Cora's Quest

Easter portraits compliments of NICU staff   Well I always thought I'd be an avid blogger "when I just had a good reason & time" but I'm proving to be more inconsistent than I'd like...so, thanks for everyone's patience. Ultimately, when we gain perspective in where we are and Cora is, an update makes sense.                 She has continued to make slow but steady progress even as we've watched most of her neighbors get discharged and despite the aforementioned challenges we face. Conversely, we've seen other babies in the NICU face surgical procedures, transfusions, infections etc...and we know that even with the struggles we have and still face, we're very blessed.  Her weight gain has pretty quickly progressed now, hitting 5# by Easter & now up to 5.5#! This all helps her gain strength and muscle mass that will hopefully improve her deficits. Huge answer to prayer- we have seen evidence of a gag reflex! The doctor's seem...

           Cora is officially a month old. These last 2 weeks have been the hardest stretch yet though and we find ourselves at a shift in our expectations & prayers. Her medical team has been a bit more overt about expressing their concerns for a lack of typical progress. While there are several things Cora is exhibiting that are standard for a premature newborns of her age, there are a few that are behind and concerning for possible future disabilities. As I've mentioned before, her breathing & eating abilities are her main areas needing help like most preterm babies. However, the area where she struggles- with her gag/swallowing reflex- is abnormal for her age & time since birth. Basically, the lack of it keeps her needing higher amounts of oxygen & will keep her from eating on her own by mouth as long as it remains an issue. Her team has been honest in saying they have seen this issue resolve in some babies, but for many it means there w...