Luke update, for our avid followers :)

Luke is looking a little better. He was intubated until yesterday afternoon- I did get to hold him finally on Saturday though for the first time which was so great. I was a little worried when they extubated him at first that it wouldn't last- he was working pretty hard and not looking too comfortable. He lasted all night though. When I went in today he looked really good- less oxygen and not breathing as hard on his CPAP. Alas, because in my life all news can not be good news- we found out today that Luke has a PDA- of course. For the sake of keeping a short explanation, that means there is an extra vessel in his heart that should have closed after birth, but didn't- and it could be why he needs the breathing support that he does. They are giving him a medicine to make it close, so let's cross our fingers now that it works. If it does he should be able to start eating Thursday. Luke also bought himself some phototherapy to bring his bili down... and contact isolation for 3 days since he was a transfer from outside and they decided to screen him for MRSA (normal protocol...) but of course that was what threw me off the deep end today, to be told I can't even touch my own child without gloves on. What a comforting touch for me to offer. So I'm sure my nurses all think I'm a class A nut job since all I do is sit at his bed and cry half the time, and it's not as if he's dying or something... but at least I've managed to not have the ENTIRE place know I am a NICU nurse (it's obnoxious for me to have them know, silly or not). So here's to hoping Luke IS the rock star baby (as our neonatologist put it today, as for what he would HAVE to be to not be there too long) and he COULD be home the weekend before Christmas. Please keep us in your prayers. I might seriously have a breakdown if he continues to act like a wimpy little white boy and we have to spend half of Christmas in a hospital in Philadelphia.