Hey everyone.  Sorry it's been a while since the last update, but I've been busy, and there hasn't been a lot of news.  We met with a doctor yesterday, and he brought up an idea to help with Lauren's development.  Rita and I weren't prepared for it, and it's NOT FINAL, but here's the jist: 

The doctor we spoke with (Dr. Marrin), is a physcian that's been assigned to Lauren for the next two weeks.  He's been going over the reports and Lauren's paperwork, and thinks right now we're just kind of biding our time, and Lauren isn't making a lot of improvement in ways of her throat muscles.  He suggested a temporary (and I didn't realize these were able to be temporary), but a temporary tracheotomy as well as a gastric tube into the stomach.  He fears having all the instruments and tubes by her face will cause an aversion to having things by her face in the long run.  So, having a tracheotomy will take away the necessity to have the CPAP, and allow her throat muscles to develop without the secretions she's...well...secreeting.   Again, if we were to go this route, it is theoretically only temporary. 

The gastric tube, commonly referred to as a "G-tube", is a tube that can be inserted into the body in several ways.  Up a nostril and down to the stomach, down the mouth and into the stomach, or directly into the stomach from an incision in the abdomen.  Dr Marrin suggested the latter, as to again, avoid the aversion to things by the face.  Doing this, will allow Lauren to try to breast feed, and create a secondary method of nourishment if she doesn't.  If she takes to it, the G-tube would be removed. 

Rita and I just came in from visiting Lauren at the Neonatal Unit where she's been for the last 3 and a half weeks.  You'll be happy to know that she's been coughing up secreetions/mucus on her own, and Rita had a 2 hr cuddle time with her, and Lauren didn't need to be suctioned until the last 15 mintues.  I don't want to give myself false hope, or to do that to you, but today was a good day and it made me feel that we may not have to go with these procedures.  We're meeting with some doctors again on Tuesday afternoon, so we'll see how that goes.

We'll keep you as updated as we can.  Thank you for your love, support, thoughts and prayers.  All the best to you and yours.