Friday, February 2nd

Andrew’s brain scan and kidney scan results were good. The doctor said he had perfect kidneys and did not see any evidence of brain bleeds. This is a very big risk for preemies, so we were extremely happy to hear that Andrew does not have any bleeds. This scan does not determine the functionality of his brain, only that it has all the right parts in the right places. We will only learn the functionality as he grows and we see how his development compares to the expectation of babies his age. Andrew’s neonatologist told us that he thinks Andrew’s honeymoon phase is ending today. For most babies it will last a week, but since Andrew is so small and so sick, it is ending today. Andrew is requiring more and more oxygen and his ventilator is up to 80% and his oxygen sats are in the 60’s, when they are supposed to be 93 or greater. I am being discharged from the hospital, but the NICU is offering Josh and I a courtesy room so that we can stay close tonight since it is a bad day for Andrew in terms of oxygen requirements. His blood gas results are not good, they are showing that his blood is acidic. The doctor decided to also give him some nitric oxide to help his lungs. His vital signs are not matching in his hand and in his foot, so the doctor feels that the nitric oxide will help. However, the doctor has warned us that this is the last resort. If it does not work, there is not anything else that the doctor can do to save him.

Josh and I went to Build-A-Bear to make him a special bear. The bear’s name is Patches and he has 3 hearts since Andrew is my surviving triplet. The NICU wrapped Patches in plastic wrap so that if he falls on the floor, they can just rewrap him. Patches sits in the bottom corner of Andrew’s bed and is about 3 times his size. Andrew also got his hair washed today and we can see just how much of it he has. His hair seems to stick out in every direction, we think he got Josh’s hair. Along with Josh’s ears and long fingers and toes. We think his toes are a strong Matson gene since Haley’s are very similar. Later on in the day, Andrew’s oxygen got much better. The ventilator is still in the 80’s, but his sats have come way up. His nurse has decided to change his blankets, so we got to watch one nurse pick him up while the other changed his bed. When he got picked up, his sats jumped up so we think he liked it. He tolerates touch very well and we get to touch him on the head and the feet to cradle him. Josh also got to change his diaper, and he continued to pee while Josh was doing so. He is doing much better and we are so pleased that our little fighter proved the doctor wrong once again. Since he had a drastic improvement, Josh and I decided to forgo the courtesy room for the night and sleep at home in our own bed. It is hard leaving Andrew behind.