Lawson Andrew & Amelia Paige

Nurse: Lindsay
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 15 ounces

Lawson's sodium has come down even more. It is heading in the right direction. Hopefully it will continue to go down. His breathing has been very stable and he seems to be enjoying his feeds. Only 20 grams away from the 3 lb. club.

Nurse: Caroline
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 15 ounces

Lawson's sodium has come down some. But they will continue to watch it. He is on 3 bottle feeds a day (30cc's = 1 ounce...Wow). This is his first day to try 3 a day. They give him a bottle, three hours later - they tube feed, then three hours later - they bottle feed. He did well on his first bottle then he got a little tired on the thrid one. He continues to do well off the C-Pap machine. We are happy about that.

We pray for his sodium to continue to come down. We also pray that he can maintain the level on his own (without IV fluids).

Nurse: Caroline
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 14 ounces

Lawson is back on IV fluids. His sodium is back up. The doctor says that it should regulated by now. So they are talking to a specialist and trying to tweak things to see if it will come down.

They are letting me feed him a bottle today. He gets one bottle a day and his other feeds are through his tube. I can hardly wait to get to the hospital.

We pray that his sodium level comes down and that his kidney function is normal. Today is day 48....I pray that the Lord give Eric and I the strength and patience to make it through November.

Nurse: April/Lesley
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 14 ounces

Lawson was an NBA basketball player for Halloween. Build-A-Bear didn't have a huge selection of comfortable outfits. But he looked so cute. At times he had that "what are ya'll doing to me" look on his face. But we had to capture his first Halloween.

Lawson took his first bottle today. It was a big step. He loved it and had it down in less than 15 minutes. He did really well.

Nurse: Kim/Tina/April
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 14 ounces

Lawson's sodium is elevated today. They are trying to give him time to correct it himself. We are praying that he can correct it on him his own and that he doesn't have to get back on IV fluids. His breathing has been a little up and down today. They gave him an extra dose of Theoflin to help remind him to breathe. They adjusted the dose based on his weight. He has done well after the dose.

Lawson looks really good today. He acts like he is feeling well.

Nurse: Joy/Lisa/Joan
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 12 ounces

Lawson is doing well today. He looks so sweet in his little clothes. It is hard to believe that the preemie clothes are so big on him. I can't imagine him growing out of them but I'm sure it will happen before we know. Eric held him today. He looked around and seemed so content.

Lawson's sodium is still elevated. It isn't extremely high but they are watching it. He continues to eat well. He is taking 26cc's of milk every 3 hours. That is close to an ounce. He is doing well with his breathing. He is on minimal settings on the C-Pap machine.

Nurse: Tiffany/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 13 ounces

Lawson's sodium went back up a little. We are praying that with time, this level will improve. And with time, his kidney's will become stronger. I did get to hold him again today. It was heavenly. He looks a lot like Eric today. And he looks great in clothes. I got to change him from his layette gown to his onesie. I have to hand it to the nurses...it was quite a challenge with all of the cords. He was snug once he was changed.

Nurse: Tiffany/Kim
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 12 ounces

Lawson gets to wear real clothes today. His preemie clothes still swallow him whole. He looks really good today. His sodium level was down a little bit today. That is good. It just needs to continue to come down. He is breathing good on the C-Pap machine. Hopefully he'll come off of that in the next couple of weeks. Oh yeah, he is really enjoying his passy too. Hopefully this means that he will do well with bottle feeding. We'll see. It may be a little while before they are able to try the bottle feeding.

We pray that his sodium continue to come down and level off. This will be a big determining factor in coming off of the IV fluids.

Nurse: April/Tara/Kim
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 10 ounces

Lawson's sodium has dropped a LITTLE. They are hoping that it continues to come down. The low sodium formula seems to be working well for him. He actually tolerates about anything that he gets (lactos free formula, breast milk and low sodium formula)...so that is a good sign that his tummy isn't extra sensitive. Eric got to hold Lawson for the second time today. They were both in heaven. I think Lawson knew that he was in his daddy's arms.

Nurse: Robyn/Michelle
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 10 ounces

Lawson started a low sodium formula today. Hopefully his sodium will come down. He is back up to 20cc's of milk (every 3 hours). Lawson is doing well on the C-Pap machine (vapor therm). He is much more comfortable on the vapor therm. It allows him to move around more. I got to hold him again today. It was great. I didn't want to let go. I'm missing him tonight. We keep telling ourselves that he will be home before we know it.

Nurse: Robyn/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 11 ounces

Lawson is resting well today. He is still on the C-Pap machine and they are alternating the vapor therm and the type that presses his nose down (alternating every 6 hours). Dr. Strange is a little concerned about Lawson's sodium level. It has been a bit high and they are trying to figure out why. They went up on his fluids and down on his milk (15cc's). They want to see if his sodium level changes. They are trying a number of things. We pray that his sodium level comes down. It could be that his kidney's are still very premature and they need more time to mature. We just have to wait and see.

Nurse: Caroline
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 10 ounces

Lawson is still on the C-Pap today. They put him on a breathing mask so that his little nose could rest. They also had to start an IV in his head. The one in his arm had gone bad (they are usually only good for 72 hours). He is up to 19cc's of milk (7cc's of breast milk + 12cc's of formula). He is a wild man today. He pulled out his feeding tube, pulled off some of the stickers (leads) on his belly and kicking his legs. I guess he's trying to tell them that he is ready to go home:).

Nurse: Caroline
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 10 ounces

So far - so good. Lawson is doing well on the C-Pap machine. He hasn't had any episodes and is on room air most of the time. He is taking 17cc's of milk today. (5cc's of breast milk and 12 of formula). They up the amount of breast milk (by 1cc) each day and lower the amount of formula (by 1cc). We should get the results from his spinal cord fluid today. We pray that it comes back negative for any type of infection.

We pray that Lawson continue to do well on the C-Pap machine. We also pray that he grow and get stronger every day.

Nurse: Annette/Lindsay
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 10 ounces

Lawson is obviously enjoying his milk...moving on up in weight. He is up to 16cc's of milk every 3 hours. Lawson is breathing well on the C-Pap machine. We are praying that he continue to be strong and stay off the vent.

The big news for the day is that Eric and I now have permission to kangaroo hold. That is where you can hold him against your skin. Yeahhh!!!

Nurse: Annette/Lesley
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 7 ounces

Dad holds Lawson for the very first time!! It couldn't have come soon enough. The look on Eric's face was priceless. I think it really hit him today...that he is a dad.

Lawson is doing well on the C-Pap machine. He is very alert and looking around. He is still on his antibiotic and seems to be responding well. They increased his feeds to 14cc's (every 3 hours) and they are decreasing his IV fluids....which is a good thing. They want all of his nutrition to come from milk.

Nurse: Delphine
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 8 ounces

Lawson is taking a big 13cc's of milk every 3 hours. To get an idea of the amount, 10cc=2tbsp. He is tolerating it quite well. Eric and I were surprised to see him in an open bed today. The nursery was very hectic and he gave his covered bed up to a more critical baby. Lawson's creatine level was .6 today. He is still on the vancomiacin antibiotic for his infection. The lab is checking his spinal cord fluid for the infection. They want to rule out any possibilities of it being spinal meningitis.

The big news for today is that Lawson was taken off the ventilator, again. Eric and I are anxious to see how he does. We really pray that he is able to stay off of the ventilator and rely on the C-Pap instead. This would be a big step in the right direction. It is a waiting game at this point...we have to give him time.

Nurse: Annette
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 7 ounces

Lawson's up to 11cc's of milk today. He seems to be digesting it well. There are several thing going on today. They took his pic line IV out of his left arm. They are only good for so long. The doctor talk about putting in a central line in his groin area. We will discuss that with Dr. Mena today. Today LabCorp should also be identifying his little infection. They will then adjust his antibiotics as needed. Those are the two main things happening today.

We pray that his little infection can be quickly treated and that it is only in his blood. We also pray:
- That he continue to tolerate his feeds
- That he continues to ween down off of the ventilator

We can't begin to thank everyone enough for the prayers. We feel them on a daily basis!

Nurse: Annette/Lindsay/Leslie/Terry
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 4 ounces

Lawson is up to 10cc's of milk every 3 hours. That is 2 teaspoons. He looks bigger today. You can't see his ribs quite as much as yesterday. He was pretty active. He is a little wiggle worm. Lawson's creatine level is .8 today. He is on an antibiotic for his little infection. They haven't identified the infecton yet but they started him on Vancomiacin (sp?) to see if he responds.

We pray that they are able to identify the infection soon. We also pray that his feeds are not effected by the infection.

Nurse: Robin/Rick
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 3 ounces

1 month old today! A mile stone for us. It is hard to believe that a whole month has passed. Lawson is doing well today. Resting well and taking 9 cc's of milk. Tolerating it well. Dr. Mena explained that his lab work came back showing an infection. He said that it was very common in the small babies because they are stuck twice a day for lab work. The infection has not been identified. As soon as it is identified, they will know exactly which antibiotic to give him. For now, he is on a generic antibiotic. Dr. Mena said that the infection could be the reason that he got so tired and had to go back on the ventilator. I'm so glad that the Doctor's and Nurse's are on top of it there. They catch these things very fast and know that this really helps the baby's. They all seem to love Lawson. We are so blessed to have him at such a wonderful place. We've been very please with everyone there.

We pray for the Doctor's and Nurse's daily. We know that God is working his miracles through them.

Nurse: Annette
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 4 ounces

Back on the ventilator today. He got a bit tired on the Vapor C-Pap yesterday and they wanted to give him a rest. Dr. Mena said that it is a bigger deal to back off on the feedings than it is to let him rest on the ventilator. His nutrition is #1 b/c it will help him gro stronger. And the bigger and stronger that he becomes...his breathing won't be such a huge task for him. It is a bump in the road but we'll get through it.

Nurse: Annette/Lindsay/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 3 ounces

What a GREAT day! I got to hold my sweet baby for the very first time. Wow, what a wonderful feeling to have him in my arms. Eric will hold him tomorrow. (Only 1 parent a day can hold him.)

Today was a good day for Lawson. He is on the Vapor C-Pap. This is better than the prong C-Pap because it isn't so harsh on his nose. We have been warned that he may have to go back to the C-Pap if he tires out on the Vapor. As far as his feedings are concerned, he is getting 6cc's of formula every 3 hours. The breast milk was a little harder for him to digest so they are trying the lactose free formula for preemies. It seems to be working well today.

We pray that Lawson can continue to do well with his feedings. Nutrition is key at this point. We also pray that he continue to be strong and tolerate the Vapor C-Pap. He seems to be much more comfortable without the tube down his throat or the other C-Pap pressed against his face.

Nurse: Kristell/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 3 ounces

Today was an up and down day for Lawson. He tolerated his feeds really well but his oxygen seemed to swing all day. He was on the C-Pap machine but they were worried that they may have to put him back on the ventilator. They had to clear his throat several times and he seemed to do better. His creatine level was at .8.

Nurse: Caroline/
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 5 ounces

Lawson had a busy day today. He received blood, got 5cc's of milk (teaspoon) every 3 hours and worked hard to keep his oxygen up. He tolerated it all really well. They watched him closely to make sure that he didn't tire out on the C-Pap.

Nurse: Robin/Tara
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces

Today was a big day for Lawson. He was taken off of the ventilator at 8:30pm. We were nervous to see how he would do but he did fine. He tolerated his 4cc's of milk (every 3 hours) well.

Nurse: Salena/Caroline
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces

Lawson is now getting 2cc's of milk every 3 hours. He seems to be tolerating it quite well. We know that this is only the beginning but this is a step in the right direction. We've heard that feedings can often be a rigorous task.

Today we pray that:
- Lawson's kidney's continue to function normally
- He continue to tolderate his feedings
- He continue to be stable on the ventilator in hopes of coming off soon

Nurse: Tanna/Salena
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 1 ounce

Yeahhhhh, 3 weeks old today. Lawson is receiving a little bit of milk every 3 hours. He seems to be tolerating it well. His Creatine level was .9 today. That is good!!! He looks really good today. He opened his eyes SO wide when Leslie and I were visiting. I did get to put vasoline on his little lips. They were so dry and cracked. It felt so good to be able to touch him. I hope he feels my love through the touch. Eric and I can hardly wait to hold him. Hopefully soon....we'll see.

Nurse: Caroline/Salena
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 1 ounce

Lawson's gut priming is going well. They will now give him 1cc of milk every 6 hours (as opposed to every 8). His bilirubin has gone down to 5. They have taken him out from under the phototherapy light. He seems to be resting well but he is considered a "touch-me-not" today. That just means that he doesn't want to be bothered today. He gets more irritated when they change his diaper, IV, etc.

It was so nice to see him without his little eye protection (from the photherapy light). You could actually see his sweet little face. I know that I am bias but....what a cutie:).

Nurse: Kristell/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 1 ounce

Lawson is having a good day today. He is resting well. He has lost 2 ounces today. This could be due to them reducing his fluid intake. They started his gut priming today. They give him 1cc of milk through his OG tube (every 8 hours). This helps us see if he tolerates the milk. So far so good. If he continues to do well, they will gradually increase the frequency.

We have 2 specific prayers today:
1 - That Lawson tolerate the gut priming
2 - That he can come off of the ventilator within the next couple of days

Nurse: Annette/Lindsay/Pam
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 3 ounces

Today is Sunday, we all know that Sunday's haven't been Lawson's best days. But today is different. It has been a good day for him. He is very active ...constantly moving those little legs. He is definitely a wiggle worm. Lawson's Creatine level is very good today (.9). This is his best yet. We just pray that it stays <1. He has been stable on his O2 today (between 21-30%). Oh, the nurse made a point to tell me about his BIG poop diaper today. Who would've though that we'd be so thankful for such a thing:)

Nurse: Tina/Heather/
Doctor: Dr. Mena
Weight: 2 pounds 3 ounces

Lawson is resting on his belly today. His Creatine level has gone up to 1.3. They are watching him but don't seem overly concerned about this. Today is Eric's first day back to work. He seemed to dread it but knew that it was time. I have been manning the hospital and he is calling me for updates. He got off work early to come visit Lawson.

Nurse: Annette/Lindsey/Pam
Doctor: Dr. Strange/Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 3 ounces

Lawson's Creatine level has come down to 1.1 today. That is really good news! He continues to be on Dopamine to flush out his kidney's. His urine output is good He is resting well today. He has been on his belly most of the day.

Nurse: Annette/Lindsey/Pam
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 6 ounces (up due to the ventilator and extra equipment)

Lawson is having a better day today. His Creatine level has come down to 1.4. This is a good sign. They are continuing to give him Dopamine and lasics to flush his system out. He has had several really big tee-tee diapers. This is a good sign that his kidney's are still functioning. He seems to be resting well. He is very still and worn out. He seems to be catching up on his rest from being on the C-Pap machine.

Eric and I feel a little better today. We just pray that he continues to go in the right direction. We decided to go home tonight. We hope to rest better tonight.

Nurse: Bonnie/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces

Sunday's are bad days for Lawson. Dr. Strange placed Lawson back on the ventilator because of some concerns about the kidney. Lawson's Creatine level was elevated. This level should be <1 and it is now 1.9. This indicates problems in the kidney's. The Cardiologist confirmed that the flap in his heart was closed so the level was not elevated because of the heart. They drew a culture from Lawson so they can see if there is infection in the kidney's. They got another read on this level at 6:00pm, the level came down to 1.8. Our worst fear at this point is kidney failure. They started several antibiotics. One was Dopamine, it makes him produce a lot of urine to flush out his kidney's. He responded to the Dopamine but they weren't doing another read on the level until 6am Monday morning.

Eric and I are very concerned at this point. We are so scared that one of his major organs won't function right. This could be fatal. The whole family has come to the hospital to anxiously await the 6pm read of the levels. Wendy said the sweetest prayer for us and baby Lawson. What would we do without wonderful family and friends? What a blessing.

Eric and I pray that God place his healing hands on Lawson. He is the powerful almighty healer. This is in his hands and we trust that he will help us through this time.

Nurse: Annette/Lindsey/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces

Today has been a good day for Lawson. He hasn't pooped yet but they are trying to give him a little time. Annette has been laying him on his side in hopes of stimulating his bowels. He has been very stable on the C-Pap machine today. He has been on his back or side most of the day today. They took out the little IV in his umbilical cord because it is only good for so long. From now on, they will draw lab by pricking his heal. His bilirubin is down to 6.9 and they would like to see it between 3-4. It has gradually come down from 14.5 - 10 - 9.5 - 7.2 - 6.9. They continue the phototherapy.

We're still praying for poop. His x-rays are showing that he still has some stool to pass.

Nurse: Amanda/Susan/Tara/Kristen
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 2 ounces

Today is a pretty stable day for Lawson. He had several lapses in his breathing after midnight. They noticed that his hemoglobin was a little low so they gave him blood. He has done much better since he received the blood. He seems to be resting well. His tummy is bloated due to the air from the C-Pap. They gave Lawson 2 enemas and 2 supositories. He pooped 3 small times and finally lost his maconium plug. They are hoping that this will help him poop more. They think that once the poop has passed that the air in his tummy can pass.

Overall we are pleased with his progress. We are just praying for poop! We are also praying that he stay stable on the C-Pap machine.

Nurse: Amanda/Susan/Michelle/Kristen
Doctor: Dr. Dicarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 1 ounce

Today has been a nerve racking day for Eric and I. We called to check on Lawson at 9am and we were told that he was taken off of the ventilator at 11pm the night before and he is now on the C-Pap machine. This is considered a step in the right direction. Eric and I realize this but just worry about the transition. The nurses had to keep a close watch on him to make sure that he remembered to breathe. Lawson did well on the C-Pap machine throughout the day. Eric and I went to dinner (Brix) with Libby and Alan while the nursery was closed. We visited the nursery with Dana, Charity, Leslie, Mom and Donna. Lawson had been put on the vapor C-Pap machine so that less air would go to his tummy. He was having a hard time staying stable so they put him back on the other C-Pap machine. If they see that the air in his tummy doesn't subside, they may consider putting him back on the ventilator.

Prayer: Today I pray that the air in Lawson's tummy will pass and they he stay stable on the C-Pap machine. I also pray that God give Eric and I the strength to handle the ups and downs of the NICU.
This has been quite the roller coaster ride and it has just begun. My final prayer is for the nurses and
doctors in the NICU. Please give them the knowledge and ability to treat my sweet baby Lawson.

Nurse:
Doctor: Dr. Dicarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 1 ounce

Today Lawson is one week old. We are considering this a small milestone. Now... if we could fast forward 13 more weeks. Lawson is having a good day today. His stats are stable. We visited the nursery late and 30 minutes later they took him off of the ventilator to put him on the C-Pap machine. This machine is not as hard on his little lungs. It feeds positive pressure to his lungs. Lawson took to the C-Pap pretty well. Dr. Strange discontinued his gut priming so it wouldn't be too much on him.

Eric and I are excited about the move to the C-Pap though we are very nervous. We know that it is a move for the best.and we pray that he remembers to breathe. We trust the nurses and doctors and they have done a really good job with watching him closely.

Tuesday, September 20, 2005
Nurse: Tanna/Tara
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 2 pounds 1 ounce

Today is a good day for Lawson. His blood oxygen levels are more stable each day. Dr. DiCarlo would like to take him off the ventilator soon. They are watching him closely to see when the best time for him would be. This makes Eric and I excited about his progress but a nervous wreck about the step. We ask ourselves, "What if he stops breathing? Will they have enough time to help him?" Neither one of us want to be there when they do this. It is best that we aren't. Lawson's bilirubin levels are gradually coming down. The phototherapy is helping.

Nurse: Tanna/Tara
Doctor: Dr. Strange
Weight: 2 pounds 1 ounce

Lawson is having a good day. He is sleeping well and preferring his tummy over his back. Dr. Strange started the gut priming process today. This is where they give him 1 cc of milk to coat his stomach. They don't consider this feeding. Just preparing his tummy for milk. She said that we will see how he does with this. They started it every 8 hours and then came down to every 6 hours. This was a step in the right direction

We pray that Lawson's tummy can handle the gut priming and his stats stay stable during the process.

Nurse: Tanna/Tina
Doctor: Dr. DiCarlo
Weight: 1 pound 10 ounces

Today is a rough day for Lawson. His blood oxygen levels are very eratic. Dr. DiCarlo and Dr. Mena are very concerned that Lawson't hypertension is back or the shunt in his heart has not closed. He got another heart scan. The cardiologist confirmed that there was no hypertension and that the shunt was closed. That was very encouraging. After x-rays and lab work, the cultures confirmed that Lawson had a germ. It was a skin germ that was treated by an antibiotic. The germ caused the eratic behavior throughout the day.

Eric and I had a very hard day. We were worried about Lawson's regression. Lawson had quite a battle to fight. We pray that the antibiotic can treat his little germ. We also pray that his breathing become stable. Eric and I are in desperate need of strength today. The doctors and nurses need the strength and knowledge to help baby Lawson get better.