Needles and spinal taps and catheters...oh my!!

I haven't had time to update on the last few weeks--the funny sounds Cooper makes when we burp him (remember riding in the grocery cart when you were little and how your voice sounded when you hit the bumps?--that's what Cooper sounds like when he's happy being burped :) He's also smiling, cooing, and even squealing at times. Overall, he's a very mellow and sweet baby, who is so loved by his big brother, Tatum.

Unfortunately, last night we brought him to Urgent Care with 102 degree fever. They referred him to the ER, where he had all kinds of tests run. Preliminary results indicate a urinary tract infection (apparently common in diapered babies under 6 months old). About 4:30am this morning he was admitted to the Children's Hospital here at Memorial where we were able to sleep... a little.

The doctor came by at 6:30am to give us an update. Cooper's bloodwork shows low sodium and low iron. We are waiting on test results for bacterial infection in the urinary tract, blood, and spinal cord (meningitis).  Test results should be back hopefully tomorrow.

Also tomorrow Cooper will have an ultrasound of his kidneys and they may do a dye test to verify that his bladder is functioning properly.

If it is simply a UTI he will be in the hospital a week, as they want to closely monitor his recovery so it doesn't progress into something else.

The oxygen monitor on his tiny toe

Oxygen monitor again--held tightly in his toes :)

Eating in the ER 

Poor little guy--they had to call the NICU nurses to get the IV
in and his head was the only place they could get it in.

Thanks for all the support,
Kirsta & Michael