Braxton has graduated to a crib...

I will post more pictures this weekend...
What a surprise when I went to visit Braxton today... they moved him out of the isolet (sp) into a crib, he lost the bili-lights, was swaddled in blankets, and had a shirt on - WOW!!!! He has also mastered in blood pressure so they are no longer continually checking that - one more cord gone. I had to check him over twice as I wasn't sure if it was him I was looking at. They started his feedings on Wednesday however they are feeding him through a tube that runs from his nose to his stomach as his oxygen needs are still at around 30%. He is showing his true male characteristics and taking his sweet old time. I can now hold him whenever I want to - just have to be careful of all of his cords. Craig and I are both going to visit him tomorrow (he hasn't been able to see him since last week Friday) - I think he will be totally shocked.
I have yet to get pictures of Craig and Braxton as things went down so fast from the time he was born so super excited to get those.
Thanks Again for the continued thoughts and prayers... they are definitely working. There is still a possibility that he could come home on Sunday but if not then hopefully a couple days thereafter.
Have a Great Weekend...
Craig, Tifanie, Payton, Brooks, and Braxton

Braxton update...

Checked with Braxton's nurse this morning... She said he was doing awesome and that he is looking great. How reassuring.

~ He is still at 30% for oxygen... LAZY (meaning he is just not taking as deep of breaths as he should be).

~ His bili-level has dropped from 13.5 down to 11.7 so that's great.

~ He is still "pee-ing" quite a bit so that too will help lower his bili-rubin level as well as continue to get rid of the extra fluid in his body.

~ She said he is really ready to start eating - they will be starting that as soon as they get "orders" from the dr.

~ His weight continues to go down (which is okay) - he is now down to 8 pounds 5 ouces.

~ Here are the pictures that I took yesterday while I was holding him and I attempted to take some while he was awake but he has already figured out how to close his eyes when the camera is in front of him. Ha ha ha... Thanks Again for all of the help that we have received with the boys, food, thoughts, prayers, offers, etc... You have no idea how much it means and how much it's greatly appreciated.

Have a GREAT DAY!!! Craig, Tifanie, Payton, Brooks, & Braxton

Taking the nuk like a pro...
Look at all of my "mess" (wires and tubes)
Lil Stinker was awake - but wasn't impressed with the camera.

getting better and better

Things continue to go great with Braxton. They have removed one of the lines that was going into his belly button. We will be able to start feeding him tomorrow - so hoping that that will go well. They say for his size he shouldn't have a problem eating from a bottle so that sounds good - they will start him off with 10-15 cc's of milk and increase as they see fit. He needs to be eating 2-3 ounces every 3 hours before they will let him go home. He is still on a low dose of oxygen (30% - room air is 21%) so not too much lower to go. This is another little hurdle that he will have to get over before going home as well. If he can master these two we should be set.
I have asked when they think we can go home and the answer is still unsure. It will for sure be Sunday - as he is on antibiotics until Saturday. The rest depends on his eating and oxygen level.
I was able to hold him again today... It was GREAT!!! He is moving around pretty good and peaks every now and then. I have caught him awake a few times and he just follows me wherever I go. It seems as though he will be ready to eat as he is often trying to shove his whole hand in his mouth - so instead I substitute his nuk which he has done awesome. I have also heard him grunting and making other little noises... I haven't heard a peep from him since Thursday night when we got to SF. It's weird to think of a newborn not crying for 5 days.
His bili-rubin level is still a little high so they have had him on the bili-light since Saturday - he has started having quite a few bowel movements so that should help the bili-rubin level go down.
I will update with some more pictures when I go home. Now you can see how he actually looks like a newborn. He has lost the fluid that he had gained and is down to 8 pounds 11 ounces (he was at 10 pounds 5 ounces a couple days ago).
I can't believe that we have been here for 5 days already - it has gone fast but just hoping that the next week goes even faster.

New Pictures of Braxton...

He no longer has the strip of white tape above his lip holding a small tube in place. The only thing he has are the nasal canulas and the tubes in his belly button. He is looking better and better all of the time. You will probably think that he looks "huge" as he is swollen from the fluids that they are giving him. He has started to lose a lot of that so the swelling should go down. He was up to about 10.5 pounds due to the amount of fluids.

I think he is the biggest new born in the NICU - hands down.

They are talking about removing one of the tubes from his belly button and possibly starting feedings soon. Right now he has only had IV nutrition.

Enjoy the pictures...

Ventilator Free...

Good Evening... Just a quick update to let you know that Braxton is officially OFF of the ventilator. He has the nasal canulas (small amount of oxygen), his 2 antibiotics, and nutrition still hooked up other than that he is just about tube free. He looks amazing and is starting to wake up.
I just got done holding him about 1/2 hour ago and it was AWESOME!!! When the nurse layed him in my arms he opened his eyes a bit for a little peak - I truely believe that he knew where he was at and who was holding him. He would wrap his hand around my pinky and curl it in to his body - I think I could have slept like that all night long. Definitely can't wait to have those moments again.
Braxton did have his spinal tap today and the preliminary results show no signs of bacteria growing. It takes 2-3 days for the complete test to be done.
Thanks again for the kind words and prayers...
Tifanie

Showing Lots of Improvements :-)

Craig just received a phone call from one of Braxton's nurses. It made me nervous when he told me she called. Here is where he is at...
**Ventilator is being turned down to 30 - however he was breathing above and beyond 30 for quite some time now. They are talking that they will be taking the vent tube out tonight. YEAH!!!!
**They are going to take him off of the medicine that has kept him sedated for the last 3 days also tonight.
**They completed the spinal tap in the last hour and we should hear the results in the next couple of hours. I am praying for a clear scan.
**If all goes well I should be able to hold my BABY BOY again tonight. Reminder - I have not held him since Wednesday night and it was for only about 15-20 min. It brings lots of HAPPY tears to my eyes.

**I will be going to stay over night with him tonight and come back home tomorrow. There has been a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders.

I will be updating from the hospital hopefully tonight.

Thanks Again for the continued prayers, thoughts, offers for help, etc... We will definitely let you know if we need some help.

Craig, Tifanie, Payton, Brooks, and Braxton

Update on the "Little-Big Man"

I took my Mom and Craig's Mom to Sioux Falls today so they could spend some time with Braxton. It was a nice visit and I don't think they could get enough of them. Of course there is no hugging and kissing so that about drove them crazy. He has continued to make great progess which is awesome to see and hear. ALL of the nurses and dr.'s that we have encountered from the time that we stepped foot in Brookings on Wednesday to those in Sanford have been more than helpful, wonderful, just OUTSTANDING. There is a reason that they do what they do for a living.
They are still not 100% sure what kind of an infection he has. He is being treated for Pneumonia and has reacted to the treatments like a baby who has Pneumonia however when looking at the x-rays of his lungs they don't see much for Pneumonia. They will be attempting another spinal tap tomorrow some time to make sure that this infection hasn't spread to his brain. They have taken him off of the "nitric", which was being forced into his lungs, as he wasn't needing it anymore (one thing down). Tonight they are planning on taking him off of the blood pressure medicine (another thing down) as well as dropping the setting on the ventilator (one more thing down). I guess that's 3 major steps right there that he is getting rid of today so as you can see we are very very happy about his progress.
I have not held Braxton except for 15-20 min after he was born - we are hoping that by mid-week we can possibly hold him. I can't wait for that day - when that day comes I will probably be spending more time there with him as that's what they say helps them to heal even faster. I know that Craig is really looking forward to this day as well.
Thanks Again for all of the thoughts and prayers. At this time visitors are not being encouraged. He really needs his rest and the least amount of stimulation as possible. We appreciate those who have asked about visiting and trust us - when the day comes to where we can come home we will be more than happy to have visitors.
I will keep you posted on any changes... Remember - No news is Good news!!!
Thanks Again...