Benjamin update 1

Last night Benjamin was pretty agitated. The nurses are continually surprised about how awake he tends to be at times, even with the sedation. If it were me and I had a tube down my throat and I woke up, I would be pretty mad too. When he sees me, he seems to be pleading with his eyes for me to pick him up. It breaks my heart.

I spent the night at the Ronald McDonald house last night. We have a room at the house a couple blocks from the hospital for as long as we need it, which is really nice. When I got to his room this morning, they were about to start rounds. The doctors said his chest x-ray looked better today, which is great news. They are starting the process of weening him from some of his sedation meds to prep him for weening from the vent so he can breathe on his own. They are thinking sometime tomorrow. I am nervous for this since they took him off on sunday only to re-intubate him an hour later. It is a rough process to watch. I know the doctors don't want me in the room for it because it can be upsetting to parents but I feel that if my little guy has to experience this, then I can hang in the room for support. I often do humming with him while they are doing procedures to help comfort him and let him know I am there. I started a version of You are My Sunshine when he was in the NICU and it has become "our song". I tend to go to that first here too.

I had been starting to ween him from breast feeding before this happened. I am SO happy now that I am still able to give him my milk, since I know it is so good for him. They are supplementing it with Shaklee's protein powder and he will start the multivitamin and multimineral powder tonight. I am trying my best to keep up my milk with what he needs but we may have to supplement with formula for the calories. I am really looking forward to when we can hold him again and I can nurse him. That will be a wonderful day! :)

Thank you again for all of your prayers. We feel very blessed to have such a wonderful support system for our little guy. He has been through so much and I know your prayers are helping. Please keep them coming for healing and strength and for a full recovery very soon. Thank you!!

Rebecca