Update: NICU Day Three

Sorry it's been a couple of days since we've updated -- it's been quite crazy around here lately, as you can imagine. So here's the latest:

Carrie was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, but unfortunately we had to leave and come home without our babies. That's about the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Both are still in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for the time being. It's so incredibly hard to take, but we feel blessed that they're really doing pretty well.

Maguire, the poor little guy, has had it the hardest by far. He came out not breathing very well, and suffered a small tear in his lung when they forced air into it right after he was born. And now, they think he's developed pneumonia. We don't know why, it doesn't seem to be because of the lung tear. He still hasn't been fed any real food yet, just some fortified water I guess. He's still breathing a little hard, but we're told that these are just minor and temporary issues that he needs to get through. He's still on some oxygen, but they've taken off the oxygen "hood" that he was under. But they put an IV in his head. Looks brutal, but they say it's the best place because his arms weren't working well for putting in IVs. We haven't been able to hold him either, which is just terrible, but the doctors say he needs to stay in the incubator thing. But his eyes are a little swollen as you'll see from the pictures, and one side of his head is getting a little flat since he's been laying on one side most of the time. Poor kid hasn't had a good start in this world. But hopefully it'll start getting better real soon. They say it could be another week, maybe two before he'd be ready to take home. Maybe longer, but we're definitely praying against that!

Alex on the other hand has been doing great. He's out of the incubator thing, and is just in a regular crib. They're keeping him in the NICU for the time being so they can monitor his eating, and make sure he's taking in enough calories and gaining weight. They put a feeding tube into his nose so they can make sure the amount of formula he needs is actually going in. It sounds like he may actually get to come home sometime soon, probably before his little brother. (Alex is 4 minutes older!) But we don't have an exact date.

Carrie and I are holding up pretty well. It's been incredibly difficult throughout, but yesterday was the worst day we've had. Coming home without your babies is the hardest thing in the world. But we're so very blessed. We've met several parents in the NICU already that have been there for long periods of time, with really no solid end in sight. We met a mother the other day that said, "Today's our 104th day in here..." They had twins at about 31 weeks, and they've been in there for over 3 months. We are SO blessed that there is good chance it'll only be a couple of weeks at most.

Ellie's doing alright, too. She doesn't understand much at this point about what's going on. The NICU doesn't allow anyone under 15 yrs-old in. But they have a camera system where they patch in the video into the lobby. So she got to see them on the screen. She said, "I can't get them out of that TV Daddy, let's get them out! I want to go in there, can I go in there?" I bawled of course. Then when Alex would move his hand she'd say, "Ooo, I felt his hand move!" So she sort of understands that they've been born, but doesn't know why she can't see them. Ellie's definitely missed mom and dad lately though. Carrie's parents have taken wonderful care of her over the past few days, and we're so thankful. But yesterday Ellie looks at Carrie and I and says, "Mommy, Daddy, are you coming to our house tonight?" So it was nice to be home to say goodnight to her, and be here in the morning when she wakes up.

That's about the latest, make sure to check back and see the progress over the next few days. I promise to keep it updated!!

Love you all, and thank you so much for thoughts and prayers! We need 'em!

(Maguire, suckin' on the paci)

(Alex and his little feeding tube)

(Maguire and his swollen eyes and flat head! Poor kid!)