January 3,2018

Charlie is now over two weeks old and doing so well! We are so proud of this tough little guy :) He’s had a quiet couple of days, (these are our favorite!) and has even progressed a little. Charlie’s blood pressure has been all over the place since birth but the last few days it’s been very stable and he is no longer on any medication for it. Charlie had his 8th blood transfusion last night to replace blood that is being drawn for tests, and it also helps to regulate his pressures. The doctors are trying their best to limit the amount of blood they are drawing for blood gas and lab tests, but even taking a small amount is a lot for his tiny little body. We are so thankful for the blood donors that are making it possible for Charlie to get these transfusions. One of the primary concerns right now with Charlie is the Patent Ductus Arteriosus, or PDA, in his heart. This is an opening that allows blood to flow between two major blood vessels, the aorta and pulmonary artery. This opening naturally closes in full term babies but in premature babies it is common that it does not close right away due to the heart and lungs being underdeveloped. Doctors would like to try and close Charlie’s PDA as soon as possible to aid in his development. The most common way they treat the PDA is with ibuprofen, however ibuprofen is filtered through the kidneys and Charlie is already on a few different medications that are filtered the same way. For the sake of avoiding any further kidney strain or damage, they are giving him IV Tylenol through his PICC line, which sometimes shows similar results but does not filter through the kidneys. We are hoping this works and will keep you updated on the results.

For nutrition, Charlie has been getting mom’s milk through a feeding tube in his tummy. We love to know that he is getting mom‘s milk to protect his GI tract and give him nutrients! They are increasing the amount he gets daily, and we are so happy that this is something we can do to help him.

Today is Theo’s birthday and it was the first time he met his baby brother. He thinks Charlie is very cute and asked to hold him. He also wished him a Merry Chris Chris (Christmas) as we were leaving, which was just adorable. Theo did so good and we are so thankful to have such a sweet boy. We are so excited for our two boys; to grow up together, get into trouble together, and to be best friends. They are such a blessing to our lives and we thank God everyday for them. There was a lot to catch you up on; sorry for the lengthy entry. Thank you all so much for your continued prayer, love, and support.