Also, Stephen held William for an hour, and I held Aaron. They are sooo tiny but it's such a good feeling to hold them. :)
The repeat head ultrasounds were today. We've been holding our breaths for this, as we were concerned about William after the last scan. Aaron also had a bleed, but William's was worse. In another twist...William's bleed is now stable. He does have some build up of spinal fluid, which is common for his level of bleed. The nurses will keep him monitored and measure his head every day, to see if the fluid starts to drain on its own. If it does not, it could cause hydrocephalus, with the pressure needing to be relieved by spinal taps. If spinal taps are ineffective, a shunt is the next step. While there could be some damage from the initial bleed, at this point everything looks good as long as we can keep the pressure from building from the fluid.
Now the not so good news. Aaron has a new bleed, of the most severe, on both sides of the brain. This was a huge kick to the gut, to say the least. The doctor had a discouraging conversation with us regarding the potential outcomes of the bleed. We knew there would be ups and downs with the NICU, but they've been doing so well - especially Aaron, our little fighter. While I've now read plenty of stories of preemies who have overcome severe brain bleeds with little delays, the vast spectrum of potential future issues is daunting, and wasn't helped with the doctor's assessment. Please pray for us to find the strength to deal with whatever may come, but mostly for Aaron to overcome this, and for his brain to grow and rewire the best way possible.
Isaiah 40:11: He will gather the lambs with His arms and carry them close to His heart. He will gently lead those who are with young ones.
