June 2000 - June 2001
June 00:  
He was born at University Hospital and stayed there the rest of the month, having some good and some bad days. They found out he had a heart murmur, and told us he may need surgery for it. He also received four doses of surfactant, for his lungs.  
 
 
July 00:
Kaeric had been fairly doing well, except for losing about 5 ounces. On July 5th he opens a part of one eye. Suddenly he starts to go down hill at the beginning of this month. The doc's think he may had meningitus or and infection. Turns out he had NEC (which means he has perforations in his bowels) First they try to treat it without surgery but the surgeons decide he needs surgery asap. So that day, on July 6th, they transfer him from University Hospital to Children's Hospital, where he goes to surgery at 9:30pm. They told us it was a very risky surgery, but it had to be done. Kaeric, still only weighing about 535 grams pulls though. They had give him an ileostomy. Through the rest of the month Kaeric stays pretty sick and the docs tell us they don't know what's going to happen. Mom gets to hold him for the first time on July 6th. On July 7th he's back to his birth weight. July 8th-12th Gramma Mayo and Auntie Kate and Melanie and G.Gramma Stover came to see Kaeric all the way from Minnesota. On July 11th he finally opens part of his other eye. July 23rd Kaeric turned one month old! Dad gets to hold him for the first time on July 18th. At the end of the month they decide he needs surgery for his heart murmur (PDA ligation)
 
 
August 00:
Like every month Kaeric had good and bad days. August 1st Kaeric had a PDA legation to fix his heart murmur. He began improving after that. August 2nd Kaeric hit the 2 lbs mark! August 14, Kaeric wore clothes for the first time. On August 23, Kaeric turned two months old and he came off IV fluids for the first time.  
 
 
September 00:  
Kaeric had his eye exam on September 1st. The doc's discovered he had ROP. So on Sept 6th he had laser surgery on both eyes. He recovered fairly well. Sept 22 we got to do Kangaroo care (mom and Kaeric).
We both loved it. On Sept 23rd Kaeric turned 3 months old! On Sept 30th dad did kangaroo care with Kaeric. Kaeric hit 3 lbs this month.
 
 
October 00:
Kaeric hit 4 lbs and 15 inches on the 2nd. He also moved out of an isolette and into a "warmer bed". Kaeric got very sick this month. Everyone was really worried. His lungs began to get worse. On Oct 1st Gramma Swimeley held Kaeric for the first time. Oct 11th was Kaeric's due date. Oct 13th Kaeric got his first tub bath and he didn't look very happy about it! Kaeric began making eye contact this month. On Oct 18th Kaeric had his trach surgery and did very well. The trach is very good for him, allowing him to be more of a "normal" baby, and learn to play and take a pacifier. On Oct. 19th Kaeric took a pacifier quite happily. On Oct 20th, he smiled at us for the first time! On Oct 21st Kaeric started working with Michelle in Occupational Therapy. On Oct 23rd Kaeric turned 4 months old, took his FIRST bottle (2 cc's of water) and hit 5 lbs! Mom and Dad got to feed Kaeric for the first time this week. On Oct 24th Kaeric moved to a crib. Oct 31st (first halloween) Kaeric was a pirate!
 
 
November 00:  
This month was full of ups and down like last month.
Nov 1st we finally get to hear Kaeric cry very softly through the trach. Nov 7th Kaeric had two tests. Upper GI and Gastric Emptying Scan. He had to go down to the 1st floor! He was so brave! As a result of that test they diagnosed him with reflux. On Nov 9th Kaeric had a lower GI (back down to the first floor!) Nov 10th Kaeric got his first set of shots - polio, pneumonia HIB, and DPT. Nov 11th Kaeric is one month C.A. (corrected age; age he would be if he was full term). Nov 16th Kaeric is starting to hold his head up by himself. On Nov 19th Kaeric was tested positive for RSV (resp. infection) and moved to isolation. Everyone has to wear masks. On Nov 20th Kaeric weighs 6lbs! Nov 23rd Kaeric is five months old. It is also his first thanksgiving! He tasted an orange sucker today for the first time (a treat for thanksgiving!) It's also good for positive stimulation to his mouth. On Nov 27th Kaeric goes back to POD G. Nov 28th Kaeric begins to get very sick again. Nov 29th his g-tube, wrap, and take down surgery are canceled because he's too sick for the OR.  
 
 
December 00:
Dec 1st Kaeric begins to feel alittle bit better! (whew) (also Auntie Brenna's 10th bday!) Kaeric slowly gets better and comes off the antibiotics and iv fluids again (over the next week or so). Dec 10th Kaeric meets Santa! Dec 11th Kaeric is two months old C.A. On Dec 16th Kaeric has a hearing screen and they find out he has fluid in his ears but it should absorb. Dec 19th DADDY's BIRTHDAY. Kaeric is feeling well and is working with OT again and trying to take bottles (having troubles). He loves to play and listen to his music. Dec 23rd Kaeric turns 6 months old! Dec 24th Kaeric enjoys xmas eve with gramma and grandpa Swimeley and mom and dad. He already has more presents than he needs! Dec 25th FIRST XMAS - Santa came over night and Kaeric has even more presents PLUS mom and dad's!  
 
 
January 01:
Kaeric's surgery is set for the 6th of this month. But again has to be canceled because Kaeric got sick. On the 2nd he had a Central line put in because he's needing antibiotics and fluids again. On Jan 10th they find out he has Staf. Jan 11th he's three months C.A. and 9lbs! WOW! Kaeric begins to feel better by the 14th (and so do we). Jan 23rd Kaeric is 7 months old. Jan 27th is Uncle Bill's eighth birthday! Kaeric is having up and down days, and many 'spells'.  
 
 
February 01:
On Feb 2nd Kaeric has a bronchoscope and the doc's find out his airways are still collapsing even with a peep of 8. So his 'constant pressure' or peep is raised to 12. After this Kaeric begins to do so much better and the docs decide to let him outgrow his steriods. Feb 8th - this week Kaeric begins to sleep through the nights. He is a much happier baby now that he can breath. He plays more and cries less. Feb 11th Kaeric is 4 months C.A. Feb 22nd Kaeric is 11lbs! Feb 23rd Kaeric is 8 months old! On Feb 24th he starts to suck his thumb, its so cute.
 
 
March 01:  
March 2nd mom's birthday and Kaeric threw her a party. March 5th Kaeric is down to only one dose of adavant a day and breathing treatments are now only Q12 instead of Q2. March 6th Kaeric is 12 lbs! (growing fast) March 11th Kaeric is 5 months C.A. Kaeric is beginning to laugh now and 'coo'. He also tries to reach for things and he holds toys very well. He is beginning to like being on his belly again and his neck, arms, and legs are getting stronger. March 19th Kaeric weighs 12lbs 10 oz! March 28th Kaeric has another eye exam, and he has subtotal retina detachment. The specialist decides it's not too serious right now and won't need surgery yet. On March 29th he finally has his surgery. The "blue plate special" and the doctors called it. He got a g-tube, nissen, ostomy takedown, circumsion, and c-line. Kaeric did very well, the surgery took about 4 hours. He is recovering very well!
 
 
April 01:
It took Kaeric a couple weeks to recover from his surgery, but he did very well. In mid-april he got another infection, from his c-line - so they pulled it, and gave him anti-biotics. He also got a PICC line this month. April 15th is Kaeric's first Easter! He is smiling and laughing so much more this month. April 18th he goes for PE tubes in his ears. At the end of this month they tell us they think he's ready to go to the trach unit! A big step! So on May 1st we'll be moving to another part of the hospital, that specializes in lungs and breathing. Kaeric weighs 13 1/2 lbs! Last update: 04/29/01
 
 
May 01:
May 1st Kaeric graduates from the RCNIC at last! His doc's, nurses, RT's, etc throw him alittle party. He moves to the tach unit. May 3rd Kaeric is put on a home vent for the first time to see how things go.
Kaeric wasn't ready for the home vent, so back to the Servo. The rest of the month goes pretty smooth, getting used to his new unit. Kaeric is also learning to eat some baby food.  
 
 
June 01:  
This month Kaeric got 2 infections, and they also put him back on "water pills" He has a Echo and EKG to check out his heart. On June 22nd Kaeric has a high temp, and white cell count, he has pneumonia he has to go to the PICU for a few days. June 23rd Kaeric turns One! Yay! This month Kaeric learns to roll over too!