Almost 5 pounds

Marilyn:

I'm back in Boise to see my sweetie! I was informed today that Jackson has a heart murmur. I was told by the NP that they are not concerned about it at this point, but they are going to keep an eye on it to determine what it's indicating. He'as almost 5 pounds, I'm sure he will be there by tomorrow. He's doing great so far! I hope and pray he will be home for Christmas.

Happy Thanksgiving- Off the Canula- 4 lbs 11oz

Marilyn:

When I was in Boise with Jackson on Monday and Tuesday he was consistently high satting. On Tuesday night after I left, he was taken off his cannula that provides oxygen. The nurse told us that she went to check on him that night and he had his cannula pulled down to his chin and was still high satting. When I called on Wednesday to see how he was doing I couldn't believe the news. What a miracle! I thought for sure Jackson would go home on oxygen, just as Bryan did. We are truly getting blessed with so many miracles from a loving Heavenly Father.

I started recreational breast feeding with Jackson on Tuesday. He did amazingly well. He seemed to know what he needed to do. He was rooting, very alert and looking up at me. The lactation nurse was brought to tears. It was a very tender moment. Jackson is so amazing! He still has a long ways to go with breastfeeding, but we will get there.

David and I decided to bring all the boys to Boise to have Thanksgiving together. They were very excited to sleep at the Ronald McDonald House. The boys didn't fall asleep until 10:30, (I was still at the hospital) and the next morning Brady woke everyone up at 6:30 a.m. Brady, James and Bryan were very excited when dad gave them the sugary cereal that mom's never buys for them. After I went to see the baby in the morning, I took the boys running with me on the green belt. Brady and James road their bikes and I pushed Bryan in the running stroller. It was fun being able to spent some quality time with them. I miss that so much.

Last night when I was holding Jackson (skin to skin) he was doing amazing things again. He was looking around, and being very alert. He kept moving his head back and forth while he was laying on my chest. He kept wanting to look up at me and he kept sucking on my skin. I kept thinking he is acting like a new born. He stayed awake looking up at me and twisting his head back and forth for almost an hour. I felt so much joy while I was holding him. I couldn't wait to get back to my room to tell David all about it. He was asleep when I got there, so I had to wake him up.

The Ronald McDonald Staff provided an excellent Thanksgiving dinner. It was fun to have my boys with me today. I'm so thankful for my family and for the great progress Jackson has done and for the daily miracles. I was very sad to see David and the boys leave to go back to Twin Falls tonight. I had a good cry. When James saw me crying he started crying also. My sweet little James has been having a tough time. I'm anxious to have this all behind me and not have to constantly be leaving my family.

Thank you all again for your continuous prayers, support and service to our family.

AMAZED!

Marilyn:

As I was holding Jackson last night and looking at how perfect he looked, I realized more of what a miracle he is to our family. His life was literally saved by Dr. Allen. Jackson would not be here if the Dr. didn't decide to go ahead and do surgery (to sew my cervix shut), when studies showed that the chances of it working were very small and not recommended at 20 weeks. I was told by one doctor that my body was trying to miscarriage because there could be something wrong with the baby. Another doctor told me we could miscarriage the baby and try again in a few years. When they did the ultra sound it indicated a incompetent cervix, which puzzled the doctors because this usually happens on the first pregnancy, not the 4th. Because my cervix was dilated at 1cm and I was at 20 weeks this was a risky surgery, and by following the research it would not be successful. I was told the sugery was risky because the doctor had to push the bag back up into my cervix and the chance of it braking were extremely high and then I would miscarriage.

I'm very grateful Doctor Allen went ahead and did the surgery. He told me he was optimistic and wanted to find a way to give this baby a chance. We were told that the bag may brake and then I would miscarriage, or if the surgery was successful, I could get an infection the first week and still go into labor and loose the baby. I was also told that I could still go into labor early, having the baby at 25 weeks with the potential to have many serious health problems.

I don't mean to tell this story again, but, it just really hit me today that it's truly a miracle that Jackson is here today because of doctor Allen's decision to find a way to give this baby a chance to live. When David gave me a blessing during this time, he said that the Lord would help the doctors know what to do. I know that the Lord's hand guided doctor Allen to help bring Jackson into this world. He is blessing us so much! Jackson is here today and doing so well! I hope David and I can raise him to love the Lord and serve Him. He's a special little guy!

4 lbs 1 oz - Off the C-pap- On the cannula -

Today is a great day for little Jackson. I feel very blessed that he is doing so well, he's been our little miracle. Thank you for all the prayers, I know they have been heard and Heavenly Father is blessing him so much. I feel like his ancestors up in heaven have been watching over him.

He had a bar placed on his mouth last week to prevent him from pulling out his two tubes that were in his mouth. I felt so bad for him, because he wasn't able to suck on his binky and he looked so pitiful.

He was getting a break from wearing the C-pap by wearing the cannula twice a day when he was being held. The doctor instructed that he be put on the cannula all day today to see how well he would tolerate it. Then, his tubes where removed from his mouth and the feeding tube was placed in his nose. It is great news to have him off the C-pap. This will allow him to start oral feedings soon.



He will remain off the C-pap as long as he keeps his oxygen levels up. Sometimes when preemies are taken off the C-pap and if they are not ready, they will get tired from working so hard to keep their oxygen up and this will lead to having more desats and then they start loosing weight. I will pray that his lungs will be mature enough to stay on the cannula.

As I was holding him today, he did so well! He was at room air almost the whole time. I was so proud of him, he's such a strong little guy.

He had his eye exam today and the results are that his ROP is in zone 2 stage 1. I think this is good, I will need more information.

I'm home tonight to be with my 3 boys and David is heading to Boise tomorrow to spend the day with Jackson.

I was able to have dinner yesterday with Heidi Stephenson who had a preemie also born at 25 weeks. I feel privilege to be know this special person who went through so much and has been so generous and supportive to our family. Thank you!

First time mom went for a run

Marilyn:

I know this isn't about Jackson, but I just had to share my great joy I felt today when I went running again for the first time since 6 months ago. I love to run and I felt like it was time and I did a slow 2 miles. I had a smile on my face the whole time running and it felt so great! I'm ready for more. Instead of shopping while I'm waiting for the next cares with Jackson, I will be running! I know my dedicated running partner Joanna has been patiently waiting for me to start running again. I'm back and looking forward to taking Jackson when he's home and bigger in the running stroller.

41 days in the NICI

Marilyn:

Jackson had bile coming out of his venting tube that is in his stomach. The doctor ordered an x-ray to see why this was happening and if his feeding tube was in the right place. The results were that he just needed to have a good bowel movement. The nurse gave him an enema and this took care of the problem. They did a second x-ray and his stomach looked much better. Poor little Jackson, he really doesn't like his two tubes in his mouth, he is constantly pulling on them. What a trooper!

Moved to a crib

Jackson is now in a cute little white crib. He will remain in it as long as he maintains his body temperature. I forgot my camera to take a picture of how cute he looks in his crib. Because he is in a crib now, he wears outfits. Progress, progress!!

He's having a lot of desaturations from refluxing. To help reduce this, he is on Zantac, elevated in his crib, his feeding tube is in the small intestine, he has another tube in his stomach to help remove the air, and he is being fed continuously through the day (up to 33 cc every 3 hours).

I held him tonight while he was on the cannula for an hour, he didn't tolerate it very well.

Jackson's first eye exam

Marilyn:

Today Jackson received his first eye exam to check for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). The blood vessels that supply the retina are one of the last structures of the eye to mature; they are barely completed growing when a full-term baby is born. A premature infant's retina is not yet completely developed. The blood vessels in the immature part of the retina may develop abnormally in some premature infants. The test results indicated that Jackson does have ROP, but it is not severe enough to require treatment, he will be closely monitored for changes and receive another eye exam in one week and more to follow. ROP can lead to nearsightedness, lazy eye, or wandering eyes, and most severe case blindness.

I feel like Jackson will be fine, that his abnormal blood vessels will heal themselves. He only had a level one for ROP. This could change, but he is in the Lord's hands and I will except what may come.

Jackson weighed 3 lbs 8 ounces today.

I arrived in Boise on Monday and I left for Twin Falls Tuesday afternoon. I was going to stay longer on Tuesday to hold Jackson one more time, but he was worn out from the eye exam and the nurse thought he needed a break. I didn't watch the exam, many nurses warned me that this would not be a good thing for a mom to watch. He's my little sweetie and I look forward to seeing him again on Wednesday evening.

Holding my little sweetie!

Marilyn:

David and I went to Boise on Friday to see Jackson. I couldn't believe how much he had changed since I saw him 8 days ago. He looked so big and so adorable. He's so bright eyed when the nurses are doing his cares. It was so nice being able to hold him on Saturday. I'm feeling much better, just being cautious by wearing the mask.

David:

Jackson now weighs 3 lbs 5 ounces. He is eating 29 ml of feed along with the calorie and protein enhancers. I was able to hold him twice yesterday and Marilyn held him today. He is doing great. He is now able to use the cannula breathing device when we hold him. He will have his eyes screened this week to check for retinopathy issues. They started Zantac today to decrease issues with acid reflux he has while he is fed.

The First Month Video Slideshow

Blood Transfusion

Marilyn:
Today Jackson is getting a blood transfusion to help him get more red blood cells and to help him get off the Cpap sooner. He has been having a lot of desaterations in his oxygen levels. He's up to 28cc for his feedings and handling them well.

I'm feeling much better today. My dad and brother Blaine came over last night and gave me a priesthood blessing. I haven't been that sick for a long time, I'm glad to be on the mends.

Davids mom has been wonderful helping me all week as I was trying to recover from being sick. She took the boys to Shelly Idaho today to visit their cousins at aunt Becky's house for the weekend. It's kind of lonely being home in an empty house. David will be home tonight from his work trip and we are going to go to Boise together for the first time since Jackson was born. It will be nice to be able to spend time together this weekend.

I can't wait to see my little Jackson on Saturday. I has been over a week and I'm sure he will look bigger. I will definitely be wearing a mask for the next few days. I've missed him so much.

Home sick in Twin Falls

I'm home in Twin Falls sick with the flu. I haven't been able to see Jackson since Thursday. Poor little guy hasn't been held since Saturday. David is gone all this week at meetings in Philadelphia. The doctor called in some Tamaflu, hopefully that will help, I've been feeling pretty miserable. I sure miss my little Jackson, he now weighs 3 lbs 1 oz. I hope he knows his mommy still loves him and remembers me. I have David's mom here helping me, so hopefully I will take lots of naps.