12 and 38

Saturday we celebrated the twins turning 12 weeks old.  Today they are 38 weeks gestational age.  It is hard to avoid "what ifs."  What if we were still pregnant?  Would Trish be as large as a Recreational Vehicle?  Would she be on bed rest?  Would the twins be larger in utero than they are in real life?  What would it be like if we didn't know the twins so well at this point?  Is it possible we would love them less if their entrance into the world was uneventful?

We are very fortunate that we have spent nearly 3 months with these two miracles.  We have had an army of prayer warriors on our side, loving our family, praying specifically and generally.  It is because of people like you, I believe, that my updates are less frequent.  Thankfully, changes are slow and mostly positive.  Tonight I would like to enlist your help for other babies that are in NICUs or PICUs.  (If you are wondering, Neonatal ICUs are for new babies, Pediatric ICUs are for babies that have been home already).  God has really used this experience to stretch my heart.  I believe that my compassion amplified after I accepted Christ, but there is a mountain between sympathy and empathy.  A few years ago, a couple we love dearly brought a precious girl in the world with a heart condition that made her survival improbable.  I remember praying for them and for her.  Specifically I recall Trish and I having conversations starting "Could you imagine..." and the answer was definitely "No!"  Now, we can put ourselves in the shoes of any/everyone with kids that are fighting odds to survive.  Our issues may be different but now I know what its like to reach through the portholes of an isolette, praying through my tears, and worried if I leave the bedside that I may not see them breathing when I come back.

We met a couple this week that I've followed on Facebook and would like you to pray for them.  We've hit the point where we can safely imagine bringing Grayson and Scarlett home and I am thankful for that.  The Coy's are praying they can get into the best hospitals in the world in the hope that one of a handful of people alive will try to save their baby, Eliana.

This reminds me, that I am self-reporting that I have suspended my "Man Card" for a while.  There are very few days that go by that I don't cry.  I get teary thinking about the babies like Eliana.  I get choked up when I check in with Trish and hear that Grayson breastfed on his CPAP today, and was so text book that the staff wants to film him and Trish to educate other nurses about the process.  PS, after that call, Trish breast fed Scarlett on camera.  Even the right song or commercial pushes me over the edge.

Now for updates:
As mentioned, Grayson entered the "Feeder/Breather" stage today, meaning he can try feeding once/day while on his CPAP.  Scarlett has breast fed 4 times now.

The twins had their ROP eye exams today.  They both presented Zone 2, Stage 1 ROP.  They are both almost Zone 3.  Scarlett was not changed but Grayson's last exam results were "too immature to tell."  These diagnoses are OK as many babies "grow out" of it at this point and have normal vision.  It is something to pray about as it could lead to surgery or progress to blindness.

Scarlett spent the weekend at 21% oxygen, showing up Grayson at 26% as of today.  She did not make it to nasal cannula today because of the ROP exam.  The exam is extremely uncomfortable and some kids struggle afterwards so the staff wants to wait.

The kids are "playing" with toys now.  Grayson has spent a few hours in a swing and has a mirror and another toy in his crib.  Scarlett has a mobile that plays music over her crib.

Trish clipped both babies finger nails!  They were a danger to themselves and to us!  One night when I was holding Grayson, I think he was dreaming of milking a cow because he spent 3 hours scraping up my chest!  Unfortunately, the first fingernail she cut caused Grayson to bleed.  It made her gun shy and so she tried a couple days later and waited until I kangarooed them to do it.

Grayson now weighs 6 pounds, 8.6 ounces.  Scarlett weighs 6 pounds, 5.8 ounces.

Pictures of Grayson:

 Thinking profound thoughts like, "Should I eat at the chest or just swing through the gavage-through?"

 Not sure why the nurses thought he would like Ohio State sheets...

"Please daddy, no more pictures!"

Snuggle Time! 

Scarlett:

Ballerina Scarlett 

 "Mommy is helping me hold my pacy in"

 "Can we puh-wease take this stuff off my head mommy!?"