Thanks everyone for all of your prayers! We are all on the mend! Eli was feeling a lot better yesterday and has improved more today. I think I have had to blow Caleb's nose only twice today, and I have gone through significantly less Kleenex myself!
Please pray that this new healthy Howell family continues!
Oh yeah, and since all of your prayers seem so effective, maybe you could say one for Eli's eyes to continue to turn blue!!! I don't think it's possible...and would take a miracle. But people keep saying his eyes are looking more blue every time they see him. So we will see what happens!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sick Family please pray
Well, I think in my last post I mentioned how we were all suffering from a slight cold. Well, sadly our illnesses have exploded over the past few weeks, and we have had quite a drama going on. On top of the colds that started earlier this month, both Ryan and Caleb had the stomach flu last week. Ryan stayed home on Thursday with it, and then Caleb got it Friday. Luckily they were both healed for the Easter egg hunt on Saturday. Well, Eli, Caleb and myself have had nasal congestion since the beginning of the month. Caleb seems to be getting better and doesn't seem too affected by it. I thought Eli and I were on the mend too, but on Sunday I took a turn for the worse and have had a terrible cough and a temperature for the past few days. My fever finally broke last night and I think, finally, I am on the mend! I still don't feel great and have a pretty big cough and lots of congestion that is finally draining out (I went through an entire box of Kleenex yesterday!!!). Eli, however, still has a terrible cough. I took him to the pediatrician last night because I was getting very concerned, and they did a few tests, they also wanted him to get a chest X-ray to rule out pneumonia. So we went to Children's today and got the X-ray. His pediatrician called back this afternoon and it turns out he doesn't have pneumonia or the flu, but he does have Croup! No fun! I guess the best remedy is to expose him to cold air when he's coughing a lot so we just take him outside or open the freezer door when he's coughing. So far that has worked well. But poor little baby, he is so miserable! If anyone else knows of another good thing to help him feel better let me know!
Please please please pray that we will all get better quickly and that no more illnesses find our family in the near future. I would like my next blog post to be a positive one!
Please please please pray that we will all get better quickly and that no more illnesses find our family in the near future. I would like my next blog post to be a positive one!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Update...sorry it wasn't very timely!
I am so sorry I didn't update the blog last week when I said I would. I have had two sick boys all week and I was sick myself. So we have been having fun times with our Kleenex boxes here!
Well, last weeks anti-coagulation appointment was interesting. It started out with a blood draw, as they always do to check his Heprin level and complete some other labs the doctor had ordered from last time. Then we had an ultrasound of his neck to check on the clot and then we had the appointment.
Well, the ultrasound was interesting. It showed that instead of his body breaking up the clot, which was hoped, it is actually just getting rid of that vein all together. When veins don't get used, cells form in them closing them off completely and they they just disappear. Now don't get too concerned because his body has created other veins that by-pass the original vein completely so it appears that the blood is flowing fine to his heart, just not down the path it's supposed to go.
At this point the doctor said that she wanted to keep him on the Lovenox for another 6 weeks (5 now), and actually increased the dose a bit since he had grown so much and the lab showed he was getting the lowest dose that is within normal limits, so she felt an increase would be good. She had checked with the head of hematology and they both agreed to keep trying to see if the vein would open up. She didn't seem to hopeful that it would though.
She wanted to check back with him in 6 weeks and do that all again. Then we would be done with the Lovenox at that time. Ryan and my mom both thought it was silly to continue with the Lovenox if she didn't think it was going to help open the vein, but I guess in my mind whats another few weeks in the grand scheme of things, if there is still a possibility. But when I talk to them about his next appointment this week I will ask about that.
Well, last weeks anti-coagulation appointment was interesting. It started out with a blood draw, as they always do to check his Heprin level and complete some other labs the doctor had ordered from last time. Then we had an ultrasound of his neck to check on the clot and then we had the appointment.
Well, the ultrasound was interesting. It showed that instead of his body breaking up the clot, which was hoped, it is actually just getting rid of that vein all together. When veins don't get used, cells form in them closing them off completely and they they just disappear. Now don't get too concerned because his body has created other veins that by-pass the original vein completely so it appears that the blood is flowing fine to his heart, just not down the path it's supposed to go.
At this point the doctor said that she wanted to keep him on the Lovenox for another 6 weeks (5 now), and actually increased the dose a bit since he had grown so much and the lab showed he was getting the lowest dose that is within normal limits, so she felt an increase would be good. She had checked with the head of hematology and they both agreed to keep trying to see if the vein would open up. She didn't seem to hopeful that it would though.
She wanted to check back with him in 6 weeks and do that all again. Then we would be done with the Lovenox at that time. Ryan and my mom both thought it was silly to continue with the Lovenox if she didn't think it was going to help open the vein, but I guess in my mind whats another few weeks in the grand scheme of things, if there is still a possibility. But when I talk to them about his next appointment this week I will ask about that.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Doctors Update
Eli had his 2 month check up today, fun times! He weighed in at 7 lbs 15 oz!!! Oh my goodness that is almost a pound more than when I weighed him last week. The boy is growing well. I can't believe he is essentially an 8 lb baby! 1 more pound and he'll be double his birth weight. He was also 19.5 inches long too, I felt like he was getting taller.
We also discussed his grumpiness and his doctor thought he most likely had reflux. Actually, he was pretty certain, everything concern I had about him today pointed right to reflux. So we got some medicine today to help with that, so hopefully I have a happier baby on my hands soon. He actually said that 90% of preemies get reflux, so Caleb was in the rare 10% and didn't have it!
The other thing that was determined today was that Eli does now have a herniated bellybutton like Caleb. I thought we were free from that since Caleb's appeared right away, and it's taken Eli awhile for his to appear (just this last week). Since they don't really do anything except look funny, at least they will both have matching outie bellybuttons now! Dr. Thakkar also said that it was VERY common for preemies to have those as well. He said that with Caleb too.
Lastly, we have our next anti-coagulation appointment at Children's tomorrow. This one is the big one. They will do his normal blood draw to check his heprin levels, then there will be an ultrasound to check to see how the clot is doing. Then he sees the actual doctor. If the ultrasound shows that the clot is gone, we can discontinue the Lovenox!!!!!! So please please please be praying that the clot is gone! It's a long shot, and usually it takes about 3 months for those clots to break up in babies. But I am so tired of giving him injections twice a day, and would love to be done with it so his little legs can heal up! I will update you all later in the week as to how that appointment goes tomorrow.
We also discussed his grumpiness and his doctor thought he most likely had reflux. Actually, he was pretty certain, everything concern I had about him today pointed right to reflux. So we got some medicine today to help with that, so hopefully I have a happier baby on my hands soon. He actually said that 90% of preemies get reflux, so Caleb was in the rare 10% and didn't have it!
The other thing that was determined today was that Eli does now have a herniated bellybutton like Caleb. I thought we were free from that since Caleb's appeared right away, and it's taken Eli awhile for his to appear (just this last week). Since they don't really do anything except look funny, at least they will both have matching outie bellybuttons now! Dr. Thakkar also said that it was VERY common for preemies to have those as well. He said that with Caleb too.
Lastly, we have our next anti-coagulation appointment at Children's tomorrow. This one is the big one. They will do his normal blood draw to check his heprin levels, then there will be an ultrasound to check to see how the clot is doing. Then he sees the actual doctor. If the ultrasound shows that the clot is gone, we can discontinue the Lovenox!!!!!! So please please please be praying that the clot is gone! It's a long shot, and usually it takes about 3 months for those clots to break up in babies. But I am so tired of giving him injections twice a day, and would love to be done with it so his little legs can heal up! I will update you all later in the week as to how that appointment goes tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Hanging out
I thought I would update the blog again, since we are just hanging out. Life has been going well. Thanks for those who have been sending prayers our way for Eli's crying and sleeping. The past day or so he seems to have had some improvement! He still does cry a lot but I have found that I can put him down and he will be content to just chill for a few minutes without being held and just look around. Normally putting him down while he's awake would equal immediate screaming. So hopefully we are on an up swing. I have also been putting him in the Moby (thank you Dana) a lot which he seems to like now and I am able to get some stuff done, but there are other things, like taking a shower, that that doesn't work for. So I am glad for a little more calm in our house.
We also are borrowing a baby scale from a friend so I can weigh him everyday now!! I won't though, so don't worry. But I did weigh him today because a lot of people have been asking and he weighs 7 lbs 2 oz.
We also are borrowing a baby scale from a friend so I can weigh him everyday now!! I won't though, so don't worry. But I did weigh him today because a lot of people have been asking and he weighs 7 lbs 2 oz.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Living on the Edge!
I am so sorry I haven't updated the blog recently. But there hasn't been a ton to report. We haven't had any doctors appointments for the past few weeks, and we don't have any next week either. So things have been smooth sailing, and I don't have any clue how much he weighs right now. We are guessing around 6.5-7 lbs.
The one thing with him is that he cries A LOT!!!! I get to the verge of worrying about him, like do I need to take you to the doctors or urgent care, and then he seems to get better a bit. Then he does well for like a day and then gets really grumpy again, to the point of making me scared again. For example, today when Ryan got home from work was the first time I was able to put him down without him screaming or crying with the exception of the 45 minutes he dozed in his swing. So that would be definitely a prayer request. And for more sleep at night! It's so hard for me to determine if his behavior is just normal baby stuff or if it's something I need to be concerned about. Caleb was NOTHING like this at all. If he cried, which was rarely, you knew something was wrong.
So the other exciting news in our household is that I finally got a new car!!! Ryan had been driving my car for the past month, and he felt that it was not going to last much longer. When I started driving it again I succumbed and agreed with him. It hadn't been starting right away anymore and would take a few tries for the engine to turn over. We thought that probably wasn't a good sign. And we didn't really want to spend the money to fix it.
So finally last weekend, after much debate about if it was the right timing we went out and actually test drove some vans! We had determined that was what we wanted after the Seattle Auto show this year as they seemed to have the most space, even over SUVs with a 3rd row seat. I felt that was a huge step for me, since I have been so resistant to getting a new car (for those that don't know, I have had my car almost 12 years!! And it's the only car I have ever owned). Well, we fell in love with a used Toyota Sienna and went back on Sunday and purchased it. The only issue is that the automatic doors were broken so the dealership has had it all week diagnosing the problem and ordering parts. It's not actually fixed yet, but will be next week.
Finally today we were able to go pick up our new car, and not a moment too soon. The last time I drove anywhere, my car barely started and it took me about 3 miles before my car didn't almost die everytime I shifted. This afternoon when we loaded the family into my tiny car and tried to back out of the dirve way it didn't start at all!!!! We were so nervous we were going to have to get it towed to the dealership! Ryan was finally able to get it to start and backed it up our driveway. Then we shuttered and stalled the entire way to the car dealership. We coasted into a parking spot and there we left my poor Jetta! And not a moment too soon either. And we drove out of there with a working, spacious 2005 Toyota Sienna of a lovely blue color! That, I must add, our family now fits comfortably in! How exciting. Caleb calls it his "airplane car", I think because it's so big!
The one thing with him is that he cries A LOT!!!! I get to the verge of worrying about him, like do I need to take you to the doctors or urgent care, and then he seems to get better a bit. Then he does well for like a day and then gets really grumpy again, to the point of making me scared again. For example, today when Ryan got home from work was the first time I was able to put him down without him screaming or crying with the exception of the 45 minutes he dozed in his swing. So that would be definitely a prayer request. And for more sleep at night! It's so hard for me to determine if his behavior is just normal baby stuff or if it's something I need to be concerned about. Caleb was NOTHING like this at all. If he cried, which was rarely, you knew something was wrong.
So the other exciting news in our household is that I finally got a new car!!! Ryan had been driving my car for the past month, and he felt that it was not going to last much longer. When I started driving it again I succumbed and agreed with him. It hadn't been starting right away anymore and would take a few tries for the engine to turn over. We thought that probably wasn't a good sign. And we didn't really want to spend the money to fix it.
So finally last weekend, after much debate about if it was the right timing we went out and actually test drove some vans! We had determined that was what we wanted after the Seattle Auto show this year as they seemed to have the most space, even over SUVs with a 3rd row seat. I felt that was a huge step for me, since I have been so resistant to getting a new car (for those that don't know, I have had my car almost 12 years!! And it's the only car I have ever owned). Well, we fell in love with a used Toyota Sienna and went back on Sunday and purchased it. The only issue is that the automatic doors were broken so the dealership has had it all week diagnosing the problem and ordering parts. It's not actually fixed yet, but will be next week.
Finally today we were able to go pick up our new car, and not a moment too soon. The last time I drove anywhere, my car barely started and it took me about 3 miles before my car didn't almost die everytime I shifted. This afternoon when we loaded the family into my tiny car and tried to back out of the dirve way it didn't start at all!!!! We were so nervous we were going to have to get it towed to the dealership! Ryan was finally able to get it to start and backed it up our driveway. Then we shuttered and stalled the entire way to the car dealership. We coasted into a parking spot and there we left my poor Jetta! And not a moment too soon either. And we drove out of there with a working, spacious 2005 Toyota Sienna of a lovely blue color! That, I must add, our family now fits comfortably in! How exciting. Caleb calls it his "airplane car", I think because it's so big!
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