He doesn't know he's a whimpy white boy...

It is difficult to put the moments that define life into words. But, the moment I first held Henri Warren Byrge was my greatest moment. I'm sure Melissa will agree that seeing him made the lowest lows of the past 7 1/2 months fade into that happy place of forgetfullness. Here is how it happened...

Friday August 14, 2009 Melissa was admitted to Missouri Baptist Medical Center for "observation" and to get steroids that would help Henri's lung development if he were to be delivered early. We suspected that Melissa's lab values (uric acid, platelet count, protein in her urin, etc ) would continue to worsen and that Henri would probably be delivered sometime the following week (we were told there was a chance we could have three more weeks).

Saturday August 15, 2009 Melissa called me (I was at home working on Henri's room) and said her platelet count had fallen enough that Henri would be delivered around 3pm.

At about 3:10pm, I stood outside the O.R. I will spare the dirty details (though they are really cool and I have photos AND video if you're interested), but at 3:36pm on Saturday August 15, 2009, Henri Warren was deliverd via c-section. For Melissa, the most relieving moment was when he cried for the first time. I have to say I have a lot of respect for Melissa's ob/gyn. She did a great job.

Because Henri was delivered 6 weeks early, his current address is in the Special Care Unit (SCU)at MoBap. There he has made progress toward all three major pre-requisites for coming home.

They are:

1) Breath on his own. Henri has well developed lungs and has never needed support in this area. So, check for number one!

2) Regulate his own body temperature. Henri has progressed from the heating table to an incubator. The temperature has been slowly lowered to its current point, the last point before before graduating to an open crib. So...good progress toward number 2!

3) Eat/grow. Henri started IV nutrition late Sunday. He had his first nipple feeding this morning (about 6mL). The goal is to get to just over 1oz every three hours. Part of this process does require a feeding tube in his nose for the formula/breast milk that he is too tired to take via the bottle. That is not actually a bad thing.

It has apparently been shown that different people groups fare differently in the SCU. Those who do best are normally black and female followed by black males and then white females. Pulling up the rear, are the "whimpy white boys." Kathy, one of the SCU nurses said of Henri, "He must not know he is a whimpy white boy...don't tell him!" Henri is doing well. Though challenges could still lay ahead, he is wonderfully made.

Here are a couple additional pics of our handsome little man. If you drool, Henri can lend you a burp cloth :) Enjoy.

Finally...Melissa is also doing well. She is likely to come home Wednesday. I saw what they did to her Saturday. She is THE man! (My mother-in-law is now telling me that being the WOman is better than the man. If it were not 12:25am, I'd tell her where to go.) Goodnight.