Update

I know. It has been hours and hours since my last update. But I have read every email and every blog comment and the outpouring of support from people we know and don't know is overwhelming. Thank you all so much!

Let me try and pick up from the last one. After talking to the surgeon, and hearing that they wanted to do the bowel ultrasound, we had to sit and wait for a bit (lots of that happening here). The ultrasound came back "inconclusive". So they wanted to do an Upper GI study xray (i'm sure i got that name wrong or funky). But that is where they inject die in his stomach and then xray it's travels. It came back that Riley's bowel is NOT twisted or Malformed as they say. THAT was good news. because by the time they got that done and the results from it....a couple hours had passed and we already knew that IF this was what was going on instead of NEC that he really needed surgery yesterday in order for any real hope. So that was very relieving. So they have for sure decided that we are dealing with NEC. Ruling out a malformation didn't answer any questions or change the fact that he is still very sick, but it ruled OUT something else that was probably even MORE dangerous.

In order to take him to radiology, they had to change him from the ventilator he was on, which does really rapid yet soft puffs of air to him (like 450 puffs/breaths a minute) to a normal one. They switched him yesterday to the rapid one as his carbon dioxide levels were climbing on the normal one. While he was getting the GI study done, he maintained his Oxygen and Carbon dioxide levels without a problem so they chose to leave him on the regular vent as long as he does this. he is still on this right now. Again....he CAN breathe on his own (thank you God), but the bowel distention from the infection pushes his bowel into his diaphram (think how a pregnant woman's diaphragm gets compressed). This can make it harder for him to breathe. And they don't want him struggling or expending energy on ANYTHING he doesn't have to. So be venting him, he can put energy elsewhere.

He had to get a blood transfusion this evening as his hematocrit levels were low. Likely this is due to all the blood they have taken from him.

His latest blood gas was improved from all the others. This of course could change anytime, but it was nice to hear.

His latest bowel ultrasound showed some improvement. Again, could change anytime but it was an improvement. It's still pretty bad, so ANY improvement is wonderful.

I THINK that is all the developments from today. So like I said, it was filled with several small victories, none of which change his overall status much but any improvement anywhere is just great.

They put a PICC line in his arm this morning. (A nurse places a PICC line into a large vein in your arm and guides the catheter up into the main vein near your heart where blood flows quickly. The nurse stitches the PICC line in place and covers the site with a sterile bandage. An x-ray is done to make sure that the catheter is in the right place. It takes 1 - 1 ½ hours to place the PICC line). They say this is much more stabile then a regular IV.

He has an arterial IV line in the artery in the other arm. He has an IV in his head. He has sensors on one hand and one foot and numerous sensors all over his chest and stomach. He has the ventilator tubes coming out his mouth and then another tube thing that is sucking acid and fecal matter from his stomach. Right now his bowels aren't working (he's also only getting iv nutrition). His little belly is puffy and for the most part he keeps his eyes closed.

I have told him all day to be a fighter like he was at home (where he would constantly pull of sensors and pull out IV's and feeding tubes). I have told him to fight so many times I couldn't even begin to count how many. Turns out, he has been fighting some. He was tugging on his vent hose earlier today the nurse said. He was yanking on his head IV line after the blood transfusion had begun (that gave me the willy's). They try and get him to snuggle up with his bedding and have his hands tucked by his side but he yanks them away and stretches them out above his head. He's on morphine since he seems like his poor little swollen stomach is tender and so that keeps him kind of out of it. I nearly jump out of my chair when I see him open his eyes, or even just one eye. I think he peeks just to see if I'm still there. :o) He grabs my finger when I touch his hand and splays his toes (his freaky little monkey toes) when I touch them, but doesn't complain.

We of course feel very helpless as all we can do is sit and watch and wait for the next set of results. While anxious to hear the results, it also brings dread because you just don't know what they are going to say. I'm actually nauseated thinking of trying to sleep later. Afraid that the 3-4am hours will bring about something else bad.

I called and talked to Travis today. I told him that yesterday, the doctor had to send Riley to another hospital that was kind of far away as he is very sick and they have special doctors there that can try and help him. And of course that we were there also and so he would be staying with Mema and Granddaddy. I feel terrible about somewhat abandoning him, but he seems to have taken the news well. I told him Riley got to ride in a helicopter and that seems to be eating him up. He immediatly wanted to know how Jay got up here which made me laugh. I guess he thought that Jay AND Riley took the helicopter. Then he immediatly said he wanted to come see Riley. Such a sweetie he is.

This is what it looks like when your baby is about to ride with Lifeflight:

From Riley

This is the fence that keeps you back from watching your life wheel away from you and you scream out THANK YOU to the crew:

From Riley

This is where you think you have to be dreaming:

From Riley

and then it takes off and you are hit with the wind from it's blades and realize it's no dream:

From Riley

The lady with the white hair came by his room earlier to see how he was doing. That was so nice of her. the people up here are really nice. It's just a very busy place and can be so anxiety producing and overwhelming.

I'm off to pump and see Riley some more. Thank you again so much for the thoughts and prayers. All day long, the small victories made us believe that it just may work.

-
Lindsey