Pictures of Ben at Home

As you can see, Ben is enjoying his time at home--especially bath time with Big Brother Jack!

We're Home!!!

After a lot of bargaining with Ben's doctor and the pulmonologist, we were able to bring Ben home late last night on an apnea monitor, but NO OXYGEN!! (This is exactly what we were hoping for all along, because the apnea monitor is so reassuring.) Ben is really enjoying his new surroundings, and probably would have slept through the night if we had let him. He is such an angel baby! We are looking forward to a very special Thanksgiving with our entire family finally under one roof.

The other good news is that, at this point, we are able to get pasteurized donor breast milk from a milk bank in Austin. Because Jack had so many food intolerances, and because I can't make enough milk, Ben's docs want him on donor milk. He's been getting free donor milk as part of a nutrition study at the hospital, but we weren't sure what would happen when we came home. We'll be receiving our first shipment of about 50 bottles of frozen milk this morning, so Bryant just ran to the store to buy a deep freezer! Now we just have to convince the insurance company to pay for the milk..... (We also want to thank our three friends who have already filled our regular freezer with pumped milk. What an amazing gift! You are truly impacting Ben's life.)

So the official stats:
Ben stayed in the hospital for 61 days.
He is now 38 weeks adjusted gestational age.
Today is his 2-month "birthday."
He weighs 5 lb. 12 oz., and is 18 3/4 inches long.

"Benjamin is a ravenous wolf; in the morning he devours the prey, in the evening he divides the plunder." Genesis 49:27

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate." Psalm 127:3-5

Still here!

Well, we've been here a few more days and have had some positive developments. Ben had a repeat OCRG test (the one he failed on Monday), with the addition of a pH probe and supplementary oxygen. In a nutshell, this test measures every breath and heartbeat that Ben takes, and the pH probe measures the acidity level in his esophagus to check for acid reflux. They wanted to see if different levels of oxygen would make a difference in his oxygen saturations.

The oxygen really helped, of course, but they also documented that he has severe acid reflux. (More than 30% of the time, the pH in his esophagus is less than 4.0, so quite acidic.) We decided to take steps to control the reflux and measure his oxygen levels for a few days before making a final decision about taking him home on oxygen. So far, controlling the reflux by keeping him upright, lying him on his left side, etc. has made a huge difference in his oxygen saturation levels. We're hoping that when his regular doctor returns on Monday that we'll be able to go home!

Ben's feeding coordination is also maturing, and he's starting to take huge amounts of food. He weighs more than 5 lb. 11 oz.! He's generally very content and loves to be held so that he can look at new "scenery."

Can't wait to introduce him to everyone!

Ooops! Just Kidding!

We've had some major setbacks this week. Turns out that Bryant does have MRSA, the dreaded antibiotic-resistant staph infection. (Praise God, he still seems to be healing with his current cocktail of medications). We thought this would prevent us from bringing Ben home, but Ben's doc consulted with an epidemiologist and decided that Ben might just as likely catch an infection in the hospital and might as well come home.

So we were told that we would bring him home yesterday or today. We spent the past few days rushing about getting everything ready and disinfecting the entire house. On Monday, Ben's doc ran a few more tests just to make sure that everything was OK before sending him home. The results of one test were a little suspect--he had 65 episodes of low blood oxygen levels within an eight-hour period--so a pulmonologist was brought in for a consult. In the meantime, Ben's doc happened to be standing right next to him when he had a bradycardia episode (his heart rate dropped by half). I've seen this happen several times a day in recent weeks, but Ben's nurses never charted the episodes, saying that they weren't severe enough to be significant. Anyway, Ben's doc decided that, cosidering all of this, she was not comfortable sending him home.

The pulmonologist visited Ben again today, and she has recommended one of two options:
1. Ben can come home soon on supplementary oxygen and monitors that record his breathing and heart rate, or
2. Ben can stay in the hospital until he outgrows all of this.

Please pray that we'll make the best decision for Ben's health and safety! We want him to be safe, of course, but we're concerned that lying in a crib all day with so little personal interaction can't be good for his mental stimulation and development.

As you can imagine, we were heartbroken that we couldn't bring Ben home today. This was the first day that both of us felt downtrodden in all of this. Please pray for our continued stamina, peace, and wisdom.

The good news is that Ben is growing like a weed! He gained two ounces yesterday and now weighs 5 lbs. 8 oz.!

Thanks for your prayers!

Our Angels

"If you make the Most High your dwelling—even the LORD, who is my refuge—then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone." --Psalm 91:9-12

Since all of this began, Bryant has joked that he feels like Job from the Bible--attacked from all sides. This week, he truly IS like Job, and he has the boils to prove it! He developed a nasty staph infection in the skin of his leg and backside, and has been in terrible pain. A visit to the doctor and several meds didn't work, so today he went to the hospital where they cut out the worst spots and gave him injections of antibiotics and pain meds. He'll be in a lot of pain for several days, but the infection should improve quickly. The ER docs said that they are now seeing about six cases of this staph infection DAILY! Ten years ago, they might only see a few cases each year. Praise God that Bryant's is treatable and not that horrible MRSA bacteria we've been hearing about in the news. This may delay Ben's homecoming, currently scheduled for Tuesday, so pray for quick healing.

I really do believe that we are under spiritual attack, but that God is protecting us. This was confirmed recently in a very strange and wonderful way. One night this week, Jack and I were eating dinner when he began to dart his eyes and head around like he was looking at a bug fly around the room. He started laughing and said, "It's so bright! It's so bright and shiny!" His eyes settled on a spot out in the middle of the room, and a minute later, he laughed and said, "He's funny! He's so funny!" I didn't give it a whole lot of thought until the next morning.

When we got in the car, Jack looked into the back part of our SUV and said, "He rides in there." I replied, "No, you ride in your car seat," to which he replied, "No, HE rides in there!" A bit perplexed, I ignored his comment. But a few minutes later, as we drove up the ramp onto the HOV lane, Jack shouted, "We go up! HE goes up! The angel flies!"

As you can imagine, I was floored. I felt such a sense of peace, and praised God for hours that He would so vividly confirm His answer to my prayers. From the very beginning of this roller coaster ride, I've prayed for God to surround our family with His angels and protect each of us, especially since we are often all separated, driving late at night, etc.

And to top it all off, when we went to church on Wednesday night, we pulled into a parking space right next to the glass church doors, and Jack pointed at the doors and shouted, "There the angels are!" And of course, there was no one there that I could see.

So despite all of the junk that's been thrown our way recently, we really are fine. We are not overly stressed, afraid, or worried, and we are growing closer as a family. I can honestly say that at this point, we are peaceful--and that's not my normal state. But this is a wonderful way to live!

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." --Romans 5:1-5

Recent Ben Pics!

Here's Ben in his cutie patootie Halloween costume, next to the tiny pumpkin we picked for him at the pumpkin patch.

And thank you Aunt Patricia for crocheting Ben's gorgeous blue blanket. As you can see, he's really enjoying it.

Ben weighs almost 5 lbs. now and is starting to look like a "normal" baby. He's even starting to grow a little bit of a butt, and he has a tiny double chin! Woo hoo!!

Counting down the days!

Ben progressed a great deal in the last week, so we expect him home soon--perhaps by the end of this week! He now weighs 4 lbs. 12 oz. He pulled out his feeding tube, so the docs decided not to replace it and do all feedings by mouth (mostly bottle feeding, some breast feeding). He's off all oxygen and has fewer and fewer problems with apnea.

On the home front, we're feeling a little more prepared now (and a lot less worried about the things we don't have ready yet). We've taken our infant CPR class and have gotten more practice feeding Ben and watching for breathing or heart rate problems. I think we'll be ready enough whenever the docs tell us we can bring Ben home.

Thanks for your continued prayers! We can't wait to introduce everyone to our little man!

Great news! (and a little scary...)

When Bryant entered the NICU today, Ben was in an open crib! He's been doing so well that his docs decided he could regulate his body temp all on his own. Ben now weighs 4 lbs. 7 oz. (gained 4 oz. since yesterday!), and he took two whole feedings by bottle today (the rest are through his feeding tube). He's off all oxygen. And the greatest news of all...

If Ben continues to progress on this path, his doc said he may be able to come home in ONE TO TWO WEEKS!!!

Yikes! After "planning" for Ben to be home around the end of November or early December, I feel very unprepared for him to arrive early (again). Actually, I'm scared to death of the responsibility involved with caring for a tiny preemie. What if I can't feed him correctly and he chokes? What if Ben has an apnea episode (stops breathing), and we don't catch it in time? What if Jack accidentally sits on him?! The fears are endless...

And we're completely unprepared in every other way, too. We haven't even started to prepare Jack's "big boy" room so that Ben can have the nursery. I'm not really sure where our bottles, swing, bouncy seat, etc. are. And I lent out all of our burp cloths and swaddling blankets to people who were planning to return them next month. We don't have a double stroller or a baby carrier. All-in-all, I'm a horrible, unprepared, disorganized mom.

And I'm so excited that I may soon be able to hold my baby boy all day long without beeping machines and poking nurses and other crying babies everywhere.

I know all the other stuff will work itself out. God has cared for us in amazing ways thus far, and He will continue to meet our needs as they come. My house will be a wreck for many more months, but my family will finally be together and whole.

A Great Week for Ben!

It's been a while since I updated this blog, so I have a lot to report! Benjamin was working too hard to breathe last weekend, so they replaced his nasal cannula and have him on minimal oxygen. He began gaining weight rapidly and now weighs 4 lbs. 2.5 oz.!! Measuring a preemie is an inexact science, but we think he's grown about an inch in length. And because he can regulate his own body temperature a little better, he's finally allowed to wear clothes! So thank you to all of you ladies who bought him a gorgeous preemie wardrobe. The nurses are having so much fun dressing him in little t-shirts or gowns and matching hats.

Bryant's mom (Grammie) came for a visit, and Ben absolutely loved snuggling with her. She and Jack read Ben some books, and we took Jack to a pumpkin patch to pick a tiny pumpkin for Benjamin.

So Ben is doing very well. Please pray for the rest of us. Jack is quite sick with what appears to be the flu, and I'm starting to feel off. So pray that Bryant and I stay healthy and can continue to visit Ben at the hospital.

And THANK YOU to all of you who are bringing us fantastic meals, helping to care for Jack, and sending us precious gifts for Ben! You are making all of this so much easier.

Visiting Ben

Several people have asked us if it's possible to visit Ben. Ben can take guests as long as they are accompanied by Bryant or me. To make coordinating schedules easier, Bryant and I will be at Texas Children's most Sundays from at least 12:00-2:00 p.m. If you'd like to meet us there to see Ben, please call one of our cell phones (Dawn 281-468-8664, Bryant 281-702-0942). Otherwise, I'm there most days during the day, and Bryant is there some evenings right after work.

Texas Children's Hospital
West Tower, Level II NICU
Bed F117

My Handsome Boy!

It's been one month since this whole thing started!

When I walked up to Ben's bed yesterday, I thought I was looking at someone else's baby! It took me a minute to realize why he looked so different. They had removed most of the tape and stuff from his face, and I could finally really see my beautiful boy! Ben was much happier and more relaxed without all of the things pulling on his skin, and I got to know a bit more of his personality. In fact, I think we finally started to "bond" yesterday.

I've been feeling a little under the weather, so my mom was Ben's designated holder. He was so warm and content that he actually smiled several times! Ben's new doctor walked by and commented that it was wonderful to see a grandmother doing "kangaroo care" (holding skin-to-skin). He whipped out a camera and took pictures of Mom and Ben to show how happy kangaroo care makes preemies.

While spending quality time with Jack today, it struck me how very fortunate I am. Most moms don't get one-on-one time with each of their children right after they have a second baby. But I can go to the hospital to snuggle with Ben, then come home to play rockets and trains with Jack. Last night, I listened in awe as Jack gave an entire monologue about how a fireman would come to our house to push the buttons on our TV and fix it so that he could watch Mickey Mouse again. (Our TV isn't broken--I just told him that we needed to quit watching so much TV.) After dinner, we sat on the grass outside to wait for the fire truck. It was a fun parenting moment that I probably wouldn't have experienced had Ben been home with us.

And yet I'm confident that Ben WILL come home--many of the NICU parents can't hold that hope. It's a blessing to have a small, healthy baby, rather than a larger, very sick child. It's like we're watching the miracle of creation right before our eyes! I'm getting to see what normally happens to a baby in utero during the last trimester. Every day Ben changes--his skin thickens, his eye color brightens, his hairline moves, his fingernails grow, and he looks more and more like a "real" baby. I am watching God knit together my sweet son, and I am amazed.

On the Road Again!

Benjamin had a very busy day yesterday. We had family in town from Austin, so he entertained a parade of visitors. He did a great job showing off his new hat, long fingers, and big dark eyes. Even big brother Jack came for a short visit. Ben just stared and stared as Jack jabbered at him.

Late in the afternoon, a space finally opened up in the Level 2 NICU, and Ben rolled down the hall in his little isolet to his new digs! He's now in bed F117. Praise God for continued improvements!

Ben and His Elephant

We found out today that Ben may be moved to the Level 2 NICU tomorrow!

Here are some recent pics. Ben's starting to wake up for longer periods of time and looks around with WIDE eyes. In fact, for some reason, he almost never blinks--it's kinda creepy! His favorite activity is sleeping on Mommy. The hat you see in this picture barely fits on my fist and is quite big on his head. He loves his new little elephant and holds its hand while he sleeps. Very cute!

Arrrggghhh!

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

These verses really speak to me this morning. We've had a few additional issues for which we covet your prayers. Someone broke into our car last night, smashing out a window. They didn't steal anything.....but then again, why were they foolish enough to break into a Hyundai?? Bryant and Jack are sick, and I may have an infection in my incision site. And our kitchen sink hasn't worked for several days. All of these things are small and temporary, but they just add to the stress level.

Now for the good news! Benjamin is doing very well. He has continued to do well without breathing assistance, and they've now changed his feeding tube to a very thin one in his nose. (The thicker feeding tube he had in his mouth was uncomfortable and interfered with sucking his little pacifier, etc.) He now weighs just over 3 pounds (1370 grams), and if he continues on this course, we could move to the Level 2 NICU sometime in the next week! Praise God!

He may be little, but he's mighty!

Check out how much my boys look alike! Here's a picture of Ben, followed by a pic of Jack (with Daddy) at about the same age. Jack was four pounds heavier than Ben, but they still look a lot alike!

BENJAMIN

JACK as a newborn with DADDY

Sorry that I haven't posted updates for the past few days. There's really been nothing new to report. But now we have good news!

Our little Mighty Mouse is doing well. Yesterday, Ben's nasal c-pap was removed and he was put on the nasal cannula for a few hours before they decided he could do without it. So at least for now, he's breathing completely on his own! His IV was removed a couple of days ago, so if he continues to do well for the next several days, he could be moved to the Level 2 NICU to just "feed and grow!"

It was wonderful to really look at Benjamin without all of the equipment on his face. (He'll keep his little mask until he no longer needs his feeding tube.) I looked back at Jack's newborn pictures and realized just how much Ben resembles his big brother! Ben even likes to peek at us with one eye, just like Jack did.

I've received a lot of calls and emails asking how the rest of us are doing.....
--Jack is starting to have separation anxiety and cries whenever he thinks I'll leave him. But he's happy enough as soon as I'm gone, and seems to be handling all of this remarkably well.
--Bryant has just started a new position at work, in addition to keeping up with his MBA assignments. I'd say he's dealing with the most stress of any of us.
--I'm healing well and on very little pain medication. Other than being tired all the time, I'm fine. I spend a lot of time at the hospital holding Ben as much as I can, then I'm up all night long to pump milk. Please pray for my milk supply to improve so that I can keep up with his growing appetite!

So we're all doing well. Thank you for your continued prayers!

Benjamin is doing well

Our little Ben is progressing slowly but steadily. He still needs the nasal c-pap to keep his airways open, and he still requires supplemental oxygen. The docs were getting concerned about his labored breathing, so they did a whole battery of tests on Thursday (including x-rays of his chest and abdomen, and ultrasounds of his brain and heart). Everything looked just fine, so they determined that he's just a "weenie white boy"--Caucasian males are slowest to develop lung function--who simply needs more time to mature.

They were able to remove Ben's umbilical cord arterial and venous lines, so he can now sleep on his belly--much happier. He does not need a PIC line at this time, so he'll receive supplemental fluids through a normal IV line in his hand. Almost all of his nutrition is coming from milk via the feeding tube. He's tolerating his feeds very well and has maintained his weight at 2 lbs. 14 oz.

I'm continually amazed by how strong our little Ben is. The other day, his nurse had to postpone a procedure because Ben was fighting her so adamantly. She said it was the first time that she has wrangled with a preemie and lost! He's our Mighty Mouse!

We're Home!

Sorry that we've been lax in updating everyone on our move home. We've been a little busy!

We came home from the hospital late Monday night. Yesterday, we spent the day running errands and putting the house back together, and we enjoyed a wonderful visit with Benjamin. We held him for the first time wrapped up in a mountain of blankets--all we could see were his little eyes. He was rather uncomfortable the whole time we were there because the docs kept having to adjust things on him. His breathing was somewhat labored, so he's back on the nasal c-pap for a few days.

Today, we spent some restful time at home with Jack, then we went to see Ben this evening. He had a much better day today--more comfortable--and I was able to hold him "kangaroo style," skin-to-skin! I finally felt like his mother, since I could comfort him. He slept on me for an hour or so before he had to return to his incubator. I spent most of that time praying over him and felt so much peace about the state of our little guy.

For those of you who want details: Ben is on the nasal c-pap (blowing positive pressure to keep his breathing passages open), and his oxygen needs vary anywhere from 21% (room air) to about 50%. His lungs still show a couple of slightly cloudy spots, indicating possible pneumonia, but his blood culture and spinal tap show no infection. He's receiving 10 cc's of milk every three hours through his feeding tube and is tolerating it fairly well. They hope to remove his umbilical arterial and venous lines in a few days and insert a PIC line (inserted into a peripheral vein, leading all the way to the heart) so that he can receive more concentrated nutritional fluids through a more secure line. He has not lost much weight and is now 2 lbs. 13 oz.

That's all for now! We'll post recent pics ASAP. Keep praying!

Ben starts tanning

Benjamin coninues to progress and is now taking small amounts of milk through his feeding tube with no problems. He is under a UV light for the next day or so to treat jaundice.

Yesterday, big brother Jack came to the hospital to meet Ben. He read a book to "Ba'y Ben" and smooshed his nose up to the incubator--VERY cute! It was a short visit but quite memorable.

Good Day for Baby Ben

Today was a very good day for our little man. He was taken off the respirator and put back on the nasal c-pap (just a little positive pressure to keep his airways open). He's on 23% oxygen (21% is room air), so he's breathing almost entirely on his own. He's no longer on dopamine for his blood pressure, so they removed his arterial line--giving us one little hand to hold. X-rays show that he probably has a little pneumonia, so he's on antibiotics. But a spinal tap and blood work showed no signs of infection. He may need a little light therapy to fight jaundice, but that's not unusual. He's doing very well for a baby his age and size.

The best part of the day was when Bryant and I visited Ben late this afternoon. I touched Ben's little hand, and he held onto my finger for a long time. It was my first real touch with my sweet boy--a very special moment.

Baby Ben has Arrived!

New Contact Info (I'll probably be here until Tuesday)
St. Luke's Rm. 2535
832-355-4668

Wow...yesterday was a whirlwind. I woke up at 3:15 a.m. with a really strong contraction lasting about 10 minutes. That settled into an hour of the sharp pain in my lower left side, followed by 1.5 hours of regular contractions. Then it all stopped! My perinatologist did an ultrasound and said that Ben was fine, and there was still no sign of the source of the original bleeding. I was told to lay still and avoid contractions (of course!). :)

A little later, the contractions started again--intermittent and not very painful. But since Ben was breech and delicate, my docs decided that letting me go into full labor would be a bad idea. So they scheduled me for an immediate c-section.

Benjamin Allen Adkins was born at 10:49 a.m., 2 lbs. 15 oz., 15.5 inches long. He did not breathe immediately, but once they took him to the little NICU area next to the operating room, he cried, kicked, and peed on a nurse. They said he almost kicked himself right off the table! I was able to see him for a few seconds before he was whisked off to the NICU. He has dark, curly hair (like Bryant's), a round face like Jack's, and long limbs. I haven't seen him since, but I've seen some pics.

My surgery experience was less than fun. My spinal/epidural combo wasn't placed quite right, so I felt way too much of the surgery. I received 6 injections of pain meds during the surgery, to no avail. Because Ben was breech, and because the placenta covered the entire front part of my uterus, my doc had to do a long U incision through the placenta, and I lost a lot of blood. Yesterday was pretty painful, but thanks to the miracle of medicine, I'm in a lot less pain this morning!

Ben is doing well. At first, he only needed a nasal c-pap to push a little air into his nostrils and keep his breathing passages open. Then yesterday afternoon, they decided that he needed a respirator, and before long, he required 80% oxygen. (Fairly normal for a preemie his age.) Praise God, he's down to 21% oxygen (same as room air) and less pressure on the respirator. This bodes very well for his ability to get off the respirator altogether. He's also been given artificial surfactant for his lungs, dopamine to raise his blood pressure, and antibiotics to fight infection. All-in-all his prognosis is good. We'll know more today.

I'm enjoying real food again and will spend the day trying to move around so that I can get to the NICU to see Ben as soon as possible. We probably don't have the energy for visitors today, since Bryant is running back and forth to the NICU--perhaps tomorrow. Calls are welcome!

Keep praying! I'll post pics of Ben ASAP.

Interesting Day

We had some complications this morning which may or may not be related to last night's pain. I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that I spent the day head down, feet up, with no food or drink, praying that Benjamin would stay put another day. And once again, our prayers were answered! I'm sitting up in bed, eating dinner, and feeling very well. Woo hoo!

And for those of you who've been asking, I passed my 3-hour glucose tolerance test with flying colors. Turns out, I failed the first test because the nurse gave me too much sugar solution to drink. Ah well...good to be safe.

Lastly, THANK YOU to all of you ladies from church who purchased a gorgeous set of preemie clothes for Benjamin!! What a lovely surprise! It will be such a treat to dress little Ben up in those outfits.

No Pain, No Gain

We had a bit of excitement yesterday. After a nice day of visiting with friends (including precious little William Riffe, born 7 weeks early in this very hospital!), I was resting comfortably. Around 8:15 p.m., I experienced sharp stabbing pain in my lower left abdomen and was soon undergoing IV's, exams, ultrasounds, etc. An hour later, just before they were going to give me Morphine to take the edge off, the pain started to subside and eventually went away! Praise God!

At this point, we don't know the cause of the pain. There's no sign of uterin rupture or placental abruption. Benjamin has been on continuous monitoring and looks perfect. I should see my perinatologist today to see if he can shed some light on the situation. Either way, I'm just thrilled that the pain is gone and that we didn't have to deliver Ben last night!

Thanks for your continued prayers. They're working! Please pray especially for Bryant who is extremely stressed right now. He's trying to keep up with work, school, and taking care of Jack and me--while getting very little sleep or time to study. He rushed out of class last night when my pain started and made it to my hospital room in 16 minutes! (So pray for his safety as well...) Thank you to all of you who are helping him out in so many ways.

Good News

The heavy bleeding has continued all day, but to a lesser degree. My doc did an exam and ultrasound, and most likely, Benjamin just moved and released a new pocket of fluids that were trapped around him. (He has turned completely sideways--transverse--so she said he's "challenging" her to do a more difficult c-section.)

We were relieved to hear that this is probably just a continuation of the original problem--not a new problem. My doc said that statistically, if I can make it one more week (to Sunday), then I will likely be able to make it to 32 weeks! And just for the record, Bryant offered to buy me a diamond if I can make it to 32 weeks. Now that's motivating!! :)

I barely "failed" my blood glucose tolerance test today, which determines whether I'm developing gestational diabetes. So I'll take the more-detailed 3-hour test tomorrow morning. My doc joked that, since women with gestational diabetes tend to have larger babies who produce more amniotic fluid, perhaps she should allow me to be diabetic! But she was just joking....

More Bleeding--Please Keep Praying

29 weeks and counting!!! Praise God!

Yesterday was great for most of the day. I felt so good that I dressed in my own clothes for the first time since arriving here, and I was so glad I did. A whole slew of visitors came by, including a group of my girlfriends from church who threw me a surprise party! (By the way ladies, everyone here has really enjoyed all the goodies you baked.)

I had almost no bleeding or leaking all day and was feeling great. Then around 6:15 p.m., I started bleeding heavily again. We've monitored the situation all night, and the doctors aren't worried yet. They're monitoring my blood counts to make sure I don't lose too much blood, and Benjamin still appears to be in fine form. I'm having small, painless, occasional contractions, but I'm not going into labor.

Please keep praying! If we can make it to the two week mark, then odds go way up that we can stay here much longer before Ben is born.

Still here!

No major changes today. My doc did some tests to check for infection, and so far, everything looks OK. Ben still looks great! Please continue to pray against infection, as that's our biggest worry at this point.

Another good day....

Today has gone well. Leaking is at a minimum. My IV is out for a little while, and I can take my meds by mouth and avoid the painful drip antibiotics. (I got to take a shower with no strings attached--literally!) Ben still looks great, and my doc mentioned a test she'd like to have done on Monday, meaning she's optimistic we could still be here on Monday.

I met with the neonatologist today about Ben's prospects. We talked worst-case scenario, but it wasn't too scary. Our conversation was very motivating--makes me want to lay flat, cross my legs, and not sneeze! Ben might face some serious challenges, but on the other hand, he could do very well. I find myself praying over ever little bit of his body--his brain, eyes, heart, lungs, GI tract, etc. I know that God is carefully knitting him together according to His will and plan.

Please continue to pray for our little family. Bryant is working hard to keep up with work, school, and this whole situation. Jack is having a wonderful time bouncing from place to place with all of his favorite people, but I think it's starting to set in that Mommy's not coming home. He's a little clingier every time he comes to visit.

That's all for now! Thanks for your prayers, calls, emails, and visits. They are really helping.

Life is good!

Life is good today because...
1. I got to take a shower!
2. I get to eat solid food!
3. My sweet Jack came for a visit and snuggled next to me in bed while we ate lunch.
4. A very well-known perinatologist did another ultrasound and said that Ben looks great right now. (more details below)
5. Today is Bryant's 34th birthday!!!

So here's the nitty gritty for those of you who like details....Ben's weight is still estimated to be 2 lbs. 9 oz. (50th percentile). All of his organs look great, including his lungs. I have almost no amniotic fluid left, although it replenishes and leaks out in batches. Despite this, Ben seems just fine. 80-85% of women whose water breaks at 28 weeks deliver within the first week. 90-95% deliver within two weeks. The remaining 5% can go much longer. (Pray that we're in the third group!) If I had the c-section today, Ben would have an 80-85% chance of survival without significant neural defects. Praise God!!

The perinatologist commented that he's very happy to see that I'm calm and in positive spirits, whereas he comes across other mothers who are climbing the walls with worry. He said that staying calm is the very best thing I can do to help Ben stay put. I started to explain that this peace comes from prayer, an understanding of God's power and grace, and the calming influence of the Holy Spirit. (Plus the prayers and support of our amazing network of friends and family!) I don't think he cared for my opinions, but it was a nice conversation! Please pray that God will use our family to minister to those around us in this hospital and at Texas Children's after Ben is born.

A neonatologist should stop by this afternoon to talk about Ben's prospects. I'll try to post an update about that conversation.

We've Moved!

We've moved to St. Luke's/Texas Children's.
Antepartum Unit, Room 334.
832-355-3645
Visiting hours are completely open, and children/babies are welcome!

So come on down!

Other good news for today....
--I'm allowed to get up to go to the bathroom and take short showers.
--I had another ultrasound, and Ben seems to be doing fine. He's breech with his legs crossed straight up in front of him by his face, so a c-section will be necessary.
--My amniotic fluid is still very low, and I'm still bleeding some, but now that we are past the 48-hour mark, things are looking up. If we can make it a week, then we will likely make it much longer--and every day counts!

Please continue to keep us in your prayers, and THANK YOU to everyone for your kind emails, calls, visits, etc. We are so blessed to have such great family and friends.

Let's take this show on the road!

There's a good chance we'll move to St. Luke's Hospital/Texas Children's Hospital this afternoon. My contractions have pretty much stopped, the bleeding has slowed considerably, and Ben is doing very well. If the hospitals have beds for Ben and me, we'll be in an ambulance this afternoon. Should be an adventure! (Pray for light traffic!)

We'll keep everyone updated on new contact information, but you can always reach us on our cell phones (listed below).

Thanks for all of your prayers and support! The hospital staff has commented several times on how wonderful our support network has been. They can't believe how many phone calls and visitors we've had already!

Love,
Dawn

If you'd like to help ....

At this point, we'll call you if we need you. We don't know enough. Prayers are appreciated.

Contact Information

Phone number into the room: 281 477 5732
Willowbrook Methodist, room 2232. It's at 249 and 1960. You can just follow the Hospital signs off 249. Parking is free. We're taking visitors, Dawn is really doing well. Do call before you come.

Dawn's Cell: 281 468 8664
Dawn's email - expect slow turn around: pdadkins@sbcglobal.net
Bryant's Cell: 281 702 0942
Bryant's E-mail: john.b.adkins@rice.edu

Status To Date - 11 a.m. Sept. 10, 2007

Last night, Dawn had some bleeding, and we went to Methodist Willowbrook at Hwy. 249 at FM 1960. Here is the short version of where we stand.

Benjamin will be here soon, probably.
The Physicians do not know what is causing Dawn to bleed, so they will not try to stop it. Dawn is having erratic contractions, but the bleeding is much less severe now.

At this point, there are two likely scenarios.
1) Dawn becomes stable in the next few days, and we will be transferred to St. Lukes / Texas Children's Hospital to have baby Ben. This is preferred.
2) We'll have Baby Ben here in the next few days, and we'll transfer to the Texas Children's Hospital NICU later.

Ben's Status
He's about 28 weeks old (full term is 40 weeks). He has a very strong heartbeat, and the nurses guess that he currently weighs 2 Lbs. 9 ounces inside Dawn. Dawn is taking a steroid to help his lungs develop. Ideally, he'll get two doses plus 24 hours before he arrives. He is breach, so we will likely end up with a C-Section. Dawn's water broke, we think. There is still an amniotic sac, but there is less fluid in there than ideal. Ben has not reacted negatively to the loss of fluid, and the doctors will not speed the process along as long as that is the case.

Little Jack is with his Grandfather.