March 27th Email

Hi All,

First of all, thanks for all the emails and good wishes. It means so much to know how many people are in Charlie's (and our) corner!

We've created a distribution list to keep folks updated on what's going on, since we don't have time to email everyone individually. If we generate too much email traffic in anyone's inbox, please let me know and I'll remove you from the update list.

George captured what today was like far better than I could have, when he emailing some co-workers. Here are his words:

"Today was surely the first in many days to come of roller coaster like ups and downs for the three of us. Charlie did great his first night and breathed with minimal assistance from the NICU doctors, but Tuesday morning they decided to ventilate through his mouth and ease a bit his increasing struggle for oxygen. Today we got word that an EEG scan of his brain, one of many to come, showed a minimum of cranial bleeding – a tremendous risk for preemie babies. We were up! But a heart scan showed an issue with an open valve that would have closed on its own within his first breaths – if he had been carried to term. Drugs may close it but if not then surgery is called for. And down we went.

This evening they had moved the air tube from his mouth to his nose as lung function improved and he needed only 30 percent help getting air. Late tonight, as Marie and I are at last home together since this started Monday – the phone rings with bad news and Charlie has had a setback - more breathing issues. The doctor who called repeats what just about every member of the capable GW NICU staff has; this entire run will be filled with successes and failures. It is no sprint, rather a marathon and the mile markers are eternities apart."

Anyway, as you can see Charlie is hanging in there, doing his best to keep fighting, and we're going to keep thinking lots of positive thoughts and hoping for the best. Thanks again for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers!

Love, Marie and George