Out of the Box

Avigayil came out of her box!!! Yep, she is no longer in her incubator. She is now in an open bed warmer. This is a step down from the incubator (also called a giraffe bed) and still a step above the bassinet. This also means she is having an easier time regulating her body temperature. In addition to this great news, she is also wearing clothes for the first time!!

But wait, there’s more. They have removed her arterial line. Another sign of improvement and something we have been waiting for.

While her blood pressure is better (it had been too high since extubation) she is now having trouble with her pulse. It was way too high yesterday (she had tachycardia). The doctors did several tests to see if they could find a reason for this, as of now they feel that it is a result of some of her medications and are hoping that by trying to change or reduce certain meds they can get it to stop. If not, she will see the cardiologist again.

I slept at home this week for Shabbos for the first time in (literally) months. After lunch I walked to the hospital. When I got there her heart rate was very high. They asked me to sit and hold her for a while and this really helped to bring her heart rate down. To try to continue with this today, we did what is called kangaroo care. This is where the baby is place on the parent’s chest for skin to skin contact for long periods of time (a minimum of 40 minutes up to a few hours at a time).

Kangaroo care has been shown to improve preemie health in many ways including normalized temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate, increased weight gain, fewer hospital acquired infections and reduced incidence of respiratory tract disease. Additionally, studies suggest that preterm infants who experience kangaroo care have improved cognitive development, decreased stress levels, reduced pain responses, normalized growth, and positive effects on motor development. There are also many benefits for parents who do kangaroo care with their babies. The doctors want us to try to do this with her every day.

We are guardedly optimistic about all of her recent improvements. IY”H (With G-d’s help) they should continue without setbacks. For now, I am considering the sudden and marked change in her condition our own Pesach miracle. I attribute it to the many people all over the world who have been davening (praying) for her. I thank each and every one of you. We are not always privileged to see how our prayers impact the world. In this case however, we can clearly see how they are helping.  I humbly ask that you continue your teffilos (prayers). Thank you.