Update on our week and Jacob

Jacob Alan Davidson

is such a trouble maker. Both boys were in the hospital last week with bronchilios and then both got to go home last Wednesday which was great. But come Friday Jacob wanted to be the trouble maker and decided to give mommy and daddy a few scares and so we took him back to our local crappy ER and they sent us home, come Saturday morning things weren't going well and I was on the phone with our care team by 7:30 or 8:00 and was told to take him back to the ER and so Bob and I did and at that point I asked for the transfer to ACH. That was Saturday and today and most likely for the rest of the week we will be inpatient here at ACH. Jacob is doing okay, he has a TPT tube in which is his feeding tube, he most likely will be going home on a feeding tube not sure yet if it will be a G-tube or TPT tube. Jacob lost 1.4 pounds in 3 days which isn't a good thing. We love our medical team lead by our amazing pulmonologist (Dr. Morris). Jacob will be coming off caffeine tonight and so they are going to be watching him extra carefully the next few days. I can't believe my little miracles will be 8 months old tomorrow. Jacob still has a long way to go. This too shall pass with time. Jacob has chronic lung disease and keeps going in to respiratory distress syndrome. Hug your babies a little tighter today and give them extra kisses.

~7 month update~

Wow, were does time fly Jacob and Joe hit 7 month old on March 31st

Jacob~ weighs in at 13 lbs 9 oz. He has been my trouble maker that past few weeks. 2 weeks ago we saw his urologist who we love and while we were in triage he was running a fever of 100.5 while it's not that concerning to his medical team this momma is always concerned when it comes to Jacob. I called his ped's office and they said to just watch him and so I did and by Tuesday his fever was 101.6 and so I took him in to get checked out and he diagnosed him with bronchilotis and so he gave him antibiotics and steroids. He was a sick little guy. By Thursday the whole family was sick and I had been talking to his pulmonolgist who I love also and so she told me to take him in on Friday and so I did and he was immediately admitted. They tested for RSV and that came back negative and by Saturday things weren't going well and so I requested Jacob be transferred to ACH by ambulance and so he was. It turns out my little fighter who is stronger beyond words had the flu and was so dehydrated. I am so thankful to some amazing friends that gave me strength, encouragement and lent me an ear to vent to while making the decisions for Jacob. Jacob rolled over for the first time yesterday. He is also still on the apnea monitor and will be most likely til June or July.

Joe~ weighs in at about 16 lbs. He loves to be played with and is sitting up by him self and is rolling all over the place. He is also sleeping thru the night. It's nice for him to be off his apnea monitor. He is also holding his own bottle. He loves playing in the bath and loves to splish and splash. 

Bob and I~ are doing well and keeping busy. If all goes well we plan to start IVF # 3 in October or November. We are taking the month of June off from Little Rock trips as we will be plenty busy with our families coming in. The boys will have their big baptism ceremony while our families are here. 

May will be a busy month, as we have birthday's, memorial day with the Davidson's, at least 1 big little rock trip for both boys at ACH, doing my consult for IVF #3, visiting all the aunties in the NICU at Baptist. 

~ 6 month update~

Wow, were does time go, it just seems like yesterday that these boys were still in my tummy. 2 weeks ago they turned 6 months old. We are already starting to plan their first miracle party. A few weeks ago we decided that two handsome boys are enough for our a family. Their medical bills were over a half million dollar's. I am so thankful for having medical insurance.

Here are some amazing Stat's on Jacob:

This week he weigh's in at 12 pounds even, he is getting to be a big boy, he enjoys sleeping in his swing, he sleeps thru the night the majority of the time. He loves being held. We have started cloth diapering full time and so this is one of his diapers. He got to stop by and visit his wonderful Auntie's in the NICU and got to stop by Arkansas Fertility and see them. He loves eating baby food. Jacob has over come a lot. He is some what behind devlopmentally, he still has his breathing issues and is still on his apnea monitor. He get's his last RSV shot next week and no longer has to see doctor Ware for his retinopathy.

This is Joe Robert Davidson

Joe weighs a big 14 pounds, he is almost sitting up by him self. He rolls both from his back to his belly and his belly to his back. He chews all the time on his hands, he can walk with assistance to his legs. He loves eating baby food and drinking apple juice. He get's his last RSV shot next Friday. He loves being held. He also got to visit all his aunties in the NICU and see mommy's medical team at Arkansas Fertility. He also got to see his Aunt Jen for a mommy and baby date. He also is off his apnea monitor :)

Mommy had her tubes tied yesterday and is having a very hard time. It is so bad that I can't even hold or love on my sweet boys. I ended up texting our amazing doc last night I was in so much pain. I got a pain shot today and it didn't help and so he called in something else today and so far it's helping. I just apologized to him for looking like crap but he knew that I didn't feel good, usually I am a pretty chipper person.

these boys besides my amazing husband are my life. 

update on the boys :)

I can't believe our boys are 5 months old already that means that they are almost 3 months adjusted. Life has been crazy busy.

Joe weighs in at 11 lbs 15.5 ounces, he loves tummy time and standing. He loves being played with and he can roll from his tummy to his back :)

Jacob weighs in at 10 lbs 5 ounces, he is a mommy's boy big time. The main news is Jacob had major surgery this past week at Arkansas Children's Hospital. He had a bi lateral hernia, a bi lateral hydrocele and they got 3 oz of fluid off both side and then he got circumcized. Jacob had a very hard time coming off the ET tube to the point were they were thinking about keeping his intubated. At one point they send pastoral care out to talk to Bob and I. That is the most scared I have ever been in my life when they sent him out.

The boys are growing like weeds. They keep me plenty busy.

Here is our typical schedule:

8 am, bottle's (Jacob get's caffeine in his)

mommy has her cup of coffee

11:00 am bottle's, and nap time

mommy usually tries to make phone call's during this time

3:00pm bottles and tummy time

mommy takes a nap

8:00 pm bottle's and cuddle time (Jacob takes his evening meds)

9:00 pm bed time

Medical Update on Jacob.

Wow the last 24 hours has been a whirl wind of emotion. To say I am scared, and nervous if you know what Bob, Jacob and I have been thru would be an under statement. We will start with yesterday Jacob had his follow~up for his brain bleed and PVL. We had some concerns and brought them up to the doctor and she determined it was best to admit him and watch some things. Bob and I are fortunate enough to be able to stay in the room with him. Tomorrow he gets sedated for an MRI of his brain. Please pray for our sweet boy.

Frustrated beyond belief is another emotion I am feeling right now. Towards the end of the boy's stay at Baptist they weren't telling us stuff and it made me lose my trust in their medical teams, well come to find out per our neurologist yesterday that Jacob not only had one brain bleed but he had two.

Tonight as we sit at Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock I am missing my sweet Joe Joe Bean. He stayed the night with my parent's last night and are staying with my in laws tonight. If all goes well we will get to go home tomorrow.

I want to leave you all with this amazing picture of our boys :)

My love for these boys and my amazing rock star husband grow's more and more each day. Yes, we have had so many moment's lately that would tear most couples apart but we have stuck thru it and will always be stuck like glue.

Update and a year in review

As many of you know by now our journey thru the NICU wasn't an easy one, I took notes everyday and wanted to post them along with some stat's since today our handsome sweet boys are 4 months old.

9/7/2013
 Jacob Alan: Jacob started on donor milk today and weighs in at 3 pounds 5 oz, he decided that he was done with his vent and pulled it out, what a fighter we have on our hands.

Joe Robert: weighs in at 3 pounds 3 ounces and opened his eyes for the first time for me. I got to take his temperature and change his diaper for the first time, this mommy is one happy lady.

9/8/2013
Jacob: was doing good on the ram cam until things changed for the worse
Joe: was sleeping so soundly the whole visit

9/9/2013
Jacob: is back on the vent and weighs 3 pounds 5 oz, he is taking 4 ml of feedings, I got to change his diaper and take his temp, and I signed for steroids to help his lungs.
Joe: is doing good and still on the vent he weighs 3 pounds 8 oz and was resting my whole visit

9/9/2013: PM nurse update:
Jacob: has a good/ evening and is doing better than this afternoon.
Joe: had a good evening

9/10/13:
Jacob had a brain bleed and a PVL, he is doing better and got his 2nd dose of steroids and got breast milk, he is on bili light and had PT.

Joe: is still on the vent and had PT also, he got lasiks today to bring down the fluid

9/13/13
Jacob: got 4ml of food and is on lasiks every 12 hours until Dr. Benton says otherwise his vent settings are on 15 breaths per minute from 25, so we are making small steps in the right direction.

Joe: they might increase his feed's yay :)

9/14/13: PM nurse update:
 Jacob: got labs drawn and is still on the vent and he weighs in at 3 pounds even

Joe: has to have sedation meds and he has a residual in his tube, he weighs in at 3 pounds 11 ounces.

9/15/13
Jacob: had a good night he weighs in at 3 pounds 6 ounces

Joe: had .1 residual in his tube, his stomach bile is less greeny, his rate of his vent went down to 38 from 40 and his biliruben went up.

9/21/13: 
Joe: today Joe was running a fever, had to get labs, drawn and because I was heading home for my shower I got to hold him for a second or two.

Jacob: had no temperature thank God but he did get really hot all of the sudden.

9/21/13 PM nurse update from Janella:
 Jacob:  had a good afternoon and no temp
Joe: had an okay afternoon but did have to get a transfusion
nurse Janella was going to snuggle with the boys and tell them I love them.

9/22/13
Jacob: had a good day and still not running a temp
Joe: was doing better, his WBC was down, but he is still not able to have food.

10/1/13: Nurse Penny
this week the boys transitioned in to Step down :-)
Jacob: had 1 heart rate drop and needed stimualation, he weighs in at 3 pounds 9 oz
Joe: have no throwing up from reflux and got to transition in to a big boy bed, he weighs in at 4 pounds 2 oz.

10/2/13
Jacob: had 3 heart rate drops :( but he weighs in at 3 lbs 12 oz
Joe: we have to start holding before feeding due to reflux, he weighs in at 4 lbs 4 oz

10/3/13:
Jacob: was sleeping, we weighted in at 3 lbs 13.7 oz
Joe: was awake, had 6 spit ups and 1 heart rate drop, he weighted in at 4lbs and 6.4 oz

10/4/13:
Joe had 3 heart rate drops, 1 pulse ox drop, they had to go up on his oxygen to 2 liters and he had 6 spit ups, they are thinking he was has acid reflux.
Jacob: had 2 heart rate drops, and was doing okay

10/5/13
Jacob had 2 heart rate drops and weighted in at 4 lbs .5 oz, his crit was low and so he got blood and was unable to eat for 6 long hours.
Joe : did really good, he took 1 bottle today and weighted in at 4 lbs 8 oz

10/21/13 
Jacob: is doing okay,  he had to be stimualated, they also had to turn up the oxygen for him. He weights 5 lbs 4 oz.
Joe: took all his bottles today, and they are pulling his feeding tube, he weighs 5 lbs 9 oz.

10/22/13
Jacob had a great night for Aunt Tori, he weighs 5 lbs 4.5 oz, Jacob also gave aunt Tori quite a scare as he had to be bagged.
Joe: had a good night except he didn't pass his hearing screening on his right ear. He weights 5 lbs 8.9 oz

11-3-13
 Joe got to come home last week :-)

Jacob: got to see Aunt Tori who we love and he weighs in at 6 lbs 3.3 oz

11-4-13
Jacob: weighs in at 6 lbs 4.9oz

11-6-13
Jacob: weighs in at 6 lbs 6.1 oz. We got to see some of our favorite nurses as today was the day that we headed home from Baptist with both boys. We also got to make sure we thanked our NICU doctor's lead by Dr. Sotomara, Benton, Nesterd and Zierlign.

 Here are some amazing stat's on Jacob and Joe :As I sit here on a cold wintery day and writing this post, I think of everything they have gone thru in their 3 months of life: so here are some amazing stat's on them 
Joe spent 54 days in the NICU, had 3 blood transfusions, was on a vent for 19 days. Jacob spent 67 days in the NICU, had 4 blood transfusions, was on the vent for 22 days and spent numerous days on oxygen. I can't believe their adjusted age is almost 2 months  — feeling blessedwith Bobby Davidson.

The next few weeks we have many medical appt's. Jacob, Bobby and I will head back to LR for a neurology appt, Jacob and Joe also have an eye appt here locally. Then I have an appt here next week with my OB. Jacob has an appt with an Ear Nose and Throat guy here locally and then of course Jacob's surgery is the 5th of February in Little Rock. 

This week Jacob and Joe get their 4 month shot's I can't believe today they are 4 months old. Were does time go. Bob and I have been togeather 4 years today and what a crazy ride it has been but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Yes like any couple we have our up's and down's but I am blessed to be married to my amazing husband. 

3 month and 6 day update

As I sit here on a very snowy day and a sweet boy Jacob sleeping on my chest and my awesome hubby hanging out at home with us and Joe in his play pen all is good in the Davidson household.

Joe: is weighing in at 8 pounds even and will be getting round 2 of his synergis shot any day :) He is drinking 3 oz of formula and enjoys snuggling with me. He likes to smile in his sleep.This is Joe enjoying some tummy time yesterday evening. The black bag is his monitor.

Jacob: is weighing in at 7 pounds 5 ounces, he will be getting round 2 of his synergis shot on Tuesday. He is drinking 2.5 ounces of formula, he also enjoys snuggling. He also likes sitting in his swing and looking around. Jacob will be having some surgery in May due to his bi-lateral hydrocele and he is getting circumsized. We decided to wait til May because he has to be totally put under. 

I can't believe my boys are already 3 months and 6 days old and their adjusted age is 3 weeks. 

We have so many things to look forward to in the next coming weeks. 

Jacob and his girafee :)