Aulay, Day 10

Sweet picture of Aulay and his daddy.

I made my trip to the hospital this morning to see the little man. As usual, he was looking mighty handsome! The nurse was getting ready to do an "assessment" that involves taking his temperature, listening to his heart, treating his belly button, check the connections to tubes, etc. I got to watch everything. This morning Aulay was very calm and slept through everything. I don't think I saw him open his eyes at all. 

In the next day or so there will be a more serious examination to look at the development of Aulay's brain. The best outcome would be that he is going to be fine. On the other end of the spectrum there could be signs that he will have cerebral palsy. Of course we are all hoping and praying for the best! Another condition doctors will be looking at is Aulay's rapid heart rate. The resting heart rate for a newborn should be 120-160. Aulay's seems to stay around 170-190. We have been told that a rapid heart rate can be a sign of infection or dehydration, but he has been cleared for those. Newborns can also have a temporary condition (tachycardia) caused from altered hormone and glucose levels at birth. This is a treatable condition.

Today I'm creating time for lunch with friends Kelli and Paula. I've been weepy and on the verge of tears for several days. Being with supportive friends helped me take my mind off of the McZams for awhile! I know I'll also feel better when Mr. B and Rose return to Houston. They left the casita today and are on their way home now.