Pictures from Nana holding

Here are some more photos from yesterday. Look at all the different faces (eyes, eyebrows, grins) of Brinson.

Nana holds Brinson and Good news!

Look at those eyes.... just wide open.

Today we got good news. They are going to try CPAP on this weekend. Yes you read it correctly CPAP. That means Brinson will be breathing on her own but with positive pressure of O2 in her nose....much like a mini hair dryer. Today and Tomorrow she will get a few doses of a steroid to help her airway and lungs heal. They will also be weighing Brinson daily to make sure her nutrition is going well.

Meme holds Brinson!

Meme wasted no time getting settled, she came straight from the plane to hold her granddaughter Brinson. Meme held her for about 40 minutes and loved every minute of it.

Special care from Brooke

You may remember at the beginning of this journey when Brinson had a problem with her gut.

Well it was Brooke who acted quickly and called in a nurse practioner and doctor because she saw something was wrong.

Thanks Brooke for taking extra special care of our Brinson. You are a excellent nurse and we know you will be a great Mommy!!!

Look at those feet!!!

Booties on or off, Brinson loves crossing her legs.
Maybe she is practicing to be a lady?

Those feet are sure cute. If you look at the heel of her right foot you can see where they get blood from her. The blood is used to check her nutrition, blood gas and other standard tests. She usually gets stuck for blood 1 to 2 times a week.

Photos and Videos of Mommy Holding (yesterday)

Look at all the faces of Brinson. Eyebrows up and down.

New formula seems to be working

Well Brinson gained 1.4 oz and now weighs 2lbs. 14.9oz. She is gaining weight again, so the new formula must be working.

She is doing well today on the oxygen, they just made a rate change from 25 to 20bpm. That is good news....she is getting much closer to CPAP....which means breathing on her own.

Meme (Lisa's Mom, Mary) came into today and is visiting with Brinson right now

Brinson gets vaccines

Last night and again 12 hours later today, Brinson is getting her 2 month vaccines. They try to make it as easy on the preemies as possible. They get Tylenol 1/2 hour before

Today besides the vaccines there are no new orders. We did learn that over the last couple of days her dumping is getting better. So the new formula must be working.

I guess we will find out how well it is working from the Nurse practitioner.

Seeing Brinson a whole different way...

Sometimes when parents or grandparents show up the nurse has just flipped Brinson's head to face the wall. And even though she has a beautiful head....it is just not the same.

So Mommy decided a mirror might help. Now you can see Brin either way.

Another trick video!

Here is another video from yesterday. The video speaks for itself.

Better on the lungs!

They went down on her rate today from 30bpm to 25bpm. Brinson has been sleepy today....so we will see how she does on the new setting. The plan is keep going down and see if she can go to CPAP. Brinson is consistently breathing over the vent. That is primary reason they have been able to go down. Her next blood gas is Thursday.

The tests came back on her heart. These are done on all babies with oxygen over 60 days to ensure the heart is not getting over worked....etc. Brin has a murmur of the heart ( pulmonary bronchial stenosis (PBS)). They said it was nothing to worry about. And she also has Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) which is something they will watch. The defect sounds scary, but really unless there is symptoms it is nothing to worry about and often does resolve itself.

BTW her ROP is still negative. She has another eye test next week.

New Trick!

Look Mom no hands!!!

When she was all done with her new trick, this is where she landed. And she was very comfortable just like this.

Watch the video....

Amazing 16 1/8 inches long!

As big as she is getting, these pictures above and below lets you realize how small she still is. If you also notice, she likes to face plant even with the tube in place. This is not a good position because she could pull the tube out.



Look at Brinnie's death grip on Mommy.


While on the scale, Daddy is holding her vent tube while Mommy is putting her hat on.

Brinson is really stretching out. She grew from 15 3/4 to 16 1/8 inches. As well as she did well on her height, you would think that would translate to weight as well. It did not, she lost 0.9 oz this to week to 2 lbs 13.5 oz. Preemies sometimes go up and down on their weight. Since she started a new diuretic and she has been dumping.....these things contributed to her lack of weight gain. Hopefully the new formula will work started this past weekend will help her absorb better.

Look at her new digs. Barbara (weekend night primary nurse) made the knitted purple bedding.

Story time

Over the last couple of weeks we have begun reading to Brin as long as she allows it.

Snow white was her first story.

Rocking Brinson

Yesterday afternoon, Mommy got some lovin' time with Brinson.



Last night they started her on a new mix of formula that will hopefully allow her to absorb more food/nutrition. Yesterday they lowered her rate from 8.2 to 7.7mls per hour because she was dumping....ie not absorbing.

She has been doing well with the vent setting changes. The rate has moved over the last week from 35 to 32 and 30 bpm and seems to be continually going down or staying the same on the Oxygen.

Tonight Brinson gets measured, bathed and weighed. Any guesses? Barbara (weekend night primary nurse) has her at 16 1/8 inches and 3lbs 1.5oz. Lisa has her at 16 1/4 inches and 3lbs even. I am thinking positive and have her at 16 1/8 inches and weighing a whopping 3lbs 2oz.