Today was an exciting day and big day for Wilder. He gets visited by occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy(to work on feeding) throughout the week. They all came today and they help him work on different goals such as massage to provide positive touch, stretching, range of motion, and muscle strengthening. He was very awake and alert for all of his appointments today. 

Speech therapy cleared him to start bottle feeds and I got to give him his first bottle since he had surgery. He did so well and took 10 mls before he wore out and went to sleep. It was a great first step! 

He has continued to maintain his own heart rate without them pacing. He has started an anticoagulant that is given via shots rather than IV. He takes his shots like a champ. He’s so tough! The goal is to move away from all IV meds as that is part of his progress to going home. The anticoagulant is to prevent future blood clots as they still aren’t sure why he developed the complication he did. 

Our main prayer request is regarding  the output from his remaining chest tube. It was increasing yesterday and through the night. The concern is that his increased feed volume is the issue. They are trying a medication that they think might help and if it doesn’t then they will have to stop feeds for several days to allow his lymphatic system to heal. Please pray for this output to lower so he is able to keep eating.