that rotate through different areas. We are currently in the intensive
area and are on doctor #6. All are great, but #5 was not so good with
parental communication. Last Monday, he told me Jacob has pneumonia and
then didn't talk to me until Sunday when I cornered him for an update and
found out about the collapsed lung. All the other docs had been giving
daily updates.
This morning our new doctor came over to introduce herself when I arrived,
before I even set down my things and we had a sit down conference on Jacob.
Very refreshing.
Jacob's pneumonia is getting better and responding. He is down to 25
breaths per minute from the respirator (vs 45 a few days ago), but his
oxygen requirement is still pretty high. The collapsed right lung upper
lobe should respond to treatment, there is no damage, we just have to get
it to fill up with air. In a couple days he will get another X-ray and
will try to take him off the ventilator.
There is a greater than 90 percent chance Jacob will come home on oxygen.
He will probably need it for 6 months to 1 year. additionally we will need
to keep him at home away from crowds and germs since a tiny cold could be
life threatening because his lung vessels are so tiny and would not allow
air to pass if they became infected and clogged with mucus.
We are encouraged by Jacob's progress and hopeful for further lung
improvement this week, and trying to prepare ourselves for what the rest of
Jacob's first year will be like and how we can give him the best care and
protection from illness.
I also saw Jacob's growth chart for the first time. The preemie chart is
similar to the ones we see for infants and children. Jacob has been at
almost 50th percentile for his gestational age including babies still in
utero, which is very remarkable that his weight is almost the average of
babies still inside their moms. I am still so thankful that feedings and
weight gain are on track.
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