Doctor updates

Happy Sunday night!!

 I just thought I'd check in and give you and update on our last few doctor appointments, thanks for the prayers you have continued to send up! 

First off, we went to the cardiologist on the 8th for Clayre's PDA. I mentioned before that both babies had PDAs, luckily Cache's closed before he was released, yet Clayre's hadn't. Our neonatologist from the NICU wanted us to go ahead and follow up with it. Unfortunately it's still open, small, but open. For those of you not familiar with a PDA, here's a definition I found online, 

PDA is a type of congenital (kon-JEN-ih-tal) heart defect. A congenital heart defect is any type of heart problem that's present at birth.

If your baby has a PDA but an otherwise normal heart, the PDA may shrink and go away. However, some children need treatment to close their PDAs.

Some children who have PDAs are given medicine to keep the ductus arteriosus open. For example, this may be done if a child is born with another heart defect that decreases blood flow to the lungs or the rest of the body.

Keeping the PDA open helps maintain blood flow and oxygen levels until doctors can do surgery to correct the other heart defect.

Outlook

PDA is a fairly common congenital heart defect in the United States. Although the condition can affect full-term infants, it's more common in premature infants.

On average, PDA occurs in about 8 out of every 1,000 premature babies, compared with 2 out of every 1,000 full-term babies. Premature babies also are more vulnerable to the effects of PDA.

PDA is twice as common in girls as it is in boys.

Doctors treat the condition with medicines, catheter-based procedures, and surgery. Most children who have PDAs live healthy, normal lives after treatment.

Sorry that may have been a little wordy:) Anyways, the doctor said that she doesn't think that Clayre's PDA is affecting her, and doesn't expect it to ever be a bother to her! Thanks goodness!! She does want to see us again in 6 months and then yearly thereafter to keep an eye on it!!! 

Clayre also had an opthamologist appointment. We got good news at it too, her ROP has just about resolved itself!! He said at this point, it will never get worse, and can only get better. He was very pleased with it, and she won't have to go back until their birthday when Cache goes, and that will just be a yearly eye exam!! 

Both babies also got their flu and RSV shots this past week! The flu "epidemic" is getting pretty out of hand and scares the ever living daylights out of me. I get such bad anxiety at the doctors office when I hear people cough! We are doing all we can to protect these babies, and the last thing we want is for them to catch something at the doctor's office!! 

I've been asked the last few times people see me out anywhere, when the babies will get to come out. Right now, our hopes are by mid March, we will be able to be out for a couple of baseball games, and activities. That is, if the flu has calmed down. We are still taking every precaution to keep them well. We are not taking a lot of visitors (mostly family and no school age kids except Brody), sanitizing like crazy, and keeping them inside. Hopefully these next two months will fly by!!

Well, I guess that enough of my rambling for today! Thanks for taking the time to check up on our angels! Also, thanks for all the prayers, donations (which help pay for Dr appointments:), food, and love that you continue to give us. Y'all make taking care of these babies even easier;) Have a great week, STAY WELL, and I will be back soon!