3 Weeks Old

Raise your hand if you're ready to go home?

I pulled my feeding tube out and I feel so much better!

The old tube is back but how about this hat? My nurses like to dress me up in cute hats!

Ella is 3 weeks old today! It's hard to believe that it's been three weeks already since she was born. She is making progress everyday and we are so thankful that she is continuing to do well. Not a whole lot has changed since the last update. Ella still is feeding through her tube and getting a bottle at every other feeding. On friday they took her tube out and gave her all bottle feedings which was exciting but she spit up quite a bit after each feeding so they decided to put her tube back in and continue alternating feedings for a while longer. She is getting tired of the old feeding tube because she has pulled it out several times. Poor Ella! Hopefully later this week they will take the tube out and try all bottles again, we'll just have to see how she does in the next few days. The doctors seemed pleased with her progress and are saying it's just going to take time for her body to handle everything considering the surgery she had.

As far as her incision goes it is making progress as well. Each time they check it they are seeing some changes. On Thursday it looked like some new skin tissue was starting to grow so that is great news. They will check it again tomorrow so hopefully we will continue to see that it is growing together. The surgeon said he would like for her to have the wound vac for another two weeks to let the incision continue to grow together on it's own so I think that is the plan for now. Things change so quickly in the NICU so we never know what they are going to tell us when we go see Ella everyday!

Overall she is right on target for where she should be. Thank you all for your continued prayers for Ella's healing. Please keep praying that she is able to tolerate her feedings as they increase the amount and go to all bottles and that her incision heals quickly. We are so ready for her to come home. We know she is in the best care right now but it is hard not having her with us. Thank you for the encouragement you continue to give our family, we are so humbled by your love and support.
Love, Rick, Amy, Eva and Ella