Sam is now officially 32 weeks gestational age.  I would have loved for him to reach that age still in utero... but that was just not meant to be.  It is hard for me to believe that we have come as far as we can.  I mean, 60 days ago I was admitted to the hospital and that doctors were trying to convince us to terminate the pregnancy.  And now, here we are, with this rock star kid who is exceeding all expectations.  It makes me ill to think what things would be like had Peter not taken the stand he took, and make the decision to hold on as long as we could.

In reflecting, I am also realizing that the community of friends and family that have surrounded us virtually and otherwise, have helped to give us the strength to get through the past 54 days in the NICU, 60 days overall of this ordeal.  I owe so many of you thanks yous... thank yous for your wonderful words of support, thank yous for the delicious food that has been delivered to our door since September 10, thank yous for adorable and generous gifts, and thank yous for things I can't even think of.  Take this as my very public note of appreciation.  All of you are so wonderful and have done so much to enable us to get through things.  I know we are not home free yet, but I just wanted to take a moment and say THANK YOU.

The Sam report for today is pretty much same old same old.  He is doing great!  They have increased his feeds to 30 mls or 1 oz 8 times a day.  They have also lowered the volume on the cannula from 2 liters to 1 liter.  This is a big step in getting him off oxygen all together.  Other than that, his blood work looks good with things that needed improving ... improving:  sodium going up and combined billirubin going down.

Here is to more good things tomorrow.

And now, your moment of zen: