Kaitlyn's eyes

We spoke with the eye surgeons yesterday afternoon. She has Stage 3 Retinopathy of Prematurity in both eyes and Plus disease.

This is a definition of ROP - Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants weighing about 2¾ pounds (1250 grams) or less that are born before 31 weeks of gestation (A full-term pregnancy has a gestation of 38–42 weeks). The smaller a baby is at birth, the more likely that baby is to develop ROP. This disorder—which usually develops in both eyes—is one of the most common causes of visual loss in childhood and can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness. ROP was first diagnosed in 1942.Today, with advances in neonatal care, smaller and more premature infants are being saved. These infants are at a much higher risk for ROP. Not all babies who are premature develop ROP. There are approximately 3.9 million infants born in the U.S. each year; of those, about 28,000 weigh 2¾ pounds or less. About 14,000–16,000 of these infants are affected by some degree of ROP. The disease improves and leaves no permanent damage in milder cases of ROP. About 90 percent of all infants with ROP are in the milder category and do not need treatment. However, infants with more severe disease can develop impaired vision or even blindness.
About 1,100–1,500 infants annually develop ROP that is severe enough to require medical treatment. About 400–600 infants each year in the US become legally blind from ROP.
Stage I — Mildly abnormal blood vessel growth. Many children who develop stage I improve with no treatment and eventually develop normal vision. The disease resolves on its own without further progression.
Stage II — Moderately abnormal blood vessel growth. Many children who develop stage II improve with no treatment and eventually develop normal vision. The disease resolves on its own without further progression.
This is what Kaitlyn has Stage III — Severely abnormal blood vessel growth. The abnormal blood vessels grow toward the center of the eye instead of following their normal growth pattern along the surface of the retina. Some infants who develop stage III improve with no treatment and eventually develop normal vision. However, when infants have a certain degree of Stage III and "plus disease" develops, treatment is considered. "Plus disease" means that the blood vessels of the retina have become enlarged and twisted, indicating a worsening of the disease. Treatment at this point has a good chance of preventing retinal detachment.
Stage IV — Partially detached retina. Traction from the scar produced by bleeding, abnormal vessels pulls the retina away from the wall of the eye.
Stage V — Completely detached retina and the end stage of the disease. If the eye is left alone at this stage, the baby can have severe visual impairment and even blindness

The surgeons are going to perform a new procedure on her where they will inject an "antibody" into her eyes. A week after the procedure they will look at her eyes again to see if the procedure worked. I know that God, our divine healer, has her in his hands.

Eric Grayson
Kaitlyn Grace

Bottle time was last night

I got to give both Kaitlyn and Grayson their bottles last night.

It was a very special time.

Kaitlyn latched on well and drank all 12 ccs that she is supposed to get every 3 hours. She was still sucking when I took the bottle out of her mouth.

Grayson is supposed to get 29 ccs every 3 hours. He took about 10 ccs out of the bottle. He was just not very interested in the bottle. I think he prefers to just have the milk poured into his belly.

Another update posted

Grayson weighs 3 lbs 2 oz and Kaitlyn weighs 2 lbs 10.5 oz -

We are going to try bottle feeding this evening when I get to the hospital. I wanted to try brestfeeding first but we have to try the preemie bottles first. This breast pumping thing is for the birds.

Update on Kaitlyn and Grayson

Time for an update.

Kaitlyn had surgery for NEC (necrotizing entercolitis - an infection of the bowels) on June 1st, 2006 when she was only 6 days old. She has an ileostomy which I hope will be re-connected before she goes home. The surgeon removed 10 centimeters of her small intestine. She lost down to 1 lb 5 oz before she started doing better. I was so afraid that we were going to lose her. She was one sick little girl. She was sent to a children's hospital for the surgery and had to stay there for 5 weeks. She also had a PDA ligation when she was 3.5 weeks old. She is now back at the same hospital with her brother.

The traveling back and forth to Birmingham every day is really starting to wear me down. Especially now that we are going back and forth between two hospitals. It is a 3 1/2 block walk. We walk as to save money on the parking charges.

The twins were in the same nursery for 3 days when Kaitlyn was confirmed with MRSA and sent to the RNICU for the remainder of her hospital stay. MRSA is a staph resistant infection. Kaitlyn is not infected but she is a carrier. We have to gown and glove to go and see her and touch her which really sucks. Kaitlyn also has bilateral hydronephrosus (sp?), which is a problem with her kidneys. After many days on the ventilator, CPAP and nasal canalous she is now breathing room air on her own. As of this morning she is 2 lbs 8.5 oz, OG (Oral gastro tube - a feeding tube that goes down the throat) 23 cc's of breast milk (30 ccs = 1 oz) every 3 hours and doing great!

Grayson was diagnosed with a grade II IVH, VDS and PDA. His PDA was treated with medication. The doctors are not concerned about the IVH as it was small as is the VDS. Grayson also has hydronephrosus. He has more apnea problems than Kaitlyn. The NICU nurses attribute this to "wimpy white boy syndrome". He is breathing own his own at 22% oxygen. As of this morning he is 3 lbs, OG 26 ccs of breast milk every 3 hours and doing great.

7 weeks old today

My "little buddy" Grayson has finally reached 3 lbs "little miss priss" Kaitlyn has finally reached 2.5 lbs

Grayson - 2 lbs 11 oz

Kaitlyn - 2 lbs 6 oz

Kaitlyn and Grayson are back together again

Kaitlyn is back at UAB in the nursery with Grayson. I just spoke with the nurse and my babies are back together!!!!!!

They are both doing well