The good news is that James' most recent x-ray does not show an air bubble inside his bowels that would indicate dying tissue or a perforation. Nor does his tummy reveal the type of tautness and swelling that often indicates a perforation. The longer he avoids these outcomes the better his odds of beating the infection. His vital signs and blood chemistry improved a bit since his nadir this morning, and they have stayed there all day. This, too, is a good thing.
James has NEC, necrotizing enterocolitis, an infection and inflammation of the bowel that can damage or kill all or part of the bowel. One particularly scary outcome is a perforation of the intestine which requires surgical treatment and can be fatal. But medical treatment (antibiotics, managment of blood and respiration, etc) can also defeat the infection, and that is where we are right now. Here's a link to a short discussion of the condition: http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/digestive/nec.html#
Thanks to all of you for your prayers, wishes, and positive vibes. We'll update the blog when we know more, which probably won't be until 8 or 9 AM.
Matthew is doing well. He has regained about half of the weight he lost since birth, and he seems to be getting better at breathing and keeping his heart beating.
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2 comments:
We're thinking of you all. Come on James, keep up the good work, you can beat this!
Hey Mike and Melanie,
Hang in there little guys! Sounds like they both are getting excellent care. I spoke to a friend today who is a NICU nurse- she has seen many babies come a very long way from a 1 or 2 pound start! She had positive things to say. We are keeping up with you on the blog and appreciate the updates. Best wishes to all
Jen & Russ
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