{Day 2} Overall, Doing Well

Easton is doing well. He has had a few moments of apnea (holding his breath). This is a common side effect of the medicine he is on (prosteglandin) to keep his PDA open (an extra valve in your heart that you are born with and it closes). He needs this valve to stay open because they use it to rework the flow in his heart during his first surgery. He had one really bad case of apnea where he needed to be bagged with oxygen. If it happens again, they will intubate him. This would also mean we couldn't hold him anymore until he was no longer intubated. Other than that, he is doing really well. His stats are good. He hates a bath and hates to have his diaper changed. He loves to be held by Mommy and Daddy, which we love. He appears to have Grandpa Thompson's ears. Other than that, we can't quite tell who he looks like. He hasn't opened his eyes for us to see them yet. Due to his heart condition, he is just really tired.

It's been an emotional day for me. I was feeling a bit frustrated because his nurse weren't coming off as very friendly. The one today didn't introduce herself or really talk to us both times we went down to see him. Finally on the third time, she sat down with us and we chatted. Talked about how he was doing and the journey we're starting on. She reminded us to take care of ourselves, to know he was in good hands, and to know that the journey ahead was going to be difficult. She told us there will be a lot of moments we take a step forward and then two backward. She said he'll be doing well then get a cold and we will be back there in the hospital. It's scary, but it's just something we have to do. We'll figure it out, but it's definitely been an emotional day. We also had genetic counselors come in to speak a little bit with us. They really think it has to do with genetics and want to know more about family history and want Chris and I to have our hearts checked. We also talked about the likelihood of it happening with another child. All information I could have done without for a while. Lastly, I just felt like I was struggling to connect with him. I want to see him look at me. For him to see me and I him. For him to know that I am there. I know he can hear me, but there is something about looking into your baby's eyes. I need that. I also think I'm feeling this way because I can't get down there as often as I would like. It's been an emotional rollercoaster of a day, but we're just glad he's doing good. Surgery is scheduled for Monday, but that could change. Praying he's a fighter like his Big Brother!

Grandma & Grandma Frederiksen and Aunt Katie came to see you.

 

Chris got to hold him today and try to feed him breastmilk with a bottle. He was too sleepy to take any. They decided to feed him nutrients through and IV for now.

Oh, and it's pretty funny, Chris and I keep calling Easton, Cooper. And we keep calling Cooper the Little Brother. We laugh every time! We didn't realize having two kids would throw us for a loop when it came to names! We've enjoyed the laughs.