Gettin' some sun

We just got back from visiting Caroline and got to snap a picture of Caroline “sun bathing.”  This is very common to do to newborns to help their liver functions.  You should be able to see my hand on top her head to give you a good idea of her size.  They cover her eyes with goggles during this process.  She will likely have the light over her for a couple of days.  I did get to touch her today which was incredibly calming for both Caroline and me. 

Unfortunately, we found out that she has patent ductus arteriosus.  When a baby is in utero, there is no need for blood to go from the heart to the lungs.  Instead, blood is directed back to the placenta.  After the baby is born, there is an artery that normally closes which sends blood to the lungs.  This is a common heart defect for premature babies, since they think they are still in utero.  A lot of the time doctors would just watch this issue in a premature baby, but they think it may have something to do with her lungs not working at full capacity.  The good news is that the doctors have been able to decrease the amount of oxygen she receives to about 27 – 30%.  They would like to get her to 21%, which is what we all normally breathe.  They think they will be able to fix the patent ductus arteriouse issue with some medicine that will help the artery close up.  Once this issue is resolved, the doctors hope that her lungs will improve. 

We were excited to find out that her blood pressure has improved so they were able to decrease this medicine.  Mom and Caroline have the opposite problem; my blood pressure is still high.  I am still in the hospital recovering.  They are watching my platelets and blood pressure and assure me that it’s just taking a while to regulate.

This is harder than we imagined.  Please know that Ryan and I very much appreciate your prayers and support. 

~Katie