Two Tidbits

There wasn't much change at all in Andrew's status today, so I thought I'd focus on two things I forgot to mention yesterday.

1. The bandages on Andrew's stomach are gone. The surgeon came by and took them off yesterday, and his scar looks great. If possible, it looks even better than it did last time, and this includes two incisions in the same spot.
2. Andrew is off contact isolation. I don't remember if I ever mentioned the reason that we have to wear gloves and gowns in his room; essentially, he had a positive test for a bacteria called 'steno,' which is a pretty contagious airborne bug that can affect those with compromised immune systems. Even though it didn't seem to be affecting Andrew himself, the fact that he was colonized (tested positive every time) meant that it was living on the plastic of the ventilator tube and could still be dangerous for other babies in the unit. In order to protect them, any time we were in contact with Andrew or his stuff, we had to wear gowns and gloves. Well, as of a negative test yesterday, we no longer have to wear a bunch of plastic....at least until the next time they take a sample and do another test. :)

Okay, that's it for tonight. There were no changes, aside from some weaning on the hi-fi ventilator. He's approaching minimal settings, but it'll probably be a couple of days before they switch him back to a conventional ventilator.

I've got a busy week with work, but I'll try to get some new pictures up in between trips.