April 30, 2004

Well, I should have a report from the eye doctor, but leave to Brett and I to sleep right through the appointment! Oops! I rescheduled it for Tuesday the 4th at 1pm.

Have a great weekend! We will be back from KC on Monday with plenty of pictures and an update!

April 29, 2004

Ouch! Jacob had to get a shot today! Poor little guy! He got his last RSV shot for the season. Thank goodness, it has worked and he has been healthy thus far!

Jacob visited with two Rainbows therapists this week. Both feel he is developing very well. They recommended exercises for him to help with his neck and torso strength. After just a few days, he is making good progress- holding his head up more and for longer periods.

This weekend, Brett and I will be taking Jacob to the Kansas City area (His first road trip!!) where he will visit with family, including his Great Grandma Smith, for the first time. My sister, Aunty Pam, will be coming along too. I plan to take many pictures!

April 25, 2004

It's been a relaxing weekend here at the Smith home. We stayed in on Friday (after returning from the hospital) and most of Saturday due to the nasty weather. Saturday evening though, we took Jacob shopping and to get some dinner. We must have timed things right because J stayed asleep the whole time.

Jacob is doing very well post-surgery. His eye is red, but that is to be expected. We give him an eye drop four times a day, which has an antibiotic and steroid to help the incision site heal. He will have a follow-up visit with Dr. V. later this week.

Jacob's weight is now 11lbs 5oz!

April 23, 2004

Good morning! Jacob's surgery went very well. As I explained earlier, Dr. Varenhorst first examined his eyes under anesthesia, and then made the decision to do surgery. He performed a Vitrectomy, the same procedure he did in March, removing scar tissue to help more of the retina re-attach. About 20% of the retina has attached- hopefully the percentage will increase following yesterday's surgery. As for the left eye, no decision was made. He would like to do as much as he can to the better eye first, and then decided about the left. I pray Jacob comes through all this with functional vision.

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We wouldn't be able to get through all this without you.

April 19, 2004

Brett and I have taken some pictures of Jacob and his adorable smile- Check out the new pics on the Yahoo album! (Link on homepage)

Get ready to see an even chunkier Jacob! Late last week I started adding rice cereal to J's formula (once a day). Having a fuller belly means sleeping longer, so I give it to him in his evening feeding. That lets Mommy get more sleep too! Also, in the next week or two (depending on Brett's next weekend off) we are going to take Jacob to meet his Great Grandmother (Brett's Grandmother) Bernita "Bunny" Smith, in Overland Park, Kansas.

April 12, 2004

Jacob's eye appointment with Doctor Varenhorst this morning went very well. Both eyes still look the same. In the right eye, the last surgery didn’t help some scar tissue, so Dr. V would like to perform another exam under anesthesia at the hospital. If he thinks further surgery would help, he will do it at that time. We will check Jacob in at the hospital at 7am on April 22nd. Whether or not the exam turns into surgery, he will have to stay overnight as a precaution due to his prematurity. Nothing was discussed regarding the left eye (Brett took Jacob alone this time), but I would imagine Dr. V wants to do what he can with the better eye, the right, then try to help the left.

I have faith that everything will be ok, and that Jacob will come out of this with some vision. I dread having to take him to the hospital again, but I will be a strong Mommy for him!

April 10, 2004

Happy Easter weekend to everyone! We don't have any big plans for Jacob's first Easter. Grandma Smith was going to visit from Dodge City, Kansas but decided to wait until next weekend when Grandpa can come too. We may take Jacob to my parent’s house tomorrow for a relaxing afternoon, but plans are still in the works.

Last night Jacob had a great time, and received lots of attention at "Band Practice." (For those that don't know, My Dad has been in a band with a close family friend since I was a toddler. They met and started playing music back when we lived in California, then years later both of our families moved to Kansas.) There were old friends and new friends with plenty of people taking turns holding the Fighter! I thought all the excitement would have Jacob sleep through the night- wishful thinking!

Monday morning Jacob will see Dr. V for another eye exam. I will update the site as soon as I can! Please keep J in your prayers!

April 6, 2004

Wow, it's hard to believe the Fighter is seven months old! Of course, he isn't where a seven month old should be developmentally, but he'll catch up! He is starting to smile a lot and I know it won't be long before we hear a laugh. Right now, he does make a noise when he smiles, but it's not quite a laugh yet. Also, when something is placed in his hand, like a rattle for example, he holds on tight and swings his arm around for a few seconds before letting go! It is so exciting to see him grow and develop!

April 3, 2004

Things in Fighter Land are just great. I finally broke out the 3-6 month clothes and washed them. Some of the pants are still a bit too big, but he'll grow into them. On Tuesday, a Speech Therapist with Rainbows United came over to visit with Jacob. She suggested we continue using the Haberman nipple Jacob has been using since he was in the hospital, as well as continue giving him chin and cheek support to help him make a good seal around the bottle. The therapist also recommended we start giving Jacob rice cereal. I bought some and will start that soon!