Test Results

The test results are in…and they passed!  Anthony and Aryanna had their first eye exams today to check for ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity—a condition where the blood vessels in their eyes don’t grow like they should) and both of their eyes look good!  They’ll continue to have eye exams every Monday for a while to keep an “eye” on things (sorry, couldn’t resist).  The good news about ROP is that in a lot of babies who develop the condition, it resolves on its own and if it doesn’t, there are things they can do to treat it.  So, it’s a good thing they’re checking early and often.

Anthony had another brain scan today and everything looks stable.  Still a grade 4 on the left and 3 on the right, but the swelling hasn’t gotten worse.  When they measured his head circumference last night, it was the same as the night before after he’d had the spinal tap—another good sign.  Anthony will have another brain scan on thursday.  Please keep praying that the swelling would resolve and that he wouldn't need further interventions.

Both had their feedings increased today.  Aryanna is up to 22 ml every 3 hours and Anthony is up to 15 ml every 3 hours.  They’re also both getting calcium added to their milk twice a day now.  Both of their alk phos levels had gone up when they did their weekly labs this morning, so they’ll both be getting the extra calcium now. 

Every Sunday night they get weighed and measured and apparently they both hit a growth spurt this week!  Anthony was 39 cm (15 ¼”) long last week and he was 43 cm (17”) this week (typically they grow about 1 cm per week).  Aryanna was 38 cm (15”) long last week and was 40 cm (15 ¾”) this week.  As for their weights, Anthony went from 2 lb 15 oz to 3 lb 7 oz and Aryanna went from 2 lb 11 oz to 2 lb 12 oz.  Aryanna has kind of gone back and forth with her weight this week.  She was having her milk fortified to 24 calories, but she also had some feedings held because she wasn’t digesting her milk very well.  We’ve figured out she digests much better on her stomach so she’s been hanging out on her tummy since last night and that seems to be doing the trick.  Grow, babies, grow!