Dan and I stayed home today.  Dan worked cattle with the guys and I rested and ran some errands.  Doctor Thompson called today for an update.  We usually talk every other day.  It is so nice to have a doctor that truly cares!

I called the NICU twice for updates.  Kathy was Lorena's nurse today.  She is definitely one of my favorites so far.  She acts as half counselor/half NICU nurse and always ask about how I am doing emotionally.  It sounds like Lorena is doing about the same.  Kathy gave her a bath.  She wasn't on much oxygen today but is still on the CPAP machine to help force air into her lungs (to help her breathe).  Adults breathe 21% oxygen.  Lorena has been doing fine on 21% oxygen, which is room air, which is what I mean when I say she isn't on oxygen.  If she tires, sometimes they increase it to 26% or 29%...but it sounds like she didn't need it much at all today.  They also increased her dose of antibiotics to help fight the infection.  She did get a stomach xray which looked ok.  The nurses had been feeding her 3 milliliters of milk 2 times a day, but have decided to hold off on feedings for a while.  Her stomach doesn't seem to be handling the food and is making a greenish/blackish bile.  She has gotten an enema to help with her bowel function.  Kathy said this is fairly typical and her stomach just isn't ready to digest milk yet.  Kathy said that we will have to do things on Lorena's terms. 

Dan and I miss her tonight.  It is weird to have a baby and not bring her home.  We are both trying to stay busy (even though I know I should be resting) because it seems to make the time go by faster.  My co-workers have been amazing....I couldn't ask to work for a better company. 

I am headed to Topeka early tomorrow morning.  The nurses still say she is doing great, but she still has a long road ahead. Tonight's prayer is for Lorena's stomach to start digesting breast milk and that her bowels start functioning normally.