It is a moment I have thought about for a long time and one that lived up to all I expected. Brian and I both held him for a few moments and enjoyed watching him sleep. He looked so peaceful in our arms and even felt comfortable enough to let out a few toots :)
This moment was possible because Braden had some huge milestones in the past 2 days including coming off respirator support. This means he is breathing on his own with the support of an oxygen line should he get short of breath.
Braden was also having trouble with his tummy and they worried there could be anatomical complications. Turns out is it just reflux and hopefully can be cleared with adjusting his position or medicine.
Today certainly marks a big step in the right direction. Largest obstacle now is getting the valve between the heart and lungs to close, a common issue with preemies that can usually be remedied with ibuprofen, however if unsuccessful, surgery is still a possibility.
We continue to live hour by hour and day by day. There are still lots of tests and steps in the future to cross but today is the kind of day to smile, not cry, and we hope there are many more moving forward.
p.s. For those of you awaiting an update on the stache growth campaign... Brian will be blogging on that soon but get your pictures ready and send them our way if you have not already.
What an amazing moment for you both. I'm so glad to hear about the progress Braden is making. I pray that he continues to meet and exceed all the future milestones.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see you're feeling better, Julia. :)
SO happy for all 3 of you. What a wonderful evening. We continue to pray for each of you. Love from us!
ReplyDeleteHooray!!! I am SO happy that you were both able to hold your son. It's wonderful that he's done so well in such a short period of time. I know he still has a long way to go, but I'm sure that holding him helps it to feel more do-able. We'll keep praying that you will have hundreds more of these opportunities.
ReplyDeletehe is absolutely amazing! I am so happy for all of you. Prayer and faith is an amazing thing. Hugs and kisses to all of you. Keep the updates coming!!
ReplyDeleteWell, what a fantastic moment for all three of you! Way to go, Braden! Love & Kisses to you all!
ReplyDeleteI am soooo happy my heart could burst seeing Braden in each of your arms...what am awesome site for sure!! A day to celebrate for sure! Love to you both, Gammy
ReplyDeleteWow - those pictures convey such a heartwarming feeling - absolutely amazing! I'm so happy for all of you :) Love, Aunt Sue
ReplyDeleteSo amazing! God is good...Braden is his beautiful creation. I cannot even imagine how much comfort Braden felt in your arms. What an incredibly special moment. We love you guys and are thinking of you always!
ReplyDeleteLove, Laura Payne
"It is a moment I have thought about for a long time and one that lived up to all I expected."
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful way to capture this! Thank you for sharing these feelings with us.
-Hil
What a beautiful baby boy! I am so happy for your family :)
ReplyDeleteJulia and Brian - you made our day here at the Geier's house. We all prayed for you tonight at mass, and came home to an incredible blog post full of good news, and wonderful pictures. You all and Braden have been through so much, you three deserved this day with each other. We are so happy for you guys and wish you a full week of more good news and great milestones and Braden gets stronger and stronger.
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
RG
Wow! the pix are amazing and brought tears to my eyes. I am so happy to hear how Braden has been progessing. He looks like such a big boy now! So beautiful! Thank you for sharing and love & hugs to you all!!
ReplyDeleteWe were so happy to read this post. I was brought to tears. This is such an exciting milestone for your family. Thank you for sharing this special moment with us. I look forward to hearing many more as Braden continues to grow strong.
ReplyDeleteContinued daily prayers from the Pankos!
What a wonderful moment! I know that it was such a special time and we appreciate that you shared it with us. I talked to Nana Donna earlier this evening to check up on you guys...have had you on my mind and in my prayers daily. Tell Braden that Aunt Bonnie is looking forward to holding him myself. Love to all 3 of you.
ReplyDeleteHow precious Baby Braden is !!!!! You are experiencing one of God's most special blessings. This entry, as well as many others, has really brought me to tears....Sooo proud for all of you...Thank you so much for sharing this special time. Our prayers continue....
ReplyDeleteAmazing! He's precious! Prayers for continued progress!!!
ReplyDeleteOh wow. That little boy knows how much he is loved, you can tell by that sweet contented look on his face. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDelete- Miki
That's amazing! Thanks so much for sharing with all of us. We are thinking about you daily.
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome, you three are sharing such an amazing testimony of how good God is in the midst of these crazy circumstances. I am proud of you three, stay strong and know so many people are praying for you three. Christ is the healer as well as the redeemer, keep trusting in Him.
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