A Medical Update This Morning

A quick update on Will's medical conditions:
pictured: a NICU Dr. conducting routine morning rounds






Weight Loss
Will lost weight for the second consecutive day. He dropped 3 oz Friday, moving from 3.8lbs to just slightly over 3.5lbs. He lost an additional 40 grams Saturday, meaning he now weighs about 3.4lbs. On the surface, this may sound adverse. However, Will now receives Lasix aimed at eliminating excess fluid in his lungs and other body areas. To counter the diuretic, his feeds have been increased from 26ml to 29ml of breast milk every three hours. If all goes well, he should begin gaining weight soon.

Tachypneic Breathing Patterns
Will continues to battle tachypnea issues - rapid breathing patterns associated with shallow breathing and lung fluid. Tachypnea is relatively common for premature infants that experience periodic breathing.

Nurses count Will's breaths over a one minute period. If the number of breaths per minute exceed 60, then he is described as being tachypneic. Presently, this does not seem to be a major concern. But as with all premature babies, even the smallest concerns run the risk compounded effects due to the baby's size and development stage. The NICU medical staff is monitoring the situation closely but are optimistic that a combination of a reduction in lung fluid and time/growth will eliminate the tachypnea. For Nichole and I, we can't wait for the day when Will has a strong and steady breathing pattern.