Timothy James

I was admitted to the hospital on Dec. 8th because my amniotic sac was leaking and I had begun to dilate. I was ordered to lie flat on my back until the baby came ( I was due April 2nd!). Well, on Dec. 17th my water broke at 7:15pm and Timothy James decided to come early. He was breech and already on his way out, so the doctor did an emergency C-section and at 10:20 pm he was delivered. He went straight to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and has been there ever since. Timothy was only 25 weeks along in his development (a "normal" pregnancy lasts 40 weeks) so he still has a lot of growing to do.

Weight: 3 lbs. 9 oz.


This is the day we've been waiting for . . .

. . .Timothy is no longer on the ventilator! He is breathing on his own and doing super!Praise the Lord! He has a nasal cannula (2 very short prongs connected to tubes) in his nose which provide a very small amount of extra oxygen but the job of breathing is completely up to him.


Up until now, he has been in an open bed known an as a warming bed. Tonight he will probably be moved in to an incubator also known as an Isolette. This is a clear plastic box which is covered and provides a quieter, temperature-controlled environment for him.

Feedings are up to 9cc's per hour (about 7 oz. a day)

Praise - he's off the ventilator!
- beginning to gain weight, little by little
- we continue to have opportunities to hold him

Prayer - continued weight gain
- his lungs would be strengthened, not tired
- times of deep sleep (this is when his body heals and develops the best)

Psalm 3:3 "You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory and the One who lifts up my head."

Age since Birth: 12 weeks
Gestational Age: 36 weeks
Weight: 3 lbs. 9 oz.

Yesterday Timothy was still on CPAP and doing great!

Yesterday he lost 4 ounces! He needs to begin gaining weight now.

There are some new pictures! Check out the Photos link at the right side of the page!

The new pictures are up!!! Check out the link on the right!!!!

Jon and I want to begin sharing some of the Bible verses that have been an encouragement to us throughout this experience. Look for a new one each day!

Psalm 18:1-2 "I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Age since Birth: 11 weeks
Gestational Age: 35 weeks
Weight: 3 lbs. 12.9 oz.

Timothy was extubated (ET tube removed) today and put back on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure - he receives a continual flow of oxygen but he does all the breathing!). Last time he only lasted 2 hours. This time he had been on it for 5 hours and was still holding when daddy and I left tonight. Praise the Lord!

I also got to hold him again. Quite a surprise for me since I thought he would need to be more stable on CPAP first. But he tolerated it very well.

Feedings increased to 7 cc's per hour.

He received a platelet transfusion today.

No longer on Fentanyl for sedation.

Praise - off the ventilator and he's doing well on CPAP
- good nursing and doctoring
- good hematocrit (red blood cell) levels

Prayer - improved platelet count
- continued progress toward breathing on his own
- decreased jaundice levels

Age since Birth: 11 weeks
Gestational Age: 35 weeks
Weight: 3 lbs. 14.1 oz.

Timothy's chest tube was removed today, yea! One less discomfort.

The doctors are continuing to wean him off the sedative.

Feedings are up to 6 cc's per hour.

He received another blood transfusion today.

He is resting and recovering well.

Praise - good recovery
- chest tube removal
- jaundice level is beginning to decrease

Prayer - continued jaundice level decrease
- healing of the 2 incisions from lung and heart surgeries
- protection from further infection
- proper weight gain
- blood levels to increase - hematocrit (red cells) and platelets

Age since Birth: 11 weeks
Gestational Age: 35 weeks
Weight: 3 lbs. 14.9 oz.

Timothy is recovering well. He is processing all the excess fluid from surgery without any medication. His urine output is setting records in the NICU :)

They take periodic blood cultures to test his blood for the infection they've been treating. So far the cultures are coming back negative for infection so the infectious disease doctor discontinued one of the antibiotics. Now he is only on one antibiotic and one antifungal medication.

They are beginning to wean him off the Fentanyl (sedative) so he was quite active today.

Breastmilk feedings were increased to 4 cc's per hour (almost 4 oz. a day)

Praise - the decrease in excess fluid
- good lung x-rays
- negative blood cultures for infection
- increased breastmilk feedings
- good blood gas results
- weaning from sedated state
- fewer medications

Prayer - platelet count in blood is still low, he received a platelet transfusion today which should help
- his body will adjust to less sedation
- he'll begin to require less supplemental oxygen again

Age since Birth: 11 weeks
Gestational Age: 35 weeks
Weight: 4 lbs. 1oz. (some of this is excess fluid from surgery)

Timothy continues to rest and recover. His heart rate was a little low tonight so the nurse is keeping an eye on it. He is also receiving a blood transfusion because his red blood cell count was dropping. He's actually requiring more oxygen than before surgery but hopefully this will change as he recovers.

Praise - His swelling is not as bad as it has been with past surgeries

Prayer - that the blood transfusion will give his system a little boost
- strong heart beat
- continued healing
- wisdom/insight for the doctors/nurses as to the best treatment