A's and B's...

Well, I was definitely spoiling everyone with my good progress. I started having more and more "spells" of apnea and bradycardia...A's and B's, for short. I thought I was doing something good...you know, learning my alphabet, but Mom quickly informed me that I was misbehaving. Apnea is a period where I stop breathing and in preemies, like me, it is a pause in breathing that lasts longer than 20 seconds, which causes bradycardia (a drop in my oxygen level). Basically, I forget to breathe sometimes. This is something that is very common in preemies and it is something that I will grow out of, so no worries! My punishment - back on the Vapotherm nasal cannula. I'm still breathing on my own, but I just need a little extra air pressure, that's all.

On a good note, I am tolerating my feeds well. Within the next day or so I will be receiving 100% milk and no more fluid. Yay! I am weighing in at 3 pounds 3 ounces...gaining slowly, but gaining!

I got to snuggle with Mom today and Dad is hanging out with me now. Unfortunately, when Lala came to visit yesterday the old nurse wouldn't let her and Mom hold me. What does she know, hmmph. Maybe next time, Lala.

They took my girlfriends away =(. I will have to sneak out and find them when the nurses aren't watching.

Guess that's about it for now. Enjoy the pictures! Love y'all!

Beau

2 weeks old!

I am two weeks old today! I can't believe they didn't bring me a cake, but I guess I will settle for the milk they are giving me. We have a little catching up to do since Mom and I took a break from blogging this weekend...

I have graduated from the Vapotherm to the High-flow nasal cannula. To help you compare, the lowest setting on the Vapotherm delivers 2 liters of oxygen per minute. The high-flow nasal cannula gives me 1 liter of oxygen per minute and they have it on the lowest "setting" of 21% oxygen, which is like breathing "room air"...what all of you breathe. They say I am doing great! The next and last step would be to put me on the low-flow nasal cannula which delivers .1 liter of oxygen. We are NOT rushing things, but just FYI.

I now weigh a whopping 3 pounds 1 ounce and measure 15 1/2 inches. Yep, every ounce counts =). Dad was so proud when I entered the 3 pound weight class hah! Milk, it does the body good. Speaking of milk, I am tolerating my feeds well enough for the doctors to increase my milk intake to 3.2mL per hour, as of today. I am also dirtying plenty of diapers; something I learned from my big bro!

Other than that, things are moving right along. OMG, how could I forget, Mom got to hold me today!! She. Was. In. Heaven. Period. And I liked cuddling with her too! Now we both have something else to look forward to when she comes to visit. I bet we will have to convince Dad that he won't break me before he actually holds me. It's kinda funny to think that he will be the one tossing me around before we know it, but he is the most nervous about touching me right now.

Before I go, I would like to ask you all to add a few more little ones to your prayer list: the Ranzino triplets. The nurses brought them into the NICU Thursday and I said, "well hello ladies!". Unfortunately, the nurses wouldn't let me go visit, but I waved to them from my house in the corner. These girls are the daughters of my Uncle Lonzo's friend. They are all doing well!

Oh - and a big thank you to Maci Claire for the awesome signs she made for my hi-zouse! I defInitely have the coolest "crib" in the NICU!! From what Mom tells me, she is a pretty cool chick!

Everyone sleep well! Stay tuned for updated pictures...

XOXO,
Beau Hudson

A little note from Beau

Hey everyone!

I thought I would drop in and let you all know that I have had another really good day!  They took out the "lines" going in my umbilical cord so I can finally lay on my belly...I am a happy camper!  Dad came to visit today and said I looked so comfy that I was putting him to sleep.  I really like when he comes to visit, but I sure hope Mom gets better soon so she can come to see me; Dad says she is really grouchy because she doesn't feel good and because she can't come to visit...poor Reid!

I am still on the Vapotherm, but they have turned the settings down and I continue to breathe really well on my own.  I got a little tired of suntanning so I asked the nurse if she would please turn those lights off.  She did and said that I got an A+ on my bili score today.  Hopefully she won't turn them back on.  Mom thinks I like suntanning like her, but I think that stuff is for girls!

The milk is agreeing with me so far, but the nurses continue to monitor how well I am tolerating it.  If things continue to look good, then they will increase the amount of milk I receive.  Thank goodness, because I need to put some meat on these bones if I am ever going to be able to hold my own with my big bro.  He is a monster!

Well, I am getting pretty sleepy.  Thank you for all of your prayers; they are definitely working!  Hope to meet everyone soon!  Oh, and Geaux Tigers!!!

Love,

Beau Hudson

Mom loving on me

This is when the nurses were switching my masks out

Ahh...this is more like it

I have such a cool big brother...just not sure about that jacket!





Making great progress!

I am here to report more good news as Beau's blood gases (a blood test that measures the level of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood to determine how well his lungs are working) continue to come back with good results! I am still quarantined, and I only bug the nurses to check on him 10 times per day. I think I am doing pretty well, in my opinion. Shawn went to visit twice today and said how good he looks. He is super paranoid about touching Beau, but did so, for me, since I haven't been able to love on our little man. Makes me feel much better.

Today Beau was taken off of the CPAP mask and put on the Vapotherm nasal cannula. Vapotherm delivers a high flow of air through a nasal cannula with prongs that fit loosely in his nose. He has been doing fabulous so far.

Still suntanning, but his bili score was much lower today.

Everything else is looking good, and yes, he has started to receive very small amounts of milk as of 4:00 pm today! The nurses will continue to monitor his blood gases and if they continue to yield good results, they will slowly increase the amount of milk he receives. Yay, go Beau!!

Definitely time for bed. Hope you all are doing well!

1 week old!

As of yesterday, "Little Beau Peep", as Shawn likes to call him, was one week old! He is more perfect than we could have imagined and we are amazed at how strong that little guy is.

The first couple of days in the NICU were a little rough as Beau's lungs were not inflating as they should be. Good news is that they are now, and within a week, he has moved on from the oscillator (a high frequency ventilator), to the regular ventilator, on to a BiPAP mask (which consists of tubes up his nose as opposed to the tube down his throat), and today...he is breathing on his own! When I say "on his own", he now has a CPAP mask which delivers constant air pressure into his nose to help keep the air sacs in his lungs open, but no more mechanical ventilation as of now! If he remains stable then they will start giving him some milk within the next couple of days. Hopefully that will fatten the little guy up real quick!

Speaking of, he was almost back up to his birth weight Sunday evening, weighing in at a whopping 2 lbs 15 oz! They like them (all babies) to get back up to their birth weight within the first week so he is right on target.

Beau suntans about every other day as his bilirubin score comes back low then high again. He is just getting ready for future beach trips =).

He also has a PDA which is common in preemies. It is an open blood vessel running from his pulmonary artery to his aorta. It usually closes within the first few hours of life, but many times preemies, and even some full-term babies, need a little help closing it. To treat this, they administer a round of steroids. Beau has received two rounds of steroids and the cardiologist said it is barely open, as of today. Since he is showing no other symptoms, they are going to wait a couple of days to see if it closes on it's own.

So overall, he is doing really well and continues to grow stronger and make improvements! As for Mommy, I am dying to hold him, but I have been able to his change his little diapers, help weigh him, and hold his hands, feet, etc. I'll take what I can get! Unfortunately, I was running a fever last night and cannot return to his side until 24 hours after my fever is gone. Staying away from him is so ridiculously hard, but hopefully I'll be able to go see him tomorrow. Daddy is filling in for me as we speak. On a good note, I got to play with Big Brother Reid today, with the help of my amazing mother! He continues to keep us busy and laughing all the time...perfect therapy for us.

That about sums up week one. I will do my best to keep everyone posted on Beau's progress.

As always, thank you for all of your love and support!

Getting Acquainted...

As you all know, we unexpectedly welcomed a precious little boy into our family on October 10, 2011 at 3:55 in the morning.  He was born at 27 weeks and 5 days, was 15 inches long, and weighed 2 pounds 15.3 ounces.  I can promise you that I never thought I would be giving birth to such a small angel!  Considering the circumstances, everything went smoothly!  Welcome Beau Hudson Soulier!!!

I titled this post "Getting Acquainted" because 1. I am not a blogger...by any means, 2. I am super unfamiliar with the NICU lingo, hence my spelling of "Billy Reuben" the other day (guess I had a sandwich on the brain!), and 3. Shawn, Reid, and I are getting to know our little miracle more and more each day.  So bear with me...I have learned so much over the last week and I will do my best to keep you all updated on Beau's progress!

Shawn and I are so thankful for all of you.  We could not ask for more caring family and friends.  Your support means the world to us, and we are so blessed to have so many prayers sent Beau's way.  We love you all!

Beau Hudson Soulier

Big Brother Reid came to visit!