PLEASE Pray for Riley!!!!!!!

We were woke up this morning about 4am by one of the neonatal nurse practitioners. Riley was having issues with his tube feeds and they began to investigate of course and that brought about an xray. This showed signs of something they are calling Necrotizing Enterocolitis (not real sure if I have the spelling right and right now, I am NOT googling it out of fear). I do know it's a intestinal infection though. Anyway, she told us they were stopping the feeds and putting back in his IV and going to continue IV nutrition and add antibiotics to that. It sounded like a step backwards obviously but we didn't get real feelings of alarm, just disappointment. Went down there shortly before 8am for his 8am "touch time" and all hell broke lose basically. The doctor came in and told us about NEC and basically, it can be like it is right now (which is distended/sore belly, not tolerating feeds, etc) or it can be REAL bad. We'll leave it at that. They sent us back to my room a few minute ago as they are going to start giving him some stronger pain medication as the distended belly causes pain, but the stronger pain medication causes shallow breating and so they are going to intubate him (put tube down his airway to breathe for him). The doctor is also going to consult with Chapel Hill and Duke and Riley may be flying out of here today (or at any point in the near future) to receive surgery for this at one of those places at the spur of the moment. Needless to say....this is MOST upsetting news to us and we were completely flabbergasted as was the doctor. He was FINE yesterday other than the rapid breathing.  I have come back to my room and requested the nurse page my on-call doctor right away to get me discharged. Discharged or not, I WILL be on that flight or driving at the speed of light to Duke or Chapel HIll if he goes. He will also be getting a central line put in for his medications so they don't have to keep sticking him.

 

This could be bad. Please please PLEASE pray for Riley and ask everyone you know to do so as well. Its pretty upsetting when the Dr is speechless about it.

 

If you want to get up with us, you will likely have to leave us a voicemail on one of our cell's. We do not get reception in teh NICU and I imagine that is where we will be all day today.  You can email me. I will be checking it, but just don't be upset if no response personally. When there is news, I will likely just post it here so everyone has access adn I don't forget to update a random person via email.

 

all i can say is just pray

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Lindsey