ones. Last Friday they admitted a 23 week old baby (he was a twin, but his brother passed away. He only lived a few hours.), and he is stable. His name is Isaiah, his parents are Marci and Sam. I have had the opportunity to talk with the mom, Marci, and had the privilege to pray with her the same day that Isaiah was admitted. I am sure they won't mind that I just shared that with you all, I wanted to share their names so you can pray for them by name. I know the Lord has awesome things in store for the this family and their littlest one!! And I know Jaron and Teagan are bringing hope and encouragement to them, seeing where there boy is going to get to.
I know there are twins that were also just admitted, and I am hoping I get a chance to talk and encourage her as well. Pray that the Lord uses me in these mother's lives. It's for such a time as this that we are in the NICU at this time, right?!
We are so blessed by all of you.
Much love,
Heather"
I have probably mentioned this before, but what's on our hearts to pray for is that when it is time to go home, we will be leaving with the BOTH of them. A lot of times twins will go home separately because one is doing better than the other. I would love to have their homecoming at the same time, and have our three children under the same roof. And that they won't be coming home on any kind of oxygen or monitor, because they keep telling us that is a possibility too.
Jaron is now 4 lbs 15 oz, and Teagan 4 lbs 7 oz. We are soon going to see that 5 lb mark! Who knows, Jaron probably already hit it when they weighed him tonight!
Since you all have been such awesome prayer warriors for Jaron and Teagan, if you think about it, you can be crying out for some other very little ones. Last Friday they admitted a 23 week old baby (he was a twin, but his brother passed away. He only lived a few hours.), and he is stable. His name is Isaiah, his parents are Marci and Sam. I have had the opportunity to talk with the mom, Marci, and had the privilege to pray with her the same day that Isaiah was admitted. I am sure they won't mind that I just shared that with you all, I wanted to share their names so you can pray for them by name. I know the Lord has awesome things in store for the this family and their littlest one!! And I know Jaron and Teagan are bringing hope and encouragement to them, seeing where there boy is going to get to.
I know there are twins that were also just admitted, and I am hoping I get a chance to talk and encourage her as well. Pray that the Lord uses me in these mother's lives. It's for such a time as this that we are in the NICU at this time, right?!
We are so blessed by all of you.
Much love,
Heather"
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Update: 10.1.09
"More good news to share with everybody! As you know last Tuesday Jaron and Teagan were both taken off of their vents and onto CPAP. Well yesterday I had another wonderful surprise to see that Teagan now has the high flow nasal cannula! This is just the next step needed to be made to get weened off of oxygen... so of course our prayer is that Jaron is right there with his sis and will have the high flow soon. This looks so much more comfortable too, the CPAP isn't very friendly to the face or nose!
They had another eye exam this week, and things still look good there. The occupational therapist that works in the NICU got to check them out too, and assessed them. She says everything looks great, Eventually, she is going to show me some massage to do for them that is helpful. Oh, and a highlight for me this week was bath time!! I was able to give both of the twins their baths. I just took a warm soapy wipe and "scrubbed" 'em in their beds, and then put them in their little tub to rinse them off, and they both loved the water when I rinsed them. They were wide eyed when I was doing it.
Obviously, we continue to pray for their lungs, but as you think about it, when it comes time for them to start feeding, which won't be for another couple weeks, pray for the coordination. And for my patience! This will be one of the hardest things they will have to do, breathe, suck, swallow.
Last but not least, their weights. Jaron is 3.15 and Teagan is 3.7. We are soon going to see four pounds! Amazing, compared to how tiny they were 8 weeks ago!
Here are some pictures of their bath times. Hope you enjoy! This was a fun update for me to give.
Love, Heather "
They had another eye exam this week, and things still look good there. The occupational therapist that works in the NICU got to check them out too, and assessed them. She says everything looks great, Eventually, she is going to show me some massage to do for them that is helpful. Oh, and a highlight for me this week was bath time!! I was able to give both of the twins their baths. I just took a warm soapy wipe and "scrubbed" 'em in their beds, and then put them in their little tub to rinse them off, and they both loved the water when I rinsed them. They were wide eyed when I was doing it.
Obviously, we continue to pray for their lungs, but as you think about it, when it comes time for them to start feeding, which won't be for another couple weeks, pray for the coordination. And for my patience! This will be one of the hardest things they will have to do, breathe, suck, swallow.
Last but not least, their weights. Jaron is 3.15 and Teagan is 3.7. We are soon going to see four pounds! Amazing, compared to how tiny they were 8 weeks ago!
Here are some pictures of their bath times. Hope you enjoy! This was a fun update for me to give.
Love, Heather "
Teagan:
Jaron:
Update: 9.27.09
"I know everyone is probably wondering how the CPAP is going for Jaron, and if Teagan is on it yet. Well, I am HAPPY to say that they are both doing great on CPAP. They tried Teagan on it Wednesday, and they actually bumped her oxygen down on it tonight!! Being able to hold them is much easier now. And of course what you are all wondering now is how much they weigh... Jaron is 3 lbs 11 oz, and Teagan is 3lbs 7 oz.
I just want to say again how much we love you all, and how humbled we are by such love and support. First of all we couldn't do it without the grace and love of God, but we also couldn't do it without the rest of you backing us up.
Love, Heather"
I just want to say again how much we love you all, and how humbled we are by such love and support. First of all we couldn't do it without the grace and love of God, but we also couldn't do it without the rest of you backing us up.
Love, Heather"
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