A good day

Owen started out his day by removing his IV (for the second time in two days). So, while he was "disconnected", they decided to just send him on down for his esophogram. The esophogram checked out fine and didn't find anything wrong. In addition, another x-ray showed the "something" in his upper right lung to be clearing up. Based on these two findings, they decided to stop antiobiotic treatments, keep the IV out, and to try to feed him. He did well with his first feeding and we showed up in time for his second feeding. I don't know if he was really hungry, or just has too many Coley genes (some of you will get that), but he was gulping down the bottle so they had to pace him by stopping and letting him catch his breath so he wouldn't choke it down. They had also removed his oxygen hood, so he was doing everything on his own today. We're still taking things one day at a time, but he appears to be working things out on his own so far. He looked great and it was so nice to feed him and hold him! God is good! Thank you for your continued prayers and we'll post another update tomorrow.

An update on Owen

Well, we haven't had time to really inform everyone of the events that have taken place since Owen's birth. When the pediatrician made rounds the morning after his birth, he found fluid in his lungs and noted that Owen was having to breath too hard to get enough oxygen. Since our hospital is very limited in neonatal provisions, he needed to be transferred to the neonatal ICU at East Tennessee Children's Hospital to be treated as necessary. Upon arrival at the hospital, he appeared to be breathing fine on his own and things looked great. However, after he was fed, he had fluid in his lungs again which had to be removed and he needed an oxygen hood to stabilize him. This continued until they decided to put him on an IV and stopped feeding him bottles. He's doing fine now on the IV with an oxygen hood and his breathing is fine. The doctor thinks he may have a fistula (a small opening) between his esophagus and trachea or somewhere in this area. They will perform a radiological trace on Monday to look for this. He also has "something" in one of his lungs that appears to be either an under developed portion of his lung or an infection, so he is on antibiotics just in case. Please keep him in your prayers as the doctors try to determine what is wrong and then what needs to be done to make him better.

It has been difficult on everyone having a newborn in the NICU. I am now home and will be able to spend more time with him. It was strange being in the hospital without my baby, though they were great to give me a pass each day I was in the hospital so I could visit Owen. Kate finally got to see him for the first time today through the window at the NICU, but she doesn't understand what's going on. James will be glad to have one less place to drive to as he was making rounds between Farragut, West Knoxville, and downtown to check on each of us.

I will try to keep this blog updated with the latest news as I have time. In the meantime, here are a few more photos.

Please Welcome Owen Benjamin Hemrick

Another guest blog by James while Angela recovers.
We are happy to announce the birth of Owen Benjamin Hemrick on 11/30/07 at 1:09am. He was 8 lbs. 4 oz. and 21" long. Below are a few pictures. More to come later.