Latest from the NICU ... 32 weeks, a good day, weight loss and his great-grandfather

Overall, Will had another good day, experiencing only a small amount of deep desats. What a way to celebrate his 32nd gestational week.

The nurses continue to chase his oxygen, meaning they increase the percentage (anywhere from 25% to almost 40%) of supplemental oxygen in an effort to ensure consistent oxygen saturation levels. We've been told two things (1) periodic breathing/resulting in low sat rates is common in premature infants and (2) typically, babies grow out of periodic breathing. In some cases, medical intervention/treatments are needed to correct the problem. We certainly hope he grows out of this - tomorrow would not be too soon! In the meantime, caffeine doses are given to help regulate breathing patterns. However, the fact that his lungs continue holding fluid makes breathing a bit more difficult and shallow. With the diuretic aid attacking the fluid, we too hope this remedies itself.

As for the fluid, Will lost 3 oz (90 grams) today. He now weighs just over 3.5 oz. We are optimistic that the weight loss was directly related to the Lasix (diuretic) dose.

Will met his great-grandfather, Arthur William Bayer (Will's namesake), for the first time today. Nichole and I were so pleased he made the 4 hour trip from Mt. Vernon, bringing along Will's Aunts, Megan and Heather, ... a very special Christmas gift indeed.

And for those of you who continue to support Will, Nichole and me with your thoughts and prayers, please know we are deeply thankful. We ask that you keep the other NICU babies in mind too. There are close to 60 babies in the St. Vincent Women's NICU, many of which face extreme odds. It is hard to describe the moving stories and scenes we've witnessed during our first month in the NICU. It is truly an amazing place.