100 Days Old!

Jude is 100 days old! Wow!!! The doctors, nurses, nutritionist, pharmacist and I all celebrated this milestone in rounds today. What an amazing journey Jude has traveled! Brian and I are so thankful for the many miracles and gifts that we've been given in Jude's little lifetime. Thank you for praying for him during these wild 100 days!

Now, on to the update!

• Jude is off atavan!!! Woo Hoo!!! Now, he just has to be weaned off of the bridge medication that was introduced several weeks ago to help him come off of the versed and fentanyl weeks ago.
• The docs continue to slowly wean Jude's oxygen nasal cannula and he continues to handle it well! (O2 @ 24% and .80 liters)
• I must share with you how much our little guy loves to be snuggled. He is such a sweetheart and cries anytime someone is near because he hopes to be held. Once he is in your arms he is content and usually falls asleep. It warms my heart that he loves to be held so much but it also breaks my heart that I cannot hold him as often as he'd like. 

• Now, the biggest update: Jude is officially participating in "oral feeds boot camp" with the help of his nurses, his OT Katy, the lactation consultant and mommy! Yesterday we began working with Jude by putting him to the breast to attempt feedings and we worked with him with a paci trainer to help him get interested in sucking and getting milk. A paci trainer is a paci with a syringe connected that can release milk to Jude when he sucks. So, how has he done? Well, he is definitely interested.  But we've run into a problem that is making it more difficult for Jude to "dive right in" to boot camp. Jude had thrush on his tongue and they've been successful in treating it but there is some concern that maybe the thrush has traveled to his throat. This wouldn't be so terrible (not fun, but not terrible) except that Jude has terrible acid reflux. And over the last two days, it has been seeming like his reflux is much worse. Poor little guy seems so uncomfortable and upset when he has a reflux episode. And these episodes are happening quite frequently. So, the doctors are thinking that maybe Jude's reflux is irritating the possible thrush/infection in his throat and therefore causing him to be in much more pain when a reflux incident occurs. Sadly, because of his discomfort the "oral feeds boot camp" has been a hard sell for a little guy. He has not really been up for trying new things because he just feels so bad and he has rested so poorly. The doctors have prescribed him some new medication to try to combat the thrush/infection and the hope is that in just a day or two he will be feeling much better and up for trying feeds by mouth. Will you pray for this? We are so hopeful that Jude will learn to eat by mouth somehow. We'd love for him to avoid getting a g-tube and the only way he can avoid a g-tube is if he learns to eat by mouth very well. Will you pray for this too?

God bless all of you!


The scripture below has been in my head today...doesn't necessarily relate to the post above but I love sharing with all of you what the Lord shows me each day.
     He has told you, O man, what is good;
        and what does the LORD require of you
    but to do justice, and to love kindness,
        and to walk humbly with your God?
(Micah 6:8 ESV)

P.S. I know we are overdue for a new Jude picture! I hope to share a few in my next post!