Merry Christmas everyone! I dont know if anyone is still reading this page as i havent wrote in it in a very long time its just been so cray since Ethan came home! EVERYThing is going sooo well! Ethan is over 10lbs and today he has been home for more than he was in the hospital!!! WE are all very excited! Ethan's docs all saying that hes doing great too

Sign the petition!

Day 85

ETHAN IS HOME!


Ethan didn't have to come home on O2 he just didn't need it anymore but he is still on a monitor it beeps at us randomly when his patches are moved or on his diaper! haha but other than that it hasn't went off for any other reason! YAY!!! he is eating well and gaining weight! Ethan saw his new doc Dr.Mills yesterday for the first time and Dr. Mills said he is impressed how well Ethan is doing since he was born so early! so that was really great!

Beth

Day 80

Ethan's surgery went very very well! but then he had a little bit of set back from being on the vent but he is now back on the regular cannula same on he will come home on and eating 3 ounces every 4 hours. He is now weighing 5lbs 6 1/2 ounces!!!!!!!!

And now for the big news.........

ETHAN IS COMING HOME WED!!!!!!!!

WE are very very excited!

Beth

Day 62

Ethan is still doing great weighing 4 1/2 pounds and 17 1/2 inches! He got his feeding tube out yesterday and is getting all his feeds from a bottle. He is going to have surgery to fix his hernia next week he should be home by the end of the month!

Beth

Day 48

SORRY I haven't made a post recently! But there are lots of updates!!!!!
Ethan is now in an open crib! He is taking a bottle for 2 of his feedings! and is doing very very well with that! He is off the heated flow cannula and is just on a regular cannula and is 21% oxygen (that is room air)! He now weights 3lbs 12 1/2 ounces! We are all so proud of Ethan and can't wait for him to come home. I received and video camera (THANKS CHASTA!) at Ethan's baby shower, and I'm going to try to put some videos of Ethan on here we will see if i can get it too work! ALSO thanks to everyone who was at the shower for all the wonderful gifts! :)

Day 34

Ethan is doing MUCH better after his rough day! So little Ethan has a little hernia which basically created a road block in Ethan's intestines and was not allowing anything to pass through it, they were able to push the hernia back into place (which is GREAT and means no surgery for right now tho he will have to have it repaired before he goes home). After they pushed it back into place the X-rays looked great and were back to normal!!!! Last night Ethan pull his vent tube out, and they were able to put him on CPAP! Then tonight when I came in they had put him on the heated flow nasal cannula (he was on this a couple weeks ago) this just uses less pressure and allows him to do more of the work. He many not tolerate it we just have to see how it goes they many have to put him back on CPAP. They also started feeding him again today! and he is tolerating it! So really everything is doing much much better!!!!

As for me I have decided to stay at home for now. I am very grateful for the people and the place to stay at St. V's Home Away from Home but it was really taking a toll on me being there all the time was just really not good for me. I will still be visiting Ethan everyday (I cant stay away!) so if anyone would like to come with me just let me know! Oh and also I am going to be working some days a spengs.

Thanks for all your prayers and keep em coming! ;)

I added more pictures to the slideshow some of his first bath!

Beth

Day 32

Today has been a crazy day for little Ethan! Early this morning Ethan's belly was distended which means it was sticking out or bloated, they said that for some reason air and food is not traveling through his intestines. So they stop his feeds and started him on antibiotics. Then this morning he also received a blood transfusion to try to get his red blood cell count up. Then this afternoon they had to put Ethan back on the vent. Please keep Ethan in your prayers!

Beth

Day 31

Ethan is ONE MONTH OLD!!! 2 more months to go!

Not much has changed since I last wrote. Ethan is still on CPAP, and seeming to do well with that he is not having hardly any times were he is forgetting to breath! but there are still a few! I thought that I would be able to hold him more now that he can maintain his own temp, but I was wrong they want him to gain some more weight first. Today he is weighing in at 2lbs 14 ounces when he gets about 3 and 1/2 pounds then i will be able to hold him more (at least that what they tell me) Ethan got his first bath is a tub 2 days ago I will post those pics soon

Beth

Day 26

Ethan is still doing about the same...no news is good news in my book. He is still on the CPAP and is in about 25% oxygen (Normal room air has about 21% oxygen). All his stats are looking good. Sean got to hold Ethan tonight and he was pretty excited about that but also a little nervous. Within the next day or so I am going to be having a care conference with Ethan's doctors, this will be a time for them to go over Ethan's problems that he has because of being born so early, it should be helpful. If anyone would like to visit with Ethan they are more than welcome to! All you have to do is let Sean or I know so that we can be here for your visit (they will not let you in if your not with a parent). But if you are sick please don't come.... Ethan's immune system is not as strong as ours is. Oh, and the last thing they do not allow children to see Ethan. So if your healthy and want to see Ethan get a babysitter and get a hold of Sean or I! Ethan would love to meet you!

Beth

Day 24

ETHAN IS OFF THE VENT!!!!!!!!!!
And is back on CPAP and doing well!

I just got to hold him for about an hour! It was pretty great! Ethan is now regulating his own temp, so that is good news because it means that we will be able to hold him more often! And that means he can now wear clothing! The nurse said in about 2 weeks or so we should be able to try to start bottle or breast feeding him! EXCITING!

One last thing I added a slide show of pictures if you click on the pictures it will open a new window and you can see them at a larger size!

Beth

Day 20 and 21

Ethan is 3 Weeks old today!
Only 9 more weeks till he comes home!
Ethan is weighing in at 2 lbs 10 1/2 ounces! He is still on the vent but they have turned down the settings which is making him do more of the work himself. All the test and blood work have come back just fine.

Beth

Day 19

After a very long day yesterday I thought it would be a good idea to come home and sleep in my own bed when I got home I received a call from Ethan's Nurse she told me that Ethan had to be intabated or put on a ventilator. He was work to hard to breath and was getting tired and was forgetting to breath so they want to give him a break so he can rest. Other than that everything else is good he is still tolerating his feeds and all his blood work looks good thus far!

Keep Ethan in your prayers!

Beth

Day 15 16 17 and 18

Our little Ethan is starting too look like a little man! His face is filling our more! He is now weighing in at about 2lbs 8 ounces and is 15 inches long! He is growing! They did have to put Ethan back on the CPAP to help him breath, the doctors and nurses reassured me that this is NOT a back step that he is just getting tired and burning too many calories breathing on his own. So they are going to be giving him a little bit of help. I don't think that he will be on the CPAP for too long but I could be wrong he may be on it for a few days. They told me that they are watching him and are just taking it day by day to see what he can and can not do.

I want to thank everyone for the wonderful cards they have sent and the gift! Also I want to thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers.

Beth
I will be post more pictures later in the week!

Day 14

Ethan is 2 Weeks old!
Ethan is still doing very well! He is still doing well with his feedings and they are increasing every 12 hours! I got to hold him yesterday for an hour and a a half it was so great! I was so excited! I have pictures and I will be posting them but I can't get them to load from the computer here at home away from home. but I will get them up on here! It is nice to be able to be so close to Ethan, but I do miss home so if anyone wants to visit feel free to let me know!

Beth

Day 12 and 13

Ethan is still doing very well! I got to hold him last night while the nurse changed his bedding! It was so great! that would only be the second time I held him! I also changed his diaper! I was pretty excited! I know it sounds crazy but that was the first time I had changed my own baby's diaper! I have pictures of all these happens and I will get them on here I promise. Check within the next few days! I just moved into a room here at St V's in there place that they call home away from home, it is just like Ronald McDonald house. So with that said things have been crazy! As I thought I wouldn't be able to get a room until this weekend or early next week but they called me this morning! I think it will be easier to be closer to Ethan it only takes a few mins to walk over to the NICU from where I am staying.

Beth

Day 11

Ethan is still doing very well! they have increased his feedings and he is still tolerating it very well. Sean had a first last night. The nurse asked him if he wanted to change Ethan's diaper. Sean jumped at the chance, keep in mind we had never changed his diaper before! Sean was so excited! Then Ethan had got some of the bedding wet so the nurse had Sean pick Ethan up while she changed the bedding 2 time Sean has gotten to hold him! I still have only held him once!!!! haha (My mom has the pictures of this I will try to post them later today.)

Beth

Day 8, 9 and 10

I got a little bit behind! oh well! I will catch everyone up! There wasn't much to report up until last night anyway! Yesterday afternoon Ethan was put back on the Heated Flow Nasal Cannula (they tired it a few days ago but he wasn't on it for that long). This is like the CPAP was less pressure (help) that he is getting. And he was tolerating it, and doing well! In the picture you can see that this looks lot more comfortable (That is a fooler in his mouth).

Also yesterday afternoon they started feeding him breast milk! He doesn't drink it out of a bottle but he getting it from a tube that runs in his mouth and down to his belly. They are only feeding him small amounts to see how him belly will tolerate it. Like everything else his belly wasn't developed enough to digest milk when he was born.

Sean and I have been up to the hospital everyday and anytime anyone would like to go with us they are more than welcome just let us know!

Beth

Day 7

Today Ethan Is One Week Old!

It is so hard to believe, the past week has just flew by!

Grandma and Grandpa Saneholtz went with Sean and I to see Ethan last night! He is still doing great and has even gained some weight! He now weighs 2 pounds and 4 ounces! That is 5 1/2 ounces more than he weighed at birth! They decided to try and put Ethan on a different type of machine to help him breath called a Heated Flow Nasal Cannula. The difference from the CPAP mask (what he was on before) is that it provides less pressure and it has smaller prongs that go into his nose.

This after noon Sean and I went to see Ethan. We were informed that they had to put Ethan back on the CPAP mask. The little guy was just working to hard to breath, and was just getting wore out. They also told me that his lips were getting chapped and to bring in some chap-stix. (I just thought that was too cute!)

Tonight I made yet another trip to see Ethan while Sean was working (he really would have rather been with us than at work). Josh and Sarah two very good friends of Sean and I went also. They were so excited to meet Ethan for the first time! While we were there they were having problems with Ethan not keeping his mouth closed. If he has it open all the time all the help the CPAP mask is giving him goes in his nose and out his mouth. They had already put a little chin strap (see picture) on him to help keep it closed but it really wasn't helping all that much because he kept moving around. When we left Ethan was getting fussy because the respiratory ladies were trying to get him in a position to keep his mouth closed. When I talked to Sean on his break and told him about our visit and Ethan not keeping his mouth closed he said "Well we all know he gets that from his mom." I think he was trying to say I talk a lot or something! haha

I just called to the NICU and spoke with his nurse she said that right after we left they got him all fixed up and that he was sleeping just like a baby! haha

On a different note I am feeling a lot better! Still a little sore but a lot better than I have in a long time (even before I delivered)

Beth

Meaning of the name Ethan

I looked up the meaning of Ethan's name and was so suprized at what i found out i just wanted to share it with everyone!

Ethan means: Strong, and firm

When I looked that up, I was so amazed even his name tells how strong he is!

Beth

Day 6

Today is day 6 for Ethan! And he still doing so great! Sean and I went to see him again last night, when we were there we got to talk with Ethan's Nurse Practitioner-Gina. She was very nice and explained a lot of things that they are doing and why they do it. It was very nice to get that info. Gina told us that they did a head ultrasound to check for bleeding on his brain (really common for premature babies to have bleed on the brain) and it came back that there was no bleeding!!!!!!! Sean and I were very excited about that! Everyday it seems he is doing just a little bit better, they told us that there maybe some set backs but he has had any yet!

Sean and I also wanted to tell everyone that we are so thankful for our wonderful family and friends who have been there for us during the past weeks event. We really don't know what we would do without all these wonderful people in our lives! We love you guys!

Also we wanted to thank everyone for your prayers and thought!

Beth

Day 5

Today is day 5 for our little guy! He is still doing very well! Sean and I went up to see him last night, the nurses told us that hes still doing great!!!!

So with the CPAP mask that he has been on to help him breath he does all the work on his own and it is just there to help give him more oxygen, but last night when we were there they told us that they put him on a non invasive ventilator which helps him breath, the poor little guy was working too hard to breath and it was making him really tired so the ventilator thing gives him up to 20 extra breaths a min only if he needs them.

Everything else is going good I am still a sore and my feet are still swollen but other than that I am feeling well!


Beth

Sunday July 13

Day 4 for Ethan! Still doing well! Sean and I got to hold him today for the very first time it was AMAZING! We never thought we would get to hold him anytime soon ( I posted some more pictures of this!)

I Came home today which was very bittersweet hard to leave him there but good to be home. We will be make lots of trips to see him so if anyone would like to come with us or drive me (I cant drive for 2 weeks ) just let me know!

Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts

Sat July 12

Today sunday is day 3 for little Ethan! The docs in the NICU tell me that he will most likly be staying until around his original due due which was Sept 29. They said he maybe released sooner or later just depending on how well he grows and how fast.

So they were able to take Ethan off the ventilator some time yesterday, he is now breathing with a C-PAP Mask. Tom (my uncle who is a wonderful doctor) says this is great because there is less chance for infection.



Ethan still has a long way to go but is doing well!

I am pretty sure that I am going to be released tom. (Sunday)


Lastly please still remember to keep Ethan in your thoughts and paryers!!!

Meet Ethan John

So my mom thought that instead of tryin to send out a million emails and have a million phone calls a day that it might be a good idea to start a blog about how Ethan is doing and things like that, so I'm going to try it out. Please feel free to share the website with anyone who would be interested in how Ethan is doing.

So just to catch anyone up who is behind:
On July 8th I went to the doctor because I really wasnt feeling well at all my face and my feet and legs were all swelling and i had a really bad head ache, well come to find out my blood pressure was very very high and i had gained 16 pounds in just 2 1/2 weeks (water weight) and i had high protein levels. So by that night I have been admited into defiance hospital and then transfered to St Vincent's hospital in Toledo. We all just thought that I was going to get on some blood pressure medication and they would take me off work....well we were way WRONG!

On July 9th (Wed) at about midnight the docs had just got done reviewing some of my tests and my status and they then told us that they were going to do an emergency C Section on me in 30mins!

SO on July 10th 2008 at 12:52am Ethan John Saneholtz was born weighing in at 1 lb.15oz. measuring at 13 3/4" long. He is doing just fine for what he is up against. BUT Ethan was born 12 weeks early, needless to say he is not done growing yet therefore he has to stay at St V's in the NICU, they tell me that he will not be coming home until his original due date which is September 29 2008.
Sean and I will be making regular trips to see Ethan and I will post info and pictures on here as I get them.