Blessings for Benton: October 2015

Winnie the Pooh and the Gang!

This year Halloween was extra special. Not only did we get to celebrate with a fun family costume, but my parents had flown in to celebrate Benton's birthday and were in town for a couple weeks. For this year's family costume we picked a childhood classic - Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Piglet. Benton loves Tigger especially the song "The Wonderful Thing about Tiggers."

Love our little Tigger

Prior to Halloween, we looked for a giant pumpkin to do a redux of Benton in a pumpkin, but had trouble locating one in the District. Lucky for us we found one a couple of days before Halloween. We were able to carve it and Benton had lots of fun playing with the pumpkin seeds as we carved the pumpkin. Amazingly Benton was able to fit in the pumpkin and he seemed to like it even more than last year.

Pumpkin Bumbo 2.0

Picking out his own baby pumpkin and then first moments in his big-boy pumpkin

Fun in the Pumpkin!!!

On Halloween day, we all dressed up in our costumes and took pictures with Tutu and Grandpappy. By the way our costumes were a huge hit and my costume was awesome since it was not only comfy cozy but it was great at covering my pregnancy bump.

Halloween Family Portrait

Looking at our little cutie

Tigger with Tutu and Grandpappy

That evening, we passed out candy to trick-or-treaters, carved pumpkins and took Benton out for his first time trick-or-treating at Auntie Lauren's house. He loved walking around the neighborhood and picked out his first candy - a three musketeers. Such a fun evening!

Three generations of men out trick-or-treating.

Carving Pumpkins with Grandpappy and Tutu

Our Lovely Pumpkins

Announcing we are expecting Baby #2!!!

After August's adventures it felt like summer break was over. With September things really began to change in our household. The first major change was that Joe's parents, who have helped to care for Benton for over a year, indicated that they would like to head back to Michigan sometime in the fall. We had known this was coming so we had started to put out our feelers for nannies and looked into nurses. Well as luck would have it, at the end of August we were contacted by Medicaid to say we were approved for in-home nursing for 40 hours a week. This would allow us to work while also ensuring that Benton's medical needs were taken care of by a professional.

Father and Son bonding

Once we were approved things moved very quickly. Within two days the nursing agency was sending out nurses for interviews and we selected one by the end of the week. This same nurse started the very next Monday and just like that we had in-home help. After that whirlwind, Joe's parents decided that they would stay and ensure a smooth transition with the nurse and then head back to their home in Michigan. So by mid-September my in-laws were gone. Joe's parents had done so much for us over the last year and we couldn't have done this without their unwavering support and we are ever grateful for their loving sacrifice.

Once my in-laws were gone it was weird. The house was so quiet without their hustle and bustle and it was definitely a wake up call to realize just how much they had helped around the house. So many little things needed to get done and now it was all on us. But at the same time it was absolutely wonderful to have our first moments as a family of three in what felt like ages.

Pictures as a family of 3!!!!

Family portrait after a bath

In addition, another big change is on the horizon for the Bertram family. It's time to announce that we are pregnant and having a little girl in March. The decision to have a baby after a micro-preemie is not one that you enter into lightly, but at the same time Benton is so amazing that we couldn't help but want to give him a sibling. Luckily we were blessed to find out in late July that we were expecting and so far so good. This time I have switched practices and will be seen exclusively at Georgetown Hospital which is where I ended up last time after Benton was to be born so early. I have a great team of doctors and they are supporting me 100%. This pregnancy I decided to have a preventative cerclage to help my short cervix as well as take the progesterone shots every week starting at 16 weeks. So at the end of September I had my cerclage placed and while it definitely wasn't pleasant I felt it was necessary. When my doctor performed the procedure he told me just how little cervix I truly have and how if I hadn't chosen to get the cerclage placed preventatively at 13 weeks I wouldn't have been able to do it later. So thank goodness I made the right call. After the cerclage I have been gradually placed on more restrictions. No lifting Benton, no exercise, no traveling great distances from the hospital and modified activities (aka modified bedrest) so I am no longer working at the office but have the luxury of working from home. While these restrictions are hard to take at times (all I want to do is pick up Benton and swing him around for a big hug) I am willing to do anything to keep this baby cooking longer than Benton and stay out of the NICU. Now I just have to stay positive and pray for a healthy full term baby.

Benton is so excited to be a Big Brother!!!!

Besides the big changes on the home front, September and October also had some crucial doctor's appointments. This month we met with Benton's pulmonologist, cardiologist, occular plastic surgeon, GI Specialist audiologist, and new ENT. Here is the lowdown on where Benton is medically:

Pulmonology - Benton's lungs sound clear and we can attempt to wean him off the oxygen at night. We can also wean him off the dieurtics and graduate to a big-boy nebulizer (which looked more like an inhaler). By late September we weaned Benton off his oxygen at night, but when he got a cold in October he needed it again (luckily only at night). So for now the oxygen requirement is touch and go but we are flirting with being completely oxygen free!!!!
Cardiology - Benton's pulmonary hypertension is well controlled with his current medication and they are hoping to start weaning the medication once he is fully off the oxygen and diuertics.
Occular plastic surgeon - Benton's dermoid tumor in his eyebrow is slowly growing and they want to remove it. Just have to figure out when to schedule the surgery and if it can be coordinated with the ear tubes.
Audiology - Benton still is showing hearing loss due to fluid pressure behind his eardrums. Therefore we are being referred to ENT for possible ear tube surgery.
GI Specialist - In August Benton's weight had been stagnating since March with no improvement but no loss -- staying at about 23 pounds. However, with the advent of Benton's new nurse Benton's weight skyrocketed to 27 lbs within 2 months. Delphine, Benton's new nurse, is a rockstar at getting him to eat and has brought alot of positive changes to Benton's routine which has helped him burn off less calories thus allowing for him to finally gain weight. Therefore, after Benton's October appointment we were allowed to wean Benton's tube feed by 1/3rd and start giving him breakfast!
ENT - After two different ENTs have examined Benton it has been decided that Benton needs ear tubes to allow for the fluid in his ears to drain properly and increase his hearing. The surgery is being scheduled in December.

Benton at the eye doctor. Joe is not amused by the camera

With all these changes, we are just grateful that our family is thriving and moving forward each day at a time. As we enter the cold and flu season we are praying for Benton to be able to stave off any colds and flus (especially the dreaded RSV) and not end up in the hospital like last Winter. In addition, we are praying for our new little baby girl and pray that we are blessed with a full term healthy baby. We would appreciate any prayers you send our way :)