In the News...

Randy and Steven Tyler

Jenna and Ty (I have know idea why it turned this way and don't know how to fix it!)
Baby pictures from Monday 9-22-08 5weeks old

Ricky Shane

Heath Allen

Steven Tyler

Leah Grace

The babies are now the talk of the town! Yesterday, as many of you may have seen, the babies were on Channel 8 for a quick blip and on Channel 11 & 21. the Fort Worth Star Telegram also came out and have their story in today's paper in section B and on their web page. I didn't get to see the channel 8 since it was on at 5, I was stuck in traffic, of course, in Fort Worth. My sister said that they screwed up the info. I don't know who filled them in because all they sent was the cameraman, oh well. Channel 11 and 5's both turned out good. The babies once again did great through the interviews. Ricky and Steven slept through their closeups. I guess they were camera shy. Heath was wide eyed this time and so was Leah. Heath was more the ham this time. And now all of you know the story behind Steven Tyler's name. Yes, Kristi and I have been Areosmith fans forever and we love the name! It fits him perfectly!

You can pull the stories up on the webpages:

http://www.nbc5i.com click on health category then its under local health-top stories

or you might can go straight to the video http://nbc5i.com/player/?id=667348
I couldn't find it on channel 8 web page, if anyone does, let me know.

http://cbs11tv.com/ktxa under health also and when I clicked on the channel 21 link, it came up on the iTexas viedo on the left of the page.
http://www.star-telegram.com it's on the main page today

Now for the run down since last Friday the 19th.

We went to the see the babies after the girls got out of school early on Friday. Randy and Ashley started with the boys in the NICU while Jenna and I went to progressive. I could tell as soon as I layed eyes on Leah she wasn't herself and didn't feel good. Her little abdomen was distended and guarding (when you would stretch her legs out she would immediately pull them back up to her abdomen because it was painful). On of the other nurses came and checked her too. I told them we needed an xray because something just wasn't right, could be just gas and constipation or could be more (NEC). So one nurse went and got the doctor on call from the NICU, and after assessing they got xrays and did a round of blood work to make sure there wasn't an infection brewing also. On top of that she a 2 little areas on her cheeks where the tape had broken down her skin. So they had put some antibiotic ointment on it and were trying to keep from the nasal cannula rubbing it too. I was once again scared to death, because with the abdominal distention it was making it harder for her to breathe making them have to increase her oxygen % and bump her back up to 2liters/nc. So they had to stick her multiple times to get lab work. Then they moved her back to NICU because there was a questionable spot on the right side of her abdomen and they had to start an IV to give her fluids and also blood since she was anemic. So they stopped her feeds until they repeated the xray at 8pm. It was better, the area was probably gas and stool making a funny picture on xray. But with babies you can't be too cautious and repeated the xrays again in the morning. So they restarted her feeds after she got her blood. She was resting better before we left that night and did fine through the night. Everyone else was doing good, thank goodness. Having one scare the daylights out of me is enough. You can't imagine the sinking feeling that I get when something concerning arises. We coast along doing great and then like a train hitting you get jolted back to reality that there not out of the woods yet.

Saturday morning, my mom came and stayed with the girls so we could leave early to go check on the babies. They had a work day Saturday at the house to get the siding on the outside. Thanks to all who came and worked. Then at 5pm was the "Quadfest Benefit" down at the park. Leah's am xray looked better, still alot of gas and distention. They decided to give her a suppository to help get things moving a little better. Heath's belly still pretty round but has good bowel sounds and soft. Ricky and Ty were hanging out being good.

On Sunday, the doctor decided to try Ricky on the nasal cannula since he had a red spot on the inside of the left nostril from the bubble cpap prongs. He liked getting all that off his face! He was having to work a little more so they turned him up to 3liters/nc oxygen % between 38-40%. They said since he's bigger he may require a little more O's at first. I was so happy to be able to see his round little face and head full of hair again. It's unbelievable how much he looks like he's changed! Randy and I were saying to each other, "look at his fat little cheeks...he's got a double chin, he looks so big, but he's only 3lbs!" To us 3lbs is big. Heath was doing great on bubble cpap with his O2% down to 23. Steven Tyler also just hanging out. He was wide awake Sunday afternoon. Jenna and Randy both held Steven for the first time. Ty is the first one Randy has held. I told him, " see how good it makes you feel!" He wanted to wait till they were a little bigger before he held any of them. Jenna wanted to put clothes on Steven Tyler. She had picked out sleepers for each of them last week. So we got out his preemie brown and blue striped sleeper and it still just swallows him! I didn't think it would be that huge, but it was. So I guess we'll wait till he's a little bigger.

Monday I came into to a wonderful surprise; Heath was off the bubble cpap!! He-man, as I call him has graduated to the nasal cannula likes his brothers and sister. I thought he would be on cpap longer, but praise God that he's not! He was doing great at 2liters and at 35%O2. He was so happy and calm having all that stuff off! And yes tears of joy again getting to see that beautiful round face and eyes. He's got a receding hair line like his Daddy! Ricky was also doing better with his O2 % down to 35. Ricky and Heath had their feeds increased to 30cc, they made it to an ounce! Leah is at 25ml and Steven at 26ml. Leah's abdominal xray still shows some gas, much much better. She had a good blow out the night before after her suppository.

Yesterday was crazy because I had my postop check with Dr. Tabor at 1pm and then the news crew coming after that at 3:30. Dr. Tabor has grown a mustache, never thought I would see one on him! I'm kicking myself now that I didn't get a picture. I'll have to sneak back over and get one soon to put on the blog. I took them pictures of the babies. They fell in love with them too and how wonderful they look! Thanks Doc for taking such good care of me, I miss seeing ya! He is truly an amazing doctor and now a friend who I plan to harass ever so often so he doesn't forget me!

Here's our current weight and lengths:

Ricky Shane:3lbs. 14oz length:42cm (16 1/2 inches)

Heath Allen: 3lbs. 11oz length:43cm (17 inches)

Steven Tyler: 3lbs 8.79oz length: 38cm (15inches)

Leah Grace: 3lbs 1oz. length:40.5cm (16 inches)

Quadfest on Saturday turned out great!! Thank you to all the gals from Hico and my coworkers who made everything possible and worked so hard to get everything together!! There's an extra jewel in your crown for all your love and support! Thanks to all the businesses and people who donated items for the silent auction. With the auction and meal nearly $6,000 was raised to help us with expenses. Hico is such a wonderful, supportive town. I'm proud to live here and be associated with this community.