12/31/04
Welcome to Gavin's official website! Now instead of sending out emails when we add new pics to snapfish, you are welcome to check out this site whenever you want. Gavin's first Christmas was wonderful, and he enjoyed spending so much time getting to know his relatives. He was very spoiled and now doesn't want to entertain himself at all! We had our 4 month check up on Tuesday the 28th, he is up to 10 lbs, 8 1/2 ounces! He is also 21 1/4 inches long. The doctor said we could try giving him infant cereal....we have tried a couple times but I think he is not quite ready. We will keep trying every few days. He is still not sleeping through the night, and we really aren't making any progress, he still likes to wake Mom up every 3 or 4 hours. SHe is patiently waiting for her first solid night's sleep. Gavin's favorite new tricks are dancing with Dad, sitting up like a big boy on the couch and trying to eat big boy cereal. He went out for his first stroller walk Wednesday, Dec 29th and really enjoyed the change of scenery. He is really looking forward to meeting his uncle Chris for the first time tonight when he returns home from his semester abroad. Gavin is wishing everyone a fantastic New Year!

11/14/04
Finally Gavin gets to eat! Yesterday was really tough becuase he was feeling much better and was just mad because he was so hungry! They start with 15 ml and go up by 5 every feeding. Hopefully he does well with it so we can go home!!! He would have gone home the 9th if it hadn't have been for this surgery.

11/12/04
They decided to put a tube down into Gavin's stomach to suck out the air and saliva. It takes a while after your insides have been messed with to get back into normal working order....his tummy is quite distended with air. They can't feed him til they know things are going to move through. He is feeling a little better, he gets all his nutrition through an IV and sucks on a pacifier dipped in sugar water when he gets mad!

11/10/09
Gavin was taken into surgery today to fix his tummy. We found out about a week prior that he had a stomach malrotation. Basically all the digestive organs form in the umbilical cord and wind into the abdomen once there is room. His wound the wrong direction. The surgeon was really surprised that he hasn't had any problems eating, but the risk is that the stomach will continue to twist and cut off the blood supply, and part of the intestines will die. He also said that we are lucky, usually by the time they catch it there have already been serious problems. The scary part is that he had to go back on the ventilator, and we didn't know how long he would be on there. The great news is that he came off of it before he left the operating room! They were able to do the surgery laparoscopically so it wasn't very invasive, just three little 3 mm incisions. A camera went into one by his belly button, and long rods went into the other two, they used those to drop in tiny little operating tools and fixed everything. It turned out when they were in there that all his intestines were malrotated, not just his stomach. He also had hernias on both sides of his groin, so they had to do incisions to fix those, but you can barely see them. We waited up in his room for almost 4 long hours. There is nothing quite like seeing your little baby wheeled away for surgery. He was pretty mad when he came back, and he did have to have a nasal cannula for about 24 hours, but it was just giving him room air. We were happy that Ruth was there the day of the surgery, and then Kim was there overnight and then Ruth again in the morning, so he had the nurses that knew him best to take care of him. It was ironic that his biggest problem in the hospital was something totally unrelated to being a preemie, but we are so thankful that they caught it before there were any serious issues, plus it was nice to have it taken care of before we left the hospital. If we ever have to go back it will be to the pediatric ICU, different doctors, nurses, etc. Gavin is also the first baby to have this procedure done laparoscopically.....way to go our little pioneer!!

9/30/04
Gavin finally hits 3 pounds! Good growing little guy....all the nurses say that you will really take off from here!

Gavin is on the nasal cannula now, it is just providing a little more reminder to breathe, as he is still having apnea. He is one month old today! Hopefully only 2 more to go before we leave the hospital!

Another great surprise when Mom visited at lunch time.....Gavin came off the CPAP! Now he is just getting some oxygen flowing through his isolette. They don't want to use the nasal cannula because his nose is getting pretty dried out from air being pumped through there all the time. He is at 26% oxygen (room air is 21) so that is not bad at all!

Bridie went back to work today, which was kind of hard, but will be a nice distraction. She also remembered that she actually likes her job! She starts her day at 5 am, goes to the hospital before work, during lunch, and she and Chad go in the evenings. Gavin, you have to come soon! This schedule is going to wear her out fast! To make the day better, when she went to visit for lunch, Gavin surprised her by coming off the cycled CPAP and onto the regular CPAP. Good work little man!

Thanks Krista and Carol for hosting a great baby shower, and to everyone who came. And thanks to those of you who couldn't make it but sent presents anyway! Mom is really excited to start decorating my room!

I came off the ventilator today. I tried the CPAP, but then had to switch to the cycled CPAP a little later. The cycled just means it gives a little more pressure with the oxygen so that I don't have to work so hard to expand my lungs with each breath. There is a small chance that I may have to go back on the vent, but the doctors are really trying to avoid it.

I have started feeling better after being sick for a few days, Mom can tell I am starting to get back to my squirrely self! The good news is that they were able to continue feeding me this whole time, I have tolerated the feedings well, and they keep increasing how much I get. Right now it is just being dripped through a feeding tube that goes in my mouth and down to my tummy. Hopefully I will be off the vent soon.

Today was a scary day, I came down with a blood born staph infection. While Mom knew there was an extremely high chance of that, she wasn't prepared for what it would do to me. I had to go back on the ventilator since fighting the infection has taken all of my energy and I don't have enough left to breathe very well. They have started antibiotics and say that I should start feeling better in a couple days.

The staff was pretty ambitious today! Gavin was moved out of the little humidity tent and into an isolette. They also tried him on a nasal cannula instead of the CPAP. A CPAP maintains a constant pressure in the lungs so it is not so much work to expand them to breathe in, a nasal cannula just flows a blend of air/O2 in the nose. But he wasn't quite ready for it yet, and went back to the CPAP within a couple hours.

I got to meet my great-grandparents Lois and Joe this weekend! Thanks for coming all this way to visit me!

Mom got to hold me for the first time tonight!

After almost 3 weeks in the hospital, Mom finally got to go home today. Gavin, it broke our hearts to have to leave you there, but we know that you are in great hands. We are ecstatic that you have gotten off to such an amazing start. You are our little miracle, and you are such a fighter! Draw on that strength and the strength of all the people that love you in the months ahead.

This is the day that I made my appearance! It was very exciting...there were so many people there to greet me! I came out screaming with my eyes wide open, so Mom and Dad knew right away I was a little fighter. They even got to hold my hands when I was trying to pull the intubation tube out of my throat! Then Dad came with my to the NICU while they got me all set up in my room - 217 in Blank Children's Hospital. My lungs were pretty good because Mom got steroid shots while she was in the hospital....I only had to be on the ventilator for 6 hours, that really impressed the doctors! Mom and Dad visited me several times that day....Mom even got to change my diaper! I was 2 pounds, 5 ounces and 14 1/2 inches long when I was born. They put me on a warmer bed under a little tent that kept the humidity high, since my skin was very thin. I had a little eye mask on because of the bili rubin lights that kept me from getting jaundiced. Even though I was SO little and early (27 weeks) the doctors knew I would be ok, they even predicted I could be out within 2 months! Any time before my due date (November 26th) would be great!