See ya, CPAP!

We have had a big week so far. Charlotte has been taken off of the CPAP machine and is using a nasal cannula to breathe now! Charlotte hated that mask, and her face really looks beautiful without all of that head gear. She also had her follow up eye appointment this week, and the doctors still see no signs or retinopathy of prematurity. She is eating 18 milliliters of food every 3 hours and is 2 lbs 3.5 ounces. Her potassium is stable, and she is getting sodium supplements. Genetics tests are slowly starting to come back finally. The test for trisomy 13, 18, and 21 came back negative. However, Charlotte's low platelet counts are our biggest concern, because she is still receiving transfusions every couple of days. We are concerned that her bone marrow may not be working correctly. Our hematologist is sending out lots of tests to try and figure out what may be causing the problem. David and I will have our blood drawn on Saturday to see if it will provide any answers. Laura held Charlotte for four hours Wednesday, and she did great. Her breathing was much better while she is being held. Kangaroo care has been shown to have benefits including stabilization of organ function and self-regulation abilities, facilitation of better sleep patterns, stabilization of the heart rate, improved breathing pattern, improved oxygen saturation levels, more rapid weight gain, decreased crying, and a shorter hospital stay. We can't wait to take Charlotte home!