Life is Good

I have so much to report that I couldn't possibly know where to begin, so my post may be all over the place. Today has been a fantastic day, but let me start with yesterday. I (Tisha) arrived in Columbia Saturday, November 14 with my mom after I was released from Northeast Regional Medical Center in Kirksville. As yo probably know, I had a surprise C-section Thursday morning. Dave has been in Columbia since early Thursday afternoon. He made it down just a few hours after Isaac and Adrian arrived in Columbia. In case it wasn't clear in the earlier posts, the boys are at Columbia Regional Hospital in the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Unfortunately for everyone else, Dave and I are the only ones allowed to hold the boys. Visitation is very limited due to the hospital regulations for illness prevention in the NICU babies. Only 2 visitors per patient are allowed other than the parents. Grandma Oleva and Grandma and Grandpa Briggs have all seen the boys as has Uncle Jeffie.

Yesterday I was able to hold Adrian for the first time. His condition at birth did not allow me to hold him before he was transferred to Columbia. It was a very emotional moment for both of us. Hallelujah!! Of course, I was able to hold Isaac, too. They are both absolutely perfect and I am not biased at all. The most fantastic news is that they are brilliant preemies. They were both able to nurse yesterday and they have both done the same again once today. They are doing this while being fed through a naso-gastric (NG) tube. Unfortunately they have to have a little formula until they can get enough milk from me.

They are both so very healthy. We were just given the news that both boys will no longer need their IVs this evening and they will be moved from the Level III NICU to the Level II NICU. Being in the Level II NICU means that they require less care and are one step closer to getting home. There has been no indication of a time frame in which we can take them home at this point.

There is a bit of concern that they may have some jaundice. That will be checked again tomorrow. Once they get the hang of feeding and we figure out the jaundice situation, they may get to go home, assuming all else continues to go well. We will keep you posted.