7 Days of Rest

Beckett was glad to see Dr.Grubbs today. I was teasing Dr.Grubbs that he wouldn't even recognize Beckett after being gone the past week and a half. I also did have to let him know that Ellie has been praying the past two nights for him - For Daddy, Mommy, Ellie, Beckett, Nurse and Dr.Grubbs. He caught up to speed with Beckett's rough day yesterday, and did his morning assessment. Beckett's tummy was a little more distended than yesterday (after it had gone down), and I noticed it really bulged out on his left side. Dr.Grubbs said his belly was still really soft, and the bulge could be from the muscles being stretched. (think when you blow up a balloon, and then the air is let out, and it still looks stretched). Beckett did lose some weight last night. He's 3 lbs. 2.1 oz.

Then Dr.Grubbs reviewed his chart and previous X-rays thoroughly, and came back to talk to me.

The abdomen X-ray indicated there were a couple spots that could be pneumatosis (air that has escaped to the intestinal wall..a place where it's not supposed to be). He wasn't for sure it was, but wasn't 100 percent confident that it wasn't. What does this mean? Well, this is a sign of NEC (Necrotizing enterocolitis)...what I like to refer to as a swear word in the NICU. This is that intestinal disease that we prayed so hard that Ellie wouldn't get, and she didn't, and were praying against for Beckett...and it's not "officially" NEC, and if it is, it's a "mild" case of NEC. It's not like we are rushing to the operating room for surgery, but it is something we are taking seriously. Dr.Grubbs also said there were a couple larger loops in his bowels. So we are treating it with the course of antibiotics for 7 days, like it is NEC. This also means that his bowels would get a rest from feeds all 7 days too.

Dr.Grubbs said he thought this was the best for Beckett. He also said this is what he'd do for his son...put him on the antibiotics, and hopefully we've caught it early, and Beckett can get past this. Dr.Grubbs said that NEC peaks around one month of age and/or 32 weeks, and Beckett is kind of in that range. He'll be 30 weeks gestation Friday.

Nothing had grown on the blood culture as of 24 hours, but the Urine culture came back positive. Dr.Grubbs said the count was low, and he was a bit surprised to see it positive. It's more common in girls, and he also wondered if possibly it was contaminated. Regardless, the antibiotics for NEC will take care of this issue too.

I also had to sign a release for Beckett to get his first eye exam next week. Preemies are at high risk for ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity). This affects the retina blood vessel growth when they are born early. And it's obviously greater risk for the extremely premature infant. Hate the eye exams. They don't let parents be in there for a reason. It's awful hearing them cry.

Please pray that this week of rest is what Beckett's bowels needed, and pray that the antibiotics do their job in helping Beckett's body fight whatever infection is coming his way. Also please start praying for Beckett's eyes, we pray he will be able to see. Also, he did have another head ultrasound today, so pray for the swelling of the ventricles to go down even more.

There is a chance the pneumatosis could have been a stool on the X-ray, and Beckett did have a poopy diaper for me today. Yes, I was changing it, and had to use a couple diapers...and I may or may not have gotten his foot in it, and his blood pressure cuff tube in it too...had to call for nurse back up on that one! :) He will have a repeat Kidney,Ureter, Bladder X-ray tomorrow to check things out again.

Until tomorrow...