Oct 2 / day 1 at UIHC...

Dylan is such a trooper. He is holding up well. He isn't any better or worse today, Monday. He still has not gone potty which is now our number one concern. They are having a hard time getting a blood pressure reading on him but his skin coloring looks good and from a lung stand point things are good. His vent settings are good and oxygen settings are minimal. They were unable to get an arterial line in him which would prevent them from having to poke him to get blood as they do every couple of hours. So they are continuing to have to poke at his heel which is looking really really sore. They put a heel warmer on him to soften it before they draw the blood. They have him on numerous medications too many to name. He is still farely sedated but starting to come out of that. They still have him on a small amount of pain medication which is good because we don't want him to have much pain. Other than that this is really an observation period. The doctors are so nice and professional. You can really tell that this is the best of the best here. This place is huge. I think that it took Brad a mile walk or so just to find a pop machine! Dylan is in bay 1 which is where the sickest babies are in the NICU. Everything is a secured entry which makes us feel even more comfortable. Not just anyone can go in and see Dylan, only mommy and daddy unless we take in a visitor with us. The machines are mostly similar to the other hospital. His bed is different. It is not enclosed as the other was. There is a heater above his head that is sensetive to his body temperature. When the body temp drops the heater kicks on until he warms up to the exact temp they have set. There are numerous teams of doctors that come in and check on Dylan daily. Between 9:30-11am the doctors do rounds we are welcome to set in there and listen but for now we are a little nervous because the team is so big. Dr does give us an update and the nurses are always letting us know what is going on. We are encouraged and not giving up. Although mildly sedated Dylan does respond when we talk to him. He moves his mouth and legs and hands. He knows mommy and daddy are doing the best for him and he is our little fighter. He definetly is not giving up and neither are we!! Our little miracle baby is here and God is going to let us bring him home!!!