WAY OVER DUE

This post is way over due. We have had a super busy summer and I feel like we are just catching up! Cason is growing and getting big and beautiful and smart! We did have one setback this summer.

Two weeks after Cason got home from San Diego we had to go up to Children's Hospital in Denver to get a VP shunt put in. His pediatrician thought that his head circumference was getting too big too quickly (he wasn't showing any other symptoms) so she thought that it was urgent to get him up to Denver and get a shunt put in. So Cason and I got life flighted up to Denver on June 17th and Calvin and Austin drove up. He got the shunt put in on June 19th. There were a couple of complications; he had to re-intubated after surgery (because he was not breathing very well) and a few days after his surgery he had some hemorrhaging and seizures. This was a very scary time for because we did not know how severe an effect this was going to have on him. He is now on seizure medication and recovered beautifully. We had to stay in Denver a few extra days and were so relieved that he recovered as well as he did. We only have the Lord to thank that our miracle is alive and doing AMAZING!!!! This little angel definitely has a purpose on this earth and I am soooo thankful to be around to witness it. Cason came back to Durango still on oxygen and just was able to get off it around the middle of July.

His ROP is clearing up very nicely and he has the biggest, most beautiful eyes that are constantly looking around and taking in the view!

The last time we went to the doctors (mid July) he was 10lbs and I am guessing that now he is around 12lbs and he loves to eat!

We have physical therapists that come to our house and work with him. This is all preventive so that he has the best chance possible at developing "normally". Right now he smiles, coos, loves to be held (a bit spoiled actually), lifts his head up, put his hands together, swats/grabs at toys, tracks toys and people and screams when he is not happy. Cason also LOVES to be up during the middle of the night. Like clockwork around 2:30am he gets up to eat and then expectantly stares at me with his big brown eyes waiting for me to entertain him!

Here are some of the latest pictures this summer...

Big Brother Time

Big Brother Time

Napping During Tummy Time

Cason Calvin Romero

Cason's first wedding (Jada's wedding)

Austin [and his macaroni 'n' cheese mouth] holding his little brother

Austin has been a little scared to touch and hold his delicate little brother but finally got the courage to cuddle with him!

6/11/10

Retinopathy of Prematurity is an eye disease that affects premature babies and the growth in the eyes. Cason has ROP and has had to be closely followed by a pediatric ophthalmologist since we've been back in CO. We have had to travel up to Grand Junction once a week to get his eyes checked and make sure that ROP isn't getting worse. We just went up there yesterday [6/10/10] and the doctor said that it is improving and doesn't foresee him needing any surgery to correct the issue. We were very excited to hear that it is improving and we will start going once every other week.

We are meeting a neurosurgeon in Albuquerque next week to check on the status of Cason's head. So far we have not had any issues and are praying that the first surgery he had takes care of his hydrocephalus.

On Cason's last visit to the pediatrician [6/8/10] he gained 10oz in 7 days and is now 7lbs 3oz! On a side note, Cason's brother Austin went for a well visit this week and is in the 97% for height and the 94% for weight. Cason has a lot of growing to do in order to catch up with is big brother!

We're Home!

Cason got discharged from the hospital on Friday 5/28/2010! We flew home from San Diego on Sunday 5/30/10 and WE ARE GLAD TO BE BACK!!!!!! We are settling in nicely but our journey is far from over. We are still going to be spending quite a bit of time at neurologists, ophthalmologists, pediatricians and so on and so on!!!! It is very nice to have our little family reunited. We appreciate everyone's love and support while Cason and I were in San Diego! I will post some new pictures soon!

P.S. On Saturday 5/22/10 many of our friends and family in the Durango area had a benefit poker tournament for Cason. It was very successful and I just wanted to thank everyone for all of their participation, hard work and support! We love you guys!

One more...Just for fun!!!

While up in Oceanside, Austin, my mom and I were on the pier and ran into a giant pelican, he was obviously very used to being a tourist attraction. Austin, however was very impressed!!!

Flowers from Jeff

When my mom, Calvin and Austin came to visit me a few weeks ago my step dad Jeff arranged for us to stay up in Oceanside at one of the timeshares. When I got there I had these beautiful flowers there for him. There are very beautiful. Thanks Jeff!

Latest Pictures

After surgery pictures

Better Late than Never

I'm sorry that this post is way overdue. Things have picked up significantly for us in the past couple weeks. Cason is now about 5lbs and is growing by the day. He drinks 42mls of milk every 3 hours or 8 times a day (24 hours). Last week he started to breast feed and has done so well that he is allowed to take all of his feeds by either breast or bottle. He needs to be drinking all his milk by either breast or bottle in order to go home. He is slowly working up to that and has made tremendous progress.

Cason has also fully recovered from his surgery and his head circumference was stable for two weeks. However, just this weekend it began to increase slightly in size again due to the hydrosephelus. They may need to tap the reservoir [they put in his head during his recent surgical procedure] to get out the excess fluid. The procedure to get out the fluid is not invasive. He had a head ultrasound today [5/11/10] and we will know that what the neurologists decide to do tomorrow [5/12/10].

Cason has also been weaned off of his oxygen [nasal cannula] this past weekend. He is breathing all on his own and is doing very well.

Other than that Cason has just been getting cuter and more active by the day. He has also continued to find his voice and exercise his lungs quite frequently.

Pictures from Last Week

Cason Sleeping

He's got a mad face just like his brother

Burping

Cason drinking his bottle

Cason's baths

I finally get to dress him!!!

4/27/2010

Hi everyone, sorry I have not posted in a while. we have had quite the week with Cason. For the most part things are sailing smoothly along. He has been progressing wonderfully. He is now about 4lbs 4oz. He was able to start taking a bottle twice a day. He has done awesome with his suck/swallow/breathe coordination. His first shot at the bottle he drank 21mls out of 35 mls in about 30 minutes. His nurse had to take the bottle away from him a few times because he was forgetting to breathe but for the most part he caught on. His second bottle he was champ. He drank the entire bottle [35 mls] in 10 minutes, pacing himself very nicely and he remembered to breathe the whole time.

We have had one fairly large setback in the past week. Cason's head circumference was growing rapidly due to his hydrocephalus. Last Monday [4/19] the neurologists decided to do a series of lumbar punctures [spinal taps] to try to alleviate the pressure and build up of the excess spinal fluid. Cason responded very well to them but they were not able to get as much out as the had hoped for. A total 10mls was all they were able to extract. His head circumference also kept expanding despite the lumbar punctures. Eventually at the end of last week his head circumference stabilized, however the neurologists decided to perform an operational procedure to take care of the problem. On Monday [4/26] They performed a procedure [with a REALLY big name I can't quite remember] where they basically poked a whole in the bottom Cason's 2 bilateral ventricles in his head to that spinal fluid could more easily flow down to his third ventricle and then into his spine. They also inserted a reservoir in his head. The best visual I got for the reservoir is that it looks like a tiny breast implant with a tube on the bottom. They insert the reservoir on top of his ventricle [where his skull hasn't fused yet]. When there is an excess of spinal fluid in the ventricle it should flow into the tube and then into the reservoir and the doctors will then extract the excess fluid from the reservoir. We are praying and hope that this will solve Cason's hydrocephalus and it will eventually normalize. He did have to have to go under, but did great. He is intubated [not breathing by himself] and cannot eat right now as he comes out of the anesthesia but should be back to the nasal cannula and eating very soon. Monday was a very stressful day for me [being there by myself] and Calvin [being in Colorado]. But we managed and everything went beautifully.

Calvin, Austin and my mom are headed out here to San Diego this afternoon [4/27] to spend the rest of the week and weekend with me and Cason. I am definitely looking forward to seeing them and pray they have a safe drive out here.

Thanks again for everyone's positive thoughts and prayers. Cason is definately a fighter and we are looking forward to introducing him to you all!

4/15/2010

Cason just got the PIC line out of his arm

I have been spending a lot of time with Cason this week since Austin and Calvin have gone home. We have been doing "skin to skin" twice a day all week. It is going really well. He is up to 30 mls feedings every 3 hours. We are going to try to dry breast feeding next. Dry breast feeding is when the preemie is placed at the mother's breast [after she has pumped] and lets the baby smell, and play so that he may get used to the breast. They try to do this before they begin to bottle feed so that baby will be familar with breast and have an easier time starting to breast feed.

Cason also got his PIC line taken out this week. The PIC line is where the antibiotics, the TPN [liquid multi-vitamin] and lipids [liquid fats] went. He is done with his antibiotics and he is off the TPN and lipids now that he has the nutrition of the breast milk.

He is still having some "events" where he forgets to breathe but they are short and most of the time he recovers himself very quickly. This is just another "preemie thing" because his lungs and coordination are not completely developed yet.

He has had a great week and just needs to continuing growing and developing so we can take him home to meet everyone!