Happy Halloween!

Our little pirate! He absolutely did not share our enthusium for his first Halloween.

So, his first Halloween was a smashing success on our part, but Rhys didn't appreciate his costume so much. He made one heck of a pirate though. The nurses and doctors got a good laugh if nothing else and we will have pictures for blackmail later on. :o)

Rhys' Nonna made him a smaller version of a Boppy pillow. It helps prop him up like a regular Boppy would, but this is the perfect size for him right now to rest on his tummy. It is much more effective than trying to prop him up on rolled blankets and Zakys.

Rhys' EKG revealed NO MORE PDA! Woohoo. It also revealed no pulmonary hypertension which is great news. Rhys' blood pressure is a little on the high side though so they are thinking of giving him medication to control it. His kidney ultrasound revealed no kidney stones, however it did show some sort of enlargement in his ureter (the "tube" that connects the kidney to the bladder). His is a very mild grade so they are going to do a dye test to check and see the extent of the problem. It could be that it regresses on its own, but it could potentially require surgery depending on what they find. The problem with leaving this untreated is that reflux could cause what is in the bladder to push back towards the kidneys and cause an infection. Also, his newborn screen tests, which he's had several times since he was born, showed low levels in his thyroid. The endocrinologist team was called (they've been following him since his brittle bones) and I believe they are recommending that he be started on a low dose to get him where he needs to be. That is the purpose of these screening tests, to catch treatable issues that newborns can have and fix them before they become a problem.

So, enjoy the pictures! And everyone have a safe Halloween!