I will walk by faith, even when I cannot see..

we know God did not bring us this far (especially Tennyson) to leave us now, though it seems like lately we're taking one step forward and three steps back...please pray for me to trust Him with all things.

Okay so last night Tennyson desatted again quite a few times and between 11-11 he didn't finish a single bottle. So we were a bit disheartened last night. The nurses have been trying various things with him as some of them think he's still struggling with the reflux issue (as he's 35 weeks gestationally today they can officially start him on Zantac or Prevacid. They are thinking Zantac because it's less invasive but we'll see) or if he's just not pacing (by pacing we mean not pausing to take a breath between sucks) himself. Many think it's a combination of the two. So we started trying to do the pacing for him as they thought he wasn't doing it himself so after every 3-5 sucks we would take the bottle out of his mouth. That worked great until he figured out what was happening (even when they're so young and small, they're so quick to figure things out) and he started latching on harder and then when we would take it his sats would drop.

This morning however Debbie turned him to 28% oxygen up from 21% which we made it back down to last night (along with being turned back down to 1 liter of flow) and he took the entire bottle without a single episode. I kept trying to burp him about every 10 MLs however he would have none of it. During his last stretch I put the bottle back into his mouth and on the first big gulp he let out a huge burp and I thought for sure we were done for however he didn't even drop, I think he knew it was coming.

So all that to say, we're praying he's starting to figure this out and with the help of the Zantac hopefully he will be able to do this more consistently. They also say many times with the acid reflux medication (which isn't typically permanent as many preemies will grow out of it with time) it will help the preemies with their breathing and there will be less need for the oxygen so in my selfishness we're praying for that as well.

Tomorrow morning sometime Tennyson will be evaluated by Dr. E.L. Jordan an optamologist here in Joplin who volunteers his Wednesday mornings to evaluate the preemies for ROP. So Tennyson will have that done. The nurses aren't sure if Dr. Jordan will also do the evaluation for his tear ducts as they're still really oozing and matting his eyes closed as it's been so long since they've seen a case like this they can't remember if he does them. If he doesn't we will have to see a specialist in Springfield and probably have some surgical work done on his ducts as they're not improving with the measures that have been taken. All that to say please pray for his test(s) tomorrow.

He weighed in last night at 5lbs. 10.6 ounces so he's gaining still though not at the rates he was. One of our roommates Jai was the same age we were gestationally when she was born but was only 1lb. 15.5 ounces and now that we've slowed down with our gaining she's picking it up for us. The nurses keep teasing her and calling her Tennyson Jr. because she's got her pipes working and it's apparently pretty messy. Needless to say, we've made a name for ourself and Travis and I are thinking the four sets of bedding we got we may need the way this kid is.

Also last night it was discovered he has some congestion in his sinus cavities they believe, this could be the viral infection working it's way out, it could be a side effect of the acid reflux or it could be a regular cold though it hasn't masticized into his lungs at this time they're monitoring it closely. So please be praying for this as well.

On a note for Travis and I please pray for strength and that we would find opportunities to rest as we're terribly exhausted, everything is really starting to take its toll this week. Also I have been very hesitatnt to feed him lately as he's been desatting so much and I'm scared so please pray I will not let the fears overtake me so I can be there for our little boy.

Anyways thanks for the prayers, please keep his feeding, breathing, his congestion, his eye check and keeping infection at bay in your prayers. We know we have and are asking a lot but he's so close to getting to the next level that I'm selfishly asking for anyone to pray for him, not that you haven't been already. It's not that we think God isn't with him and could do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, because we know He is and can but that we know Tennyson wouldn't be as far as he is today without your intercession. We will be indebted to you always.

Again thanks for riding this roller coaster with us, we would never make it without you. All our love.

Patient in the Great Physician-
Travis, Lindsay & Tennyson Myers