Vance’s Journey: 5 Weeks Old and Still Fighting
Today, Vance turns 5 weeks old, and he continues to show us his incredible strength and resilience. This week, he has been working through another pneumatocele, which is essentially a large air-filled cyst in his lung. These are a result of the increased oxygen support he needed when he became sick a few weeks ago. Vance has already worked through three of these cysts.
The first pneumatocele burst and gave all of us a scare as Vance struggled to breathe. It was a tough moment for him (and for his mom and dad, too), but his medical team acted quickly, and our little fighter pulled through. Amazingly, the second two cysts burst with barely any impact on Vance—his oxygen needs remained stable, and the excess air drained from his lungs through his chest tube. His X-rays show that this latest pneumatocele in his right lung is quite large. While it’s still a concern, the doctors, alongside us, are hopeful it will resolve on its own. If it does burst, the medical team is prepared to evacuate the extra air quickly.
In the midst of it all, we got a bright moment this week: Mom got to hold Vance briefly during his isolette change. Those precious moments of contact are so cherished, even if they’re brief.
We’ve also started to settle into our NICU routine as a family. Mom likes to go to the NICU all day, every day, and (lovingly) bug the wonderful nurses. Dad works hard to balance everything, coming to visit Vance in the mornings before work and then again in the evenings afterward. The nurses have been nothing short of amazing. They not only care for Vance with such skill and compassion but also make us feel like we’re part of the team. We’re incredibly grateful for their expertise, kindness, and patience as they guide us through this journey.
Yesterday brought another small challenge when Vance spiked a fever, with his temperature climbing above 100 degrees. As always, the medical team jumped into action, running various tests to check for signs of infection. Thankfully, there hasn’t been any confirmation of infection so far. The current belief is that his fever may have been due to adjustments in his environment or a reaction to weaning him off the morphine he’s currently on. His temperature has since come down, but the team is keeping a close eye on him to ensure he stays stable.
On a positive note, Vance is so close to a big milestone: reaching 2 pounds! He is currently 1 lb 15 oz, and with his increased feeds, we are optimistic he’ll hit that mark very soon.
As we reflect on this past week, we continue to be in awe of Vance’s strength and determination. He fights battle after battle with a courage that inspires us every day. We ask that you keep our miracle boy in your thoughts and prayers as he continues to overcome these challenges. Your support means the world to us. ❤️
