Update #2 - February 12, 2003
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Dear Friends,
Alexander and Zachary are now 12 days out of the womb, but I look at it as them being 26 weeks post-conception. Their 26th week started with a couple of set-backs, but ended with them both doing well.
An ultrasound showed that Alexander's brain is slightly inflamed, probably due to his traumatic birth. The good news is that the inflammation is minor and on only one side. The doctors believe the inflammation will go away on its own and that the probability of any long-term effects is small. Please pray about this.
Alexander came off the ventilator on Thursday and is doing very well. Yesterday, Nicole held him for the first time and he started receiving breast milk through a stomach tube (yum!). As with all newborns, Alexander lost a little weight in his first 10 days, weighing in at 1 pound 6 ounces.
Zachary was doing very good last week. He was off the ventilator and we were able to hold him on Friday. Then, on Friday night, we discovered he needed emergency surgery to repair a hole in his intestines. Fortunately, it was a single tear and easy to fix. It was surgery nonetheless, and it required him to go back on the ventilator.
Zachary is recovery nicely and came off the ventilator yesterday. And, the ultrasound of his brain was perfect.
How's this for a testimony on the power of prayer! Please continue to pray for God's blessings on these two boys.
Tom, Nicole, Alexander, and Zachary