busy morning

Reece had a busy morning before I got to see him. I came up around 11:15 thanks to G and G Schrotenboer. (thanks for the treats too! I love you guys!) He had lost and had his bags replaced. He had a visit by the Physical Therapist and the Nutrition Specialist. He also had the chance to be rocked by a Dr. who started the NICU. What an honor! I wish I had been there to get a picture, but I hear he comes by every Tuesday, so maybe some other time Reece will get the chance to be rocked again.
It was a little hard to see Reece at first. He had part of his head shaved last night to put in a new pic line. They were not successful. So, they will try again within the next few days. I must admit it would have been difficult to have seen him with a pic in his head even though they do it all of the time. Just the thought of it doesn't sound good to his mommy! :-)
He's with his dad right now and having a quiet nap in the rocking chair. He's a great cuddler! I told you I'd let you know what he weighs...8lbs. 13 oz. Yes, he's getting bigger. But, I'm just glad things seem to be going well. Please pray for his pic line to get into place in the next few days and for things to continue to progress. We appreciate all of your love! hugs - Sue

Happy One Month Birthday!

Reece is one month old today! As a mom, I haven't noticed how big he has grown, but his aunt Heidi and cousin Jeff and Lynnette noticed right away. One of their first comments was how big he was. I wish I could tell you his exact measurements, but I'll try to remember to do that tomorrow. I didn't get those yet. They usually weigh him every night at the 9 PM care time. They do full measurements on Sundays. So, I'll check that out for everyone tomorrow. Sorry.
Reece had a good day. However, his ostomy bags had to be replaced twice today. Thankfully the ostomy nurses were there today and did their "magic". I was talking to one of them and she told me her program took an extra 2 years in order to become an ostomy nurse. It's nice to know they are very well qualified. Every nurse we met so far has been highly trained. We've been blessed.
Reece is awaiting a new pic line. He lost his today. He has a temporary kind of pic right now and I know there's a name for it, but I can't remember what they called it. Anyway...he's on the list for a new one. I'll let you know when it's in. When they put one in, they create a sterile field and take an x-ray to make sure it was placed correctly. It's quite an important thing for him.
Our prayer tonight is that this procedure will go well. We continue to pray prayers of thanksgiving for his recovery thus far and for all of the wonderful care he is getting. Please say another prayer for his night nurse. He has a habit of staying awake at night and it's not so easy for them I'm sure. They act very nice to me about it, but I can't imagine an unhappy baby as being one that's easy to be around.
Thanks for your prayers and support! Also, thanks to Bec for driving me up there today. BJ was able to work for a while and I could spend some extra time with Reece. She even brought me a wonderful lunch! What a true gift. Finally, thanks for the ride home Maga and Heidi. BJ had fun with the boys while we had fun with Reece. I appreciate your continuous love and support.
Blessings to all of you -Sue

New room

They called to say Reece was transfered to NIM today. NIM is the neonatal intermediate area. He's improved, so this is a good thing. He continues to be in his crib with the same nutrition and same food amounts, but the room he's in is actually a lot quieter eventhough it's so much bigger. We are very thankful for his continued progress. We hope to give Reece another bath today and Ben's coming up to visit later on. He wants to give Reece a toy. I can't wait to see him give it to him! Sing praise today! -Sue

There was not much change in our little guy today. Sue and Maga got to the Hospital at about 1:30 and Reece was sleeping sound. The Doctor had not made any changes to his milk intake. Reece's output had increased and was borderline acceptable. The good thing is that Dr Knee did not decrease the amount of food that Reece is getting. He seems to be resting a little better now.

The Room that he is in seems to have gotten a lot noisier the last couple of days. They have brought in 2 new babies and both of them are on Ventilators. This really not that big of a deal other than that there seem to be a lot more alarms going off. The nurse had put Reece's blanket over his head(she said do not try this at home) because she thought the alarms were waking him up this morning.

Please continue to pray that Reece is able to continue to handle the increases feedings and not start dumping.

Friday, March 27

Just a short note to let you know he moved up to 15 mls today. Some have asked how big he is now. I'm not sure of his length, but he weighs 8 pounds 8 ounces as of last night. He's growing and doing well. Thanks for all of your prayers and say an extra one for him to sleep more at night.

Blessings

We are so blessed. Blessed by a son who's able to to keep feeding at 9 mls. A son who is fun to cuddle with and love on during each day we can see him. A son who we feel is a miracle baby.
We are blessed by an older son who has a heart for his younger brother. A son who is so much fun to play with and laugh with and cuddle with too. He's also a miracle baby.
We are blessed by a wonderful family who helps us in every kind of way imaginable. We could not get through this without you.
We are blessed by our friends who pray for us and support us in every way they can. We love you as family too.
We are blessed by our workplaces and the support they have given us. We are able to spend time with our son because they are willing to have us not work for a while and above that they have given out of their own graces to show they care for us as friends in addition to co-workers.
We are blessed by our church family who reminds us of Jesus with skin on. This family extends throughout the community as well. We know Christ's love is so great and so present because we can see Him in YOU! Thank you all for reading this. YOU are a blessing to us.

PS - Sue is blessed extremely by her class tonight! WOW! I miss you all. But, I am forever grateful of your special gift to my family today. YOU are a blessing to me!

gas

Reece had a very regular kind of day today while BJ and I were there. His doctors kept him at 9 mls. and he slept for a while and was awake for only a slight while. We actually gave him a sponge bath. Well, truth be told, BJ did most of the bathing part. He's better with all of the crying, squirming, and slippery skin. But, I helped get the water and soap and outfit and anything else he needed. It was a team effort I like to say. :-)
Tonight, his grandma Grace and Papa were there. The report they gave was one of gas. They thought he seemed very uncomfortable and that he may have had gas. I'm sure trying to digest food isn't easy for him and he probably did have gas. But, between that and the desire to eat it's not easy trying to keep him content sometimes. BJ and I hope his gas goes away and he's able to rest comfortably tonight.
On a side note, every Wednesday we come home early to spend more time with Ben. It was so precious tonight at dinner. We sat down to grilled cheese sandwiches and were ready to pray. Usually we pray the "God is good, God is great" prayer. Tonight, BJ asked Ben if he wanted to pray that prayer. He said, "Reece" instead. He wanted to say a prayer for his brother instead of the standard. We are continuously touched by Ben's love for his brother and his belief in God's help. Jesus said to let the little children come to him. I believe Ben has Jesus in his life being with him and helping him go through having his brother in the hospital and his mommy and daddy gone a lot.
"Jesus loves me this I know. For the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong. Yes! Jesus loves me! Yes! Jesus loves me! Yes! Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so."

highs and lows

Waiting in the mother's lounge today I was reminded how difficult this place can be. I sat quietly doing my motherly duty while listening to the sniffles of other mother's tears. I remember the times where I too had sat and prayed and cried for my precious little one. It made me think of Psalm 23 and how God walks with us through the valleys. I prayed for the moms I heard...that they had God to walk with them through their valleys too. I know He comforted me and kept me strong enough to endure the hard times in order to face some of the good times we've had lately.
On that note, today Reece was increased to 9 mls. YEAH GOD! Other than that, Reece slept some of the day and was awake for awhile now. Thanks be to God for continued progress.

6 mls!

Reece is now up to 6 mls. per feeding. This is a good sign, but they continue to monitor his progress before they increase or decrease it any more. The surgeons came around today and told us what we already knew...about 4 more weeks until surgery at least. Reece slept most of the day, but has not been sleeping well at night. We joked with the nurses how we'd like this to be switched so that he's sleeping through the night before he's sent home. :-) They are fun to talk to and I appreciate their knoweledge as well as their kindness and sense of humor. It's been nice getting to know a few nurses who Reece has had already. They really make a difference! Reece had a special visit from his great grandparents today. What a joy it is to see Reece in the arms of his great grandma. We're glad they made it home safely from their time in sunny Florida.
Thanks for your prayers. Please say an extra thank you that his levels of food could increase! YEAH GOD!

A Big Brother's Love

Ben spent the day with his Maga, Papa, Aunt Heidi, Uncle Miko, and his cousins. During the day, he said several times, "I see Reece." The adults all could tell he wanted to see his brother. As some of his cousins were picked up by their parents, Ben thought they were going to go and see Reece. He threw a fit and cried and said, "I see Reece!" He continued to say this over and over again. Well, the love of his grandparents could not tell him no and they brought him up to see Reece. Ben not only saw Reece, he held him! He had a great time and there were lots of pictures taken. As we were leaving the hospital, he said several times, "Bye-Bye Reece. I Wuv you!" This was done completely on his own. As a parent, I'm writing this with a tear in my eye. For the first time, BJ and I realize we're not the only ones going through this time with our littlest member of the family being missed. His big brother Ben misses him too. My prayer request tonight is for Ben. Pray for his continued love for his Reece and for him to be understanding when he can't always see Reece. Reece had a regular kind of day with no change in feeding amounts. He was awake at times and sleeping at times... not much new other than the reality of how deep a brother's love is.

Sleepy?

Reece was up a lot yesterday. It's fun to see him begin to interact with his eyes. He loves to be swaddled tightly and this added with laying on his tummy seemed to be the trick to getting him to sleep when he was extra fussy.
Last night, Reece didn't sleep very well. He just couldn't find it even though the nurse tried all of her tricks (including the swing which usually works quite well). After 3 AM, he finally was able to rest for about 4 hours. His nurse this morning is the same as yesterday. Having a nurse who knows Reece is comforting to me as a mom. But, all of the nurses we have had are excellent. What a blessing to be in the care of top notch, quality people.
Reece continues to be on 3 mls. at least until the doctors tell us otherwise. They haven't seen him yet today, but we'll give an update if something changes. Thanks for your prayers and support! Oh, and thanks to all of our visitors yesterday. It was great seeing our family and a student of mine from Blue Star. Unfortunately, no one under 16 except siblings can actually see Reece. Fortunately, my student's mom had a camera and took pictures for her daughter to see. I appreciated the visit though. I miss Blue Star!
Hugs and Kisses to you all,
Sue

Doctor's meeting

Today we were able to meet with Reece's doctor and get the full report of what they found before, during, and after surgery. It's encouraging to know he seems to be healing well. The signs he shows are signs that the bowels are healing nicely. We found out he does have direct jaundice as a result of not eating. This can and probably will increase over time because he hasn't gotten much food yet, but it can be resolved easier with more food...once he's reconnected. Reece's feedings had been upgrated yesterday to 5mls., but is back down to 3mls. today. Not a huge concern, just a precaution. They don't want him to begin "dumping" or just letting all of his food pass through without having some absorption taking place. We hope to see the amount of feeds to increase as his bowel is able to handle it. Please pray for this. It's the main concern right now and for the next few weeks. Once again, thanks for taking our prayers to the Lord. It means a lot to have you in our lives.

"Nigh-night Reece"

Ben likes to say "nigh-night" to us before he goes to bed. Well, if Reece could talk, I think he'd say "nigh-night" to us today. Reece spent most of the day sleeping. He also had a restful 7 hours of sleep in his swing before we got there this morning. It's nice as a parent to know he's resting soundly and comfortably. Many nurses have told us he's going to have the bad habit of rocking to sleep when he leaves the hospital, but we think that's totally fine. We figure if rocking him to sleep helps him out when we can't give him much food then we're okay with rocking him to sleep. His food did increase to 5 mls. today (up 2 from yesterday). The progress may be slow, but it seems to be steady. We thank God for these small steps towards the next surgery. We pray for his continued healing and appreciate your prayers as well. The support we've been blessed with is very humbling.
With love,
Sue

YUMMY!!!!

Last night I did not post. Sorry. The day for Reece was going well. We had only a short time with him because Ben had a doctor's appointment in the afternoon. (It went well...just a check up.) Reece had fun cuddling with mommy, daddy, Grandma Grace, and Maga. He also was visited by Pastor Mark and Super Aunt Mary. I'd say the funny part was after Pastor Mark said a blessing upon Reece, he gave the cutest little smirk as though he knew Jesus was watching over him and he liked the blessing. Too cute!

But, the BIG NEWS OF THE DAY!!!!!!! is... Reece is able to eat! We were surprised too! But, the doctor's gave the go ahead at 2 PM and he chugged down his first 3 cc's soooooo quickly I think he would like to have had more. What a great day for him! Now, we get to see how his body handles being fed. It makes a mommy happy to see her pumping is paying off and watch her son take in his first foods in a while. Please pray for the rest of today: that he may continue to handle the feedings (although they are very small) and stay comfortable. The assumption from the doctors is that it'll probably not get absorbed very much at first. I'm hoping for Reece to defy these odds and digest just fine. God has a plan for Reece and we love watching as He works in Reece's life a little more each day. Thank you for your kindness, support, and prayers. We are calling it an early night in order to spend time with Ben and our friends who are bringing us a meal. You are all a blessing to our family.
-Sue

Another Good Day

Reece has been blessed with another good day today. The surgeons came around and informed us that he no longer needs to be on his anti-biotics. The stoma nurse came in this morning to help give him a new bag. She also put a bag on his mucus fibula and umbilical cord in hopes to dry out the cord, but keep the mucus fibula safe. Reece was awake several times today and slept for a while as well. When he's awake he so wants to eat food (but can't eat yet) or he wants to be burped or have his diaper changed. Fortunately, the surgeons said he'll be able to eat on Thursday! YEAH for Reece! It won't be a lot of food and it will probably not be absorbed very well, but at least it will help Reece feel like he's getting something. Please pray for Thursday. Pray that he'll be able to suck on the bottle well and swallow. Pray that he'll find contentment in this up and coming food. Also, thank God for his continued healing power and his love for our son. We are so thankful for all of you. And, we want to say thanks to Aunt Greta for coming to visit and bringing her famous bread. The grandma's and grandpa's took the "second shift" tonight and held Reece for a while after his care. We love how much time they spend with him too. Family is a gift we treasure. We hope you enjoy your family tonight as well.

Big Brothers Day

We arrived at the Hospital at about 2pm today and Vicki(Reece's nurse) inform us that Reece had been awake much of the morning and that he was really sleepy, but would not give up and go to sleep. All it took for the little guy to fall asleep was for daddy to place him in his mommies arms. Reece slept from 2 until we left him at 7:30 and he spent all of the time in Mommy, Daddy and Maga's arms

The highlight of the day was Ben getting to come back to the nursery and see Reece. This is the first time that Ben has gotten to see his little brother since he left Holland Hospital. He was really good with Reece and the nurses all loved seeing him. It was great to have the entire family togather even if it was only for a few minutes.

It really nice to know that when we leave his Grandparents are staying around and rocking him to sleep after his care.

Thank you to all of you that are praying for our family.

BJ

Content

Reece had another day of being content besides the times when he was awake and wanting food. During the night, we called and found out he was awake for awhile, cuddled with nurse Kelly, had some pacifier time, and went back to sleep. He also had some time in a swing yesterday. He seemed to like it a lot!
We are celebrating Ben's birthday with my side of the family today and will head up to see Reece mid-afternoon. Can't wait to hold him and enjoy his continued healing.
Please continue to pray in thanksgiving for his stable healing and for his ability to possibly eat food this coming week? Thank you for your support and time reading this blog.
In Christ,
Sue (and family)

Same ole' News

No much was new yesterday and neither is it today. Reece continues to be very stable with all of the same feeding/anti-biotics/etc... IV's going through his body. He's fun to hold and cuddle with. We learned that even a baby who's not getting food in the stomach can still have gas and need to be burped. He sucks very well on his pacifier and this causes gas to occur sometimes. BJ and I never really thought about that until nurse Kelly told us she had burped him and it seemed to make a big difference. We're going to use that information today as we hold him and enjoy his little smirks, wrinkles, wide eyes, and sometimes cries.
We continue to ask for prayers for Reece, but would also like you to lift up the 90+ babies and their families today. It's a tough situation for everyone and not everyone makes improvements every day. We've met some very dear parents up here who have tough decisions to make and be witness to. Pray for strength and discernment. Pray more for that comforting peace only Christ can give. To Him be the glory!
-Sue

Celebrate!

It's a day to celebrate and praise God for his continued blessings to our little one's life. Today Reece was placed into a crib. He's no longer in an isolete! We went and bought a mobile after being with him today so he can have some entertainment. It's so exciting! He also is no longer on morphine. So, if they need to help him calm down they will try something non-narcotic only after the soothing methods already established (holding, pacifier, change diaper, etc...) A third reason for celebration is...drum roll please... his tube is out of his nose! The tube going into his stomach was taken out completely today! He can't have food yet, but it's a step towards food. We're hoping he does well tonight with the tube out. During the day he did not have any spit up from his stomach, but he had a lot of gas coming out of his bag. At least it seems as though things are going in the right direction. As parents, we are enjoying being the witnesses to God's healing power. Every day there is something new with our little bundle of joy. Thank you for your prayers. We know this makes a difference. I'd also like to thank the friends and family who visited today. We had a great time with all of you. A special call out to my class at Blue Star. Mrs. Holleman came to visit today and came with your special cards. They brought smiles to my face and reminded me of how great each one of you is! I miss you a ton!
Love,
Sue

The Top is Off

The only new orders from the Doctor today was for the nurses to get Reece into a Crib and out of the isolation bed that he has been in for the past week. The fact that Reece is a full term baby and is able to hold his body temperature is allowing him to move to the crib. Although I do not think Reece will be able to tell the difference between the two beds this sure does make it easier for mommy and daddy to get at our little boy.

We continue to be humbled by all of the emails, phone call and post that we have been receiving and want all of you to know that we truly appreciate each and everyone of you.

Please pray that the tube into Reece's stomach, that he continues to pull out 1-4 time a day, can be permanently remove and that he will continue to show progress everyday.

New insight

We were able to spend some time with Reece's nurse, Lisa today learning about the process of feeding and what needs to happen before he can feed as well as how the feeding process will work. She also educated us on how to take Reece in and out of his Isolete in order to hold him. We've been told to hold him as much as possible. What great therapy for all of us! It's so comforting knowing more about Reece and his care and being assured that his nurses are highly trained and great teachers too. We are very blessed to have him in this setting.

We're calling it an early night tonight in order to spend some more time with Ben. Can't wait until he comes up here around 5:30 so we can take him home. I'll blog more later.
Thanks again for your prayers and support. The words of encouragement and strength from God have been getting us through.
Love you all!

Hunger pains

Have you ever watched a crying baby look for food from its parents? A mother's breast or a father's bottle is the only thing that can soothe their hungry stomach. Well, today BJ and I experienced a crying, hungry baby boy. The good thing we praise God for is the fact that he WAS hungry! That means his stomach is getting better and he's wanting it filled with food. The heartache comes when we know we can't give him food that way. He's getting the nutrients he needs for the time being through his PIC line (TPN and Lipids). His stomach and intestines need to rest for a while until they are more healthy and there is less green stuff coming out of his stomach. I have to admit, it was extremely difficult as a mom to be holding her crying, hungry son and having him move his head towards her breast, but not be able to feed him. Please pray his stomach can continue to heal and the green turns clear for them to take suction off the tube and then have it go away so he can be fed. I know this could take many days and many times of heartache, but I believe God can and has done more than we could ever ask for or imagine. I know Reece is in great hands at the NICU and have met some amazing doctors and nurses along the way.

BJ and I would like to thank Maga, Aunt Heidi, Aunt Mary, both Papas, Grandma Grace, Uncle Dale, Aunt Carol, Denise, Erin, and Maggie for coming to visit us today. We also thank nurse Karen, Nurse Caroline, and Nurse Jude for taking time out of their shifts to come and say hi as well. Your support means a TON!

We also would like to thank all of those who have e-mailed us through the hospital's web site. We do get those e-mails and have been humbled by your prayers, stories, and notes of encouragement. Without our fellow family in Christ we would have little hope or loving care. We need you and appreciate you.

To all of those checking this blog - thanks! It's been very therapeutic to come home and give you an update. Continue to keep Reece in your prayers. He's a spunky little one! We love him so!

Daddy's time

Before we left Reece to the care of Megan his nurse, BJ was able to hold him. What a joy to take Reece and hold him, kiss him without the plexiglas, and sing "Jesus Loves Me" a few times. Reece was taken off of his morphine drip today, but did need a dose after about 4 hours of freedom. He was awake for awhile and it was fun to see him interact with his Maga and Papa as well. We enjoy spending time with him, but know it will be a long road to recovery. We're very thankful for the "baby" steps of progress along the way. Thank you for lifting him up in prayer. We truly believe it's God's healing hand in his life that's getting him through day by day.

A mother's joy

What an exciting morning to come into Reece's area and be asked, "Would you like to hold him?" "Yes! May I?" "Of course you can!" I had the best hour of my life holding my precious baby boy in my arms and cradling him, singing to him, telling him about Ben going on the big boy potty today! Life is so good. He's doing well today. The surgeons came around to see him while BJ was in there and they checked him out. They noticed his belly was softer than before! YEAH! They said he seems to be making progress. Then, Dr. Doctor came around and reassured us that the green gunk still coming out of his stomach was normal. This could still happen for a while. Another doctor came around later and asked if we could set up a consultation to go over things again sometime soon. So, it's been a wonderful day thus far up here. We hope that continues. Thank you Pastor Andy for coming to visit. We appreciate all of the prayers and support from all of our wonderful family and friends.
In His Care,
Sue

The Blessing of Family and Friends

We are so wonderfully blessed with the support of family and friends. Today we had a few visitors to see Reece. It was nice to talk to others and show off his latest improvements. Reece had another good day. He slept most of the day, but woke up at night when the nurses did his care time. His morphine (not sure if I spelled that right) levels were lowered again today. He had only a little stool coming out of his bag, but at least there was some! I got to hold his body up off his bed for weighing and for changing his bed liner. It was a wonderful moment to take ahold of my son again after such a long time from holding him. BJ enjoyed the end of the evening where he could play a little with Reece and let Reece know his daddy loves him so much. However, this also made it difficult to leave knowing he was wide awake.

Reece still needs your prayers. He has to continue to fight the infection and have his intestines heal. He's continually getting anti-biotics to help fight the infections and he's being fed TPN and Lipids to help ease the stress on his bowels. We know God's healing hands are upon him and pray for continued healing and strength in the days and weeks ahead.

Thank you for reading this blog. It means a LOT to know others are caring enough to lift our little boy in prayer. God is in control.

Love in Christ,
Sue

Quiet Night

Reece had a quiet night of peaceful rest. He lost the IV in his head, but that's the only thing new all night. It's been a blessing to know he's sleeping calmly and doing well. BJ and I are going up to the hospital this afternoon. We have a birthday to celebrate before that! Ben is 2 today! YEAH!- Sue

Saturday PM

The PIC line is in!! Mom and Dad are thankful it went in easy and Reece didn't react.... He is now sleeping peacefully. What a tough little guy!! Baby Reece we are so proud of you and love you so much.

We are all praying for another good day tomorrow... that would be a great birthday present for Big Brother Ben!!!

NEC

The doctors at Holland Hospital grew concerned when Reece did not want to eat and seemed to have a painful abdomen and was lethargic. He vomited and was losing weight. They transferred him to Devos Children's Hospital on Wednedsay. ( We are so thankful to have such a wonderful facility so close by!!!) After several tests, the surgeon performed exploratory surgery on Thursday night hoping to find a blockage or something simple. Unfortunately, he discovered that Reece has Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is a inflammation and infection of the intestines. The surgeon had to remove about 30 cm of Reece's intestines. Due to the infection he was unable to reconnect all the intestinal segments. Which means that Reece has 3 separate sections of digestive tract with "stomys" out of his abdomen. This allows his intestinal tract to rest and be drained from outside his body via ileostomy bags. By removing all the diseased portions and then allowing the intestines to rest this promotes healing and hopefully control of the infection. The ultimate goal is in six weeks, Reece will have another operation to reconnect all the pieces.



The cause of NEC is unknown. It usually occurs in very premature babies but rarely can occur in term babies. When the case is severe and there is small holes in the intestines or severely damaged tissue then surgery is needed. Reece did have some small leaks so our prayers are for the NEC to not progress in the remaining mild spots and for the antibioitics to control the infection in his abdomen. Many newborns with NEC that need surgery, survive and go on to live healthy lives. Once NEC is treated, it is not a progressive disease or something that Reece will always have.



-So please pray for no complications and for no infection and just for God's great healing!!!

-Also pray for Sue for healing from her c-section and for rest and comfort.

-Pray for both BJ and Sue and the grandparents for comfort that the machines and tubes are helping baby Reece as they struggle to see him like that.

-Pray for Big Brother Ben to understand that his mommy and daddy have to share time between him and baby Reece.

-Praise God for Devos Children's Hospital and all the wondeful Doctors and nurses and staff that work there!! They are amazing!!

Saturday Afternoon

Reece had a very restful night. The ventilator was removed and he is breathing on his own!! His cell counts are good and his vitals stable. Soon they are going to place a PIC line to give him TPN (total parental nutrition) intravenously. He will receive his nutrition this way for the next six weeks to allow his digestive system to rest and heal. The doctor was able to decrease his dose of morphine and he is more responsive. (esp. to his mother's voice) :)