Three weeks old!

June Claire is THREE weeks old today! I can't hardly believe it. We are so thankful each and every day to wake up and have her in our lives. Here is June's three week update:

-- Today was not a good day. Sad way to celebrate your three week birthday. :( JC had an incredibly rough morning where she was not stable at all, having episode after episode of desats and just having a very hard time breathing. I think I told ya'll that they had taken her off the nasal cannula and put her back on the nasal CPAP. Well, this morning she was having such a struggle that they intubated her again with the breathing tube. Bless her poor little heart. I was so shocked to go in this afternoon and see the breathing tube -- for some reason, they didn't bother to let us know how rough of a time she was having, so it was a huge shock for me to just walk in and see it. I will definitely be speaking to the doctor about that -- I mean, if she is doing so poorly, we would like to know so that we can rush over; even if that means sitting in the waiting room. Today she had a new nurse (I don't know WHY they keep taking Carrie away from us -- she's supposed to be the primary nurse and she's our absolute favorite. *sad face*) But thank the Lord, since she's been back on the breathing tube she seems to be settling down. I was there eariler, before supper, and she was moving around and pressing her little foot on my finger as if to say, "Mama! Get me out of here!" ;)

-- Her CBC (complete blood count) was elevated today and they strongly suspect an infection. This would answer the question of why she's having such a hard time breathing suddenly. They took several cultures and have sent them off to the lab. We should know within 48 hours what the reports are. Depending on what type of infection it is (the ones mentioned to us were just the common cold and then the dreaded one -- pneumonia) they may do a spinal tap so as to further tell how long she will need antibiotics for. This would be her third spinal tap. In three weeks. I'm so glad she won't remember any of this! :(

-- She will likely be receiving a fourth blood transfusion before the weekend is over.

-- She weighs 2 pounds, 5 ounces as of today! Almost back at her birth weight -- you go JC! She was at 20 mL's per feed, but the doctor halved that and put her back on IV nutrition, so as to allow her body to rest and try to beat this infection that she has.

I THINK that's all I have so far for you. I can't believe my sweet girl is three weeks old already. I have a lot of mixed emotions going on about this -- but that'll be another post for a rainy day. :)

My mama, cousin and his wife are on their way down tonight. They'll be staying until Sunday. It is so nice to see a familiar face and have someone you know to talk to. It'll also give us a small break as grandparents are allowed to go sit with babies without the parents having to be there. Michael usually goes over once in the day and then around midnight for a while (he's a night owl) and I try my best to get over there about 8 in the morning (some mornings it doesn't work as Sara wakes up, and I try to let Michael sleep since he takes the night shift), but I definitely go for a few hours in the middle of the day after the doctors rounds end at 12. I would sit over there 24/7 if I could, but that's not fair to myself, Sara OR Michael. June, either, because she needs her time to rest without someone staring her down and reminding her she needs to fight every time the machines beep...I mean, gazing adoringly at her. ;)

By the way, before I go I wanted to say that pumping is going really, really well. I can NOT make myself pump 10-12 times a day. I always get at least 5, but usually 7. I'm getting 20-24 ounces per day consistently and I have a really nice stash going on in the hospital freezer. They say June has so much milk it takes up a whole SHELF, and most babies just have a bucket. What can I say....I'm a milk-making-machine! :)