8.29.08

Let me clarify for just a moment...
I know you all love reading the carefully crafted prose of my wonderful husband... but I think he may be scaring the pants off of some of you.

"Lung disease" is in fact a term that the doctors use. And it scares the pants off of me every time they say it - until I remember that they are still talking about Ethan's current lung damage that will heal with time. "Lung disease" sounds so permanent. This is not.

That is not to say that this whole thing doesn't really suck, because it does. Chris and I are both starting to hit the runners wall. We're 20 miles into the marathon. Hopefully we only have 6.2 miles to go.

Dr. Nourdine called his old colleagues from Minnesota yesterday to see if they had any brilliant ideas about Ethan and why he might be straying from the "normal" course of events. It's comforting to know that they aren't too proud to look for additional ideas or help. But it's scary that they feel the need to ask. Good and bad news is that they didn't have any new ideas. They recommended the same course that the doctors here have been taking. O2 support as needed, fluid restricitons, steroids. They did suggest that it is possible that Ethan might have some reflux that he is aspirating into his lungs. The doctors here will check that out.

Did we mention that Ethan is 5 lbs 3.2 oz now?! He really is getting big. I suppose big is a relative term... but he's way bigger. The pink " Real mem wear pink" hat is way too small now. We'll try to take some new pictures soon.

Allison is still eating like a champ and gaining. We went almost 4 hours between feedings the other night. THAT was exciting. We were playing on the floor the other day, and she was batting at a little, pink stuffed dog. She almost got that sucker in her mouth! The wrist rattles that I picked up yesterday were not as exciting. Perhaps another day.

Well, Alli is almost done eating and I am ready for bed. Yippee, daddy is doing the middle of the night feedings tonight! What an awesome daddy he is!!