LOTS OF UPDATES

What a week...it has been truly crazy, discouraging, emotional...the works. I am hoping peaceful days are coming our way. To keep you in the loop, here are a few updates on my favorite lil' man Maxwell:

NOSE: Yesterday he had the procedure done on his nose...we will know in the next few days if that was successful.

EARS: Max will have a BAER (hearing test) performed today. A few weeks ago I received some pretty discouraging news...Max's hearing in one ear had progressed from moderate to severe loss. I was absolutely heartbroken for both of us. Truly heartbroken...I really thought we had lucked out in this department. However we have been dealing with so many other medical issues that I have tried to not think about it. And basically the doctors don't have a clear answer...there are a few possibilities.

So they are redoing the test today. One ear wasn't tested last time because Max woke up...the test only works if the baby is quiet and sleeping. I am HOPING that perhaps 1) the test was wrong last time, 2) the other ear is still only mild/moderate loss or 3) the "bad" ear hasn't gotten any worse than last time.

INFECTION: As far as Max's possible infection, everything so far has come back negative fortunately. What a relief. He is fairly stable right now. However, they are not going to extabate him because they want to keep him stable for the heart surgery. It has now been three weeks since I have held Maxwell...which is unbelieveably sad and disappointing. Hopefully when I am feeling better, he is still stable and we can once again snuggle. I am tearing up right now as I write this...can any of you moms imagine not holding your precious baby for that long? It's so hard to describe the emotions...I just want so much to make him all better.

HEART: The surgery has been rescheduled for next week and I am hoping, hoping, hoping that nothing postpones it again.

SICK MOMMY: As far as me, I came home last night to try and kick this illness. Losing my voice is quite frustrating when you are trying to talk with the doctors about such intense issues! I went to the doctor and got some medicine, so hopefully that will help. Fortunately both of my mothers are here to help...Suzanne Mom is here in Bellingham helping with Eliz's family (they are opening up yet another business this weekend!) and Mary Mom is in Seattle giving lots of TLC to Maxwell. For those in WV, you will appreciate that Mary had on the Mountaineers yesterday in Max's room...so he has been properly introduced to the blue and gold. And last week Max's nurse also had on football and taught him how to grunt! So even though he may not have a father figure around, he is already learning all about football!