6 days and counting.........

Cole continues to fight and get better each and every day.

During morning rounds today with the team of doctors we heard the following news:



Cole with his new buddy

• Cole's bilirubin counts were back down so he doesn't need to have the blue lights on him today. They will measure his counts tomorrow morning to see how he has progressed. Hoping to keep that mask off of him.
• Cole has been doing really well taking nutrition and they are going to up his intake again today.
• His arrhythmia continues to be a non-issue and they will just keep an eye out for it but it seems that from a medical standpoint, they are not concerned about this being an issue moving forward
• His lungs are doing very well. He is being weaned off of the nitric oxide today and will be breathing almost exclusively on his own. This is a huge step towards Cole's development. We are so happy to see the progress and are encouraged by this tremendously.
• Biggest and best news of the day, Cole might be heading back to Evergreen Hospital soon!!! The doctors believe that he is stable enough and at a point where he could return to Evergreen in the coming week or so. This is great for him as it means his level of care is reducing from a Level 4 Hospital to a Level 3 Hospital (Thanks for the explanation Lundquist). It also means that Michelle and I might be able to sleep in our own bed for the first time since February 14th.

Also, please pray for Cole's roommate who has been in the NICU for 2 months. He is doing well, but it has to be draining on himself and his parents.

Thanks all for the support and prayer that you have been sending our way and the way of the other families in the NICU. We couldn't get through this without it.

Michelle, Cole, James, and Rudy