Emily Update 3/16/09

Today Emily had to be out back on the ventilator at around 6:30 am. This wasn't a bad a thing, the doctors just want to give her a break, and allow her to build up some energy. She is getting very minimum support from the ventilator, she only gets 25 breathes per minute. Anything over that she takes on her own. Also while she is on a break they are hoping that she puts on some more weight. They have added human milk fortifier, which is giving an additional 22 calories to her milk. This is to help build up her iron and protein levels. Also it will help with calcium development. She now weighs 2 lbs and 4 3/4 oz. She also had to receive another blood transfusion at 10:30 am this morning. Again, this isn't a bad thing. She was getting to close to anemia and they wanted to stop it before she got to that point. With her being on the ventilator they stopped all caffeine doses, due to the fact that with the all the extra help she is getting the caffeine would result in negative results. In other words, make it look like she is doing a lot better then she really is. They have determined that the problem with her breathing episodes, aren't her lungs, but her airway. They are beginning to thing that it is to small and becomes restricted around her voice box and vocal cords. Her feedings are going to stay the same for today, just to make sure that she tolerates them well with everything else that is going on. She still hasn't been put back on phototherapy. Besides just being a little tired of working so hard on her own, Emily is doing fantastic. So just keep praying for her.