4 month update

Eli will be 4 months old tomorrow! He was doing well, so they sent him back down from the PICU to the step-down unit. Once again, he immediately got sick while down there. He'll get through this, but it's just annoying that every time he heads down into the step-down unit, he gets sick, and sent back into the PICU. Every single time. 4 for 4.

Eli now has a C-diff infection. He was running a low grade fever, but that's already broken. His is mild, so please don't think the worst if you follow that link. The short version is that C-diff is a bacteria we all carry, but we have other bacteria in our bodies that help keep it in check. In cases like Eli's, he's been filled with so many antibiotics that his bacterial balances are a little off, and the c-diff was able to multiply beyond normal levels. What's this mean for him? He had a couple runny diapers, and possibly some stomach pain, but he's still on a light dose of sedative, so he's acting completely normal. But it sent him back up into the PICU.

He's also back on a nasal cannula for a very light dose of oxygen. His oxygen dose of 1/4 liter per hour shows how little this really is. It's just a little boost to his regular breathing, but he needs it.

Lately, his compliments have started to shift from how cute he is (we still get that daily), to what a great demeanor he has. One doctor told us that, typically, cardiac babies don't like to be held a lot, and are a little standoff-ish. Eli, on the other hand, is always immediately aware and captivated by anyone who walks in the room. He'll wake up, turn his head toward you, and watch everything you do. And he loves to be held. He falls asleep on us all the time now. Smiles are also commonplace. In fact... today, I was able to make him smile so big and so much, we even heard tiny sounds of laughter out of him!

His second surgery isn't nearly as pressing as previously thought, either. This surgery, the Glenn, is typically scheduled by the patient's health, as they begin to outgrow the first surgery. Eli's cardiopulmonary functions are still doing well, so the surgeon isn't chomping at the bit as hard as he used to. For now, we're in sort of a cruise control, waiting for Eli to grow stronger and healthier.

Please pray that:

• Eli's lungs mature and function more efficiently.
• He is protected from all the sicknesses that float around hospitals.
• He can tolerate larger feeds, so he can put on even more weight.