Nesting Nessa!

OK... time for another update! Karis continues to make progress. She has been off of oxygen for a couple of days now and is breathing well for the most part. She has been stepped down from level 2 to intermediate nursery, which means she's not coming to the room yet but has graduated from the big beds with the heat lamps to a bassinet. She has started nursing and seems to be doing well with that. She has come off of her antibiotics but is still on an IV until the doctor is sure that she's getting everything she needs via nursing. She has a slight case of jaundice and is on a biliblanket still. From time to time she is still breathing faster than she should and the pediatrician said he needs to see her breathe at a normal rate for at least 24 hours straight before he'll send her home. He said we should plan on taking her home on Thursday or Friday at the earliest. This is later than we hoped for, but we want Karis to get all the attention she needs before we go home with her. We are also reminded of several of our friends who have spent months in the hospital with their infants and have a new sympathy for what they have been through.

Vanessa has been discharged as a patient. Because Karis is not ready to come home yet, Vanessa is now considered a "nesting mother" and is allowed to stay in a room (as long as one is available), eat from the cafeteria and be close to the baby until she's ready to leave. Vanessa is not getting any treatment from the nurses or doctors at this point... which actually helps with resting through the night! She's doing well. She developed a spinal headache as a complication from her spinal anesthesia but was treated and is feeling well now.

I am living between home and the hospital and am very appreciative of all the prayers and calls on our behalf. Thanks for loving us well. Please keep praying that Karis' breathing will get easier and she'll get beyond this rough start.

P.S. - Vanessa is in room 237A at Tift Regional Hospital. She can be reached directly by calling 353-4237.