Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 44

Last week they ramped up Samuel's bottle feeding to two times a day. This week they are planning on doing three bottles a day. They are reducing the quantity and increasing the calories by adding formula to Leyla's milk.

Everyone continues to ask when will Samuel be home. We don't know yet, it is up to Samuel. He continues to breathe about 50 to 80 breaths per minute. The doctors would like him to breathe under 60 breaths per minute.

Thank you for your prayers.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 43

Leyla was able to see Samuel today at the hospital and give him a bottle. Samuel is doing much better now with a bottle. At first he had a hard time figure out how to breathe and eat. I am planning to see him tomorrow night and give him a bottle. He is able to take 30ml (1 ounce) through the bottle. There have been no other changes. He is doing well.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 42

Good news! Samuel was just given a small amount of milk (20ml) through a bottle today. Samuel responded well to it.

He has been breathing too fast, more than 70 breaths per minute. The doctors would like to see him below 60. He is still at the same level of oxygen (40%).

Leyla was able to see Samuel today. I am planning to go see him tonight.

Things to pray for:
* That Leyla would be able to produce enough milk for Samuel. Right now it is a race between Samuel and Leyla. Leyla's grandma gave Leyla some powdered sesame seeds for her to drink with milk.
* That Samuel's would calm down and his breaths per minute would be low enough for him to take more milk in the bottle.

Thanks!

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 41

Samuel is now drinking more milk than what Leyla is producing. They increased Samuel's milk to 74ml (which is around 2.5 ounces) every 3 hours. Leyla is producing 2 ounces every 3 hours. Leyla is going to drop off some more milk today that is frozen at her moms house.

They haven't been able to decrease the oxygen. The is still at about 40%.

I am planning to visit Samuel tonight and wear a mask since I have a cold yet. Leyla is doing better with her Mastitis.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 40

There have been no changes the past couple of days with Samuel. He is still on the same level of oxygen and the same amount of milk. The doctors are not planning any other changes.

A few praises, my Dad was able to fix the garbage disposal. Leyla's fever broke and she is doing much better. The girls are recovered from their fevers. However it looks like as of this morning Jasmine (my 3 year old) has a urinary tract infection.

Pray that Samuel will get stronger so they could reduce his oxygen. Right now he is kind of stuck. Pray for Leyla as she still has Mastitus and is in pain. Pray for Jasmine, she is in a lot of pain and was screaming in the early morning.

I went to the Social Security Administration yesterday to apply for Social Security Income for Samuel. It is not much; $30/month but we have to be approved for that before I can apply for Medicaid for Samuel. The idea is that the Medicaid will be used as a secondary insurance when Samuel has his second surgery to remove the gortex patch in his abdomen.

Thanks for praying. Thanks for all the visits to Samuel while we are sick, it means a lot. I am working with my cold but I am staying away from Samuel.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 39

Samuel is doing well. They took out his pic line yesterday (this was the line that they were giving him the medicines and the intravenous feeding). He is doing fine with Leyla's milk. They put in some more calories and protein to strengthen him.



He is about 40% oxygen. Remember this oxygen is through the nose. He is doing all the breathing on his own. He does well when he is content. When he is hungry or has a dirty diaper his oxygen levels decrease.



This has been a rough couple days for the rest of the Finzer family. The girls have had a fever for the past two days. Last night Leyla and I were up for the whole night because Leyla was so sick with a fever (103 degrees). We slept with a bucket between us because she was naseous. This morning I took Leyla to urgent care. She was diagnosed with sinusitis. They put her on a strong antibiotic. I am starting to get sick since I had no sleep last night. Leyla and I stayed in bed all day today to try to recover.



My mom and dad just arrived and they will be helping with the girls and helping Leyla get better. Please pray for Leyla she is taking it really hard that both her girls are sick and she is sick and none of us can go see Samuel in the hospital. If you can send Leyla a funny get well soon card I am sure it would lift her spirits.

Leyla Finzer
1411 Kellerman Court
Columbus, OH 43228

Thanks to all of you that have given toward the medical bills. I have a peace knowing that there is money in the bank as the bills are rolling in. I just sent out $800 yesterday towards the birth. When it rains it pours. Our garbage disposal just bit the dust about an hour ago. I thank God that we are able to replace that too.

Hope you enjoy the pictures of Samuel and Leyla a couple days ago. She didn't have a fever then but she still had to wear a mask, a gown, and gloves to be with Samuel.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 38

Big news. Samuel was super mad at the ventilator tube this morning and he pulled it out himself while the nurse was out of the room. He is breathing fast and is a little bit scared because he pulled it out. He is being given oxygen through the nose. They also put the feeding tube down his nose. He didn't like that at all. They are going to feed him when he calms down. Pray for Samuel's peace. Pray that Samuel will not pull the tubes out of his nose now.

Pray for Leyla she has a cold and will have to wear a mask to go see Samuel today.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 37

Picture of Samuel from last nights visit with Mami Priscilla and Grandma Leonor.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 36

Praise God. As of this morning Samuel is totally off the intravenous feeding and being fed totally by Leyla's milk. They are going to up his milk to 60ml (2 ounces) today. He is still hovering around the same oxygen level.

Samuel really hates the ventilator tube. This morning he gagged himself and threw up. The doctors are thinking about taking out the ventilator tube tomorrow. We will know more after the doctors rounds this morning.

Baby steps. Someone asks me every day. So have the doctor's said when Samuel can come home? I told one person that it is up to Samuel. He replied; he's a Finzer so who knows. :)

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 35

Last night I was able to hold Samuel. Daddy runs a little hot so after about an hour of me holding him Samuel became mad and tried to kick off the blanket.

Today they ramped up the milk to 40ml which is a little over an ounce. Leyla had a visit with Samuel and was able to hold him for the first time.

The current plan is to get him to two ounces of milk by Friday. The doctor doesn't expect any feeding problems. The current plan is to get him off the lipids and electrolytes and totally on milk. The ventalator tube can come off later when he is ready; sometime next week. The doctor wants to get the pic line out soon since it can be an area where infection can enter the body. The pic line is where all the medicines, fluids, and intravenous food is going in.

Samuel is progressing well. God is good.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 34

Great news; they started giving Samuel Leyla's milk. They started him out with 5ml yesterday morning then ramped up to 20ml during the night. Today they are planning to give him 30ml. 30ml is about an ounce.

They haven't taken him off the ventilator yet. He is still around 32% oxygen. They tried lowering it but he couldn't tolerate it.

More updates later.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 33

We came to the hospital and because of the set back this morning they put his oxygen up to 38%. They decided not to take him off the ventilator. He may come off the ventilator tonight or tomorrow. They gave him another dose of ativan while we were at the hospital to calm him down. They put a feeding tube down his throat and he is receiving pedia lite.

Please pray that Samuel would be strong enough to come off the ventilator. Crystal has been praying specifically that they would get the tape off Samuel's face.

Thanks for praying.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 32

As of 4pm yesterday they turned off the Nitric Oxide. They also reduced the fentanyl (the pain med) to .5 mcg. He stayed at 28% oxygen for the day.

I called the nurse this morning. They are expecting to take Samuel completely off the ventilator this afternoon. They had to do a lot of suctioning this morning and Samuel had a small set back but then he was fine shortly. They had to give him a dose of ativan to calm him down. I am planning to visit Samuel this afternoon. I want to be there when the take the ventilator off. This is a big step. Please pray that Samuel would be able to breath well on his own.

Big thanks to all that gave money to help with the medical bills; family foundations class, cornerstone class, spousology class, and neighbors. I was a little anxious how we were going to pay the medical bills. Thanks to all of you; I really have a peace that God is going to take care of every detail of this trial.

Thanks to our neighbor Diedra for the breast milk freezing organizer. This is perfect timing since Leyla is almost producing more that what the hospital vials can hold.

Thanks to the Driesbach's for the wonderful treat bag. We feel spoiled.

Yesterday I took the girls to COSI because they worked so hard on Thursday taking down the Christmas decorations inside and filling up the van with junk from the crawl space. My 5 year old must have gone up and down the stairs a hundred times. Jasmine (my three year old) filled the back of the mini van with junk. Jasmine and I were sick last night from something we ate at COSI. Who knows what it was, I ordered a little bit of everything. Praise God that we are both better after a good nights sleep.

Holding on to this verse today:

Philipians 4:6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Samuel Kenneth Finzer Update 31

Samuel was content and looking around yesterday. They weaned his oxygen to 28% and his oxygen saturation continued to be in the high 90's (anything above 84 is good). They decreased his Nitric oxide from 2.5 to 1. They changed his sedative from every 8 hours to every 12 hours. They are continuing to give the lasix to help drain the fluid he tends to retain.

As of this morning at 9am Samuel is at 26% oxygen (21% is what you are breathing now). They are planning on turning off the Nitric Oxide and weaning the fentanyl slightly today.

Samuel is doing very well. It won't be long now until they try the feeding tube instead of feeding him intravenously. Your prayers have really helped. If you would please pray that Samuel would be able to be tolerate feeding with the feeding tube we would really appreciate it. Leyla read a blog last night about another baby with a Diaphragmatic Hernia and she needed another surgery because she had so much spit up and could not tolerate the mother's milk. She is concerned, please pray for her peace. Please pray for Samuel's continued strength.

God is mighty. God knows exactly what is going on. He sees everything:

Jeremiah 32:19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.