Lots going on...

First let's start with another answered prayer.  Joanna had a head ultrasound to follow up on the two level 2 brain bleeds and the dilated ventricles (risk of PVL).  Praise God both bleeds are completely gone and the ventricles are normal size. God is so amazing!!

Joanna got her first tub bath last night.  After the initial shock - she loved it.  

She also broke the 4 lb mark!!  

She is continuing to do well on the nasal cannula and if all goes well tomorrow morning in dr rounds, they will be moving her down to 3 liters.  I am so excited.  If I haven't mentioned it before, we can begin trying to breastfeed when she gets down to 2 liters!!  Here are a few sweet pictures of our angel.

Rebecca had lots going on today.  First the catheter for the dialysis was placed today at 8am.  In addition to what Brandon wrote this morning the drain was not draining.  They pushed 20 ml into her belly and expected it to drain out but nothing came.  They then pushed an additional 10 ml in with a syringe was going to pull it back out but instead got resistance.  They did an xray and found that placement was good (it was not up against a stomach wall).  Another physician pulled the cath out a small bit and turned it and then it began draining!!  According to her nurse tonight she is tolerating the dialysis well.  Because the surgeon putting the cath in thought he may have hit the cyst, they ordered an ultrasound.  It showed that the cyst is 1 cm X

1 cm smaller than before.  This may be because he punctured it - not sure but good news is that it is smaller.  

There is a level (lactade) that is checked on Rebecca that shows if her body is stressed.  The smaller the number the better.  She has been running around 3 but this afternoon she jumped up to over 7.  The attending physician didn't believe the number so she had them pull additional blood to test the level again and it was the same.  She then ordered them to pull additional blood an hour later to check it again and again it was the same.  After evening dr rounds, they decided to give her some blood in case when she was having her cath put in her heart became stressed because she did lose some blood during that process.  Soon after the blood began they pulled the lactade and it was down to 5 and then after the blood was all in they ran the lactade again and it was back down in the 3 range.

Rebecca and I had a good day today.  We listed to the local Christian radio station and I read her a children's book.  I sit by her side all day and talk to her about her sisters, the weather, what the nurses are getting ready to do, etc.  I want her to know that her mommy is there with her.  I also fill her with positive thoughts.  I know she hears the drs come in and tell me what is wrong with her but I don't want her to think they are right.  I tell her she will be fine because her and her sister are fighters and that God will heal them.

As Brandon said in the previous blog, we had a great time with our kids Sunday.  Here are some pictures of them with the girls.  It was so precious...Kenlee was waving to Rebecca and saying, "Hi Becca Sue!", she was so excited to see her; Katelyn was holding Joanna and patting the blanket saying, "Joanna, are you going to look at me!"; and Alexis just staring at Joanna as she held her and having Joanna hold on to her finger - all of these were precious moments we will never forget.