Hearts

For months and months, friends, family and other acquaintances have raved about the inseparable nature of twins. They'll sleep in the same crib, they'll play together all the time, they'll be each other's missing half. So I suppose I sort of figured that's how it would be in the NICU - same schedule, same pattern, same development, come home together... then a couple days ago someone (I honestly can't remember who) brought it to my attention that twins don't always go home from the NICU together - in fact, it's probably more common that they go home one at a time.

So I suppose it's a good thing that I've started to accept a little bit of that separation, because over the last couple days we have hit a little bit of a fork in the road. Nothing huge or dramatic or urgent, but a little fork nonetheless.

Emery is holding steady, moving along nicely - increased feedings, breathing strongly on her own, just resting nicely as she "feeds & grows".

Collin, on the other hand, has needed to go back on oxygen (granted, a very small amount), and has a PDA. Lest you think the only PDA is a hand held electronic device, please allow Wikipedia to explain here. It's apparently a common thing with premature babies - the 'duct' between heart and lungs doesn't close off properly, and it can slow the oxygen supply to the rest of the body (hence the oxygen) and lower blood pressure a little bit. We are fortunate, however, that Collin falls in an ideal age range and level of health (meaning, he's not in great distress and overall doing very well), so they have given him the first of three doses of a medication that "should close it" as the Nurse Practitioner told us tonight. There is a chance it may not, however, or it may just shrink... and it may be something that will be fixed either on its own or with some medical treatment in the first year or so of his life.

So for this rookie (and not medically-inclined) father, it can be a little disconcerting. We have been assured that it's not terribly uncommon, and Collin is showing no adverse affects, which is good. But, any extra faith and prayers on his behalf would be much appreciated.