Par is a Genius!

Our baby boy is a genius. Apparently he has been watching his nurses take his tubes in and out to clean/replace them and he has figured out how to take them out himself. Yep--that's right--he is removing his own tubes--mainly the red rubber one. Several times we (Rusty and I) have strategically placed his blue bunny to intercept his little fingers--but he is VERY sneaky and has managed to fool even us into believing he is playing with the bunny when really he is removing the tape in an effort to pull the tube out.

Today we had a nurse during the day that we absolutely love--only here a little more than a week and Rusty and I definitely have our favorite nurses. She was very attentive to our little Par--he seems to like people fussing over him. He also really likes me holding his feet and playing with his tiny little toes and putting my hand on his head. Rusty attempted to give his hair a mohawk today--he likes his hair played with--just like his mom! We didn't see Dr. Kays today--he seems content with how Par is doing. They weaned the Nitric Oxide to 18 (down from 20) and his oxygen to 60. Dr. Kays mentioned to Par's nurse that he might put him on a conventional ventilator by the end of the week...we'll see.

After being in the same position since birth (except when they moved him for the repair) Par got a new position--he is very relaxed--he has his head back and feet propped up--I love it because he has the cutest feet! He seems to like it better because he isn't always looking left (although that could be great practice if he wants to be a NASCAR driver).





Rusty and I got to see Par's x-rays today from before the repair and after. It is amazing--we can literally see the left lung grow right before our eyes. You know those little capsule things that you put in water and it grows into a sponge animal--that is how this lung has reacted to having more room in the chest. Right after the surgery is this tiny bud of a lung and then the next day it has "sprouted" and then the x-ray from today it is even bigger! For size comparison from the day of surgery to today--think of the difference in a grape and an orange--isn't that an amazing difference. Praise God--the human body is amazing!

We do have some not so great news--Par has been running a low-grade fever and they sent some cultures to the lab and they came back preliminarily positive for what would be the onset of pneumonia--but he was already on 3 antibiotics (for the repair surgery) and they started him on 2 more for precaution. We pray that we have "caught" this early enough for it not to be an issue--as you can imagine, an infection in his lungs can be very dangerous. They showed us the cloudiness on the x-ray indicating some "junk" that could be the infection--hopefully his film tomorrow will look clearer. FYI- this is only in the right lung (the healthier lung) and his left lung looks great.

Rusty and I went to check on him tonight and found him asleep with his right hand stuck to tape that had once been attached to his red rubber. His left hand was on the red rubber--and guess what--it was pulled out. He had a new nurse tonight so I tried to stress to her that he pulls them out on purpose so she needs to check it frequently--not sure if she will--she sort of thought I was kidding--until I had to get her because he did it again while we were there. Hopefully she gets it now.

He was asleep when we left--although it was hard to leave him in the hands of a "stranger"--the other nurses were just more friendly and warmer--his nurse tonight just seems like she wants to keep to herself--although, she is very nice and she responded without hesitation every time Rusty and I had a question--I guess it is the same feeling one gets when hiring a babysitter. It was still difficult to leave, so we told Par that he would have to fend for himself tonight and Rusty told him if he needed us we were at the Homewood Suites Rm 311--but I'm sure he'll do just fine.

Correction for an earlier post--the incision is 9cm, not 9 inches--my mistake!

Please continue to keep Jonathan and Ella in your prayers along with Par. This little babies are so precious--and such little fighters! We thank God for everyday we have with our babies--even if the setting/place is not our ideal--we trust in God plan and timing--He sees and He knows the complete bigger picture--how can we not trust in His timing?
May God continue to bless all the precious children in the NICU and all the friends and families praying for there day to come home.
Thank you for your prayers.
Liz, Rusty & Par the Genius