Mixed news Monday (83 days)

Christie and I dragged ourselves out of bed at five this morning and rushed to Bryce's side for what we anticipated would be a very important day. Clearly, we misjudged the significance of this follow-up exam; considering all the energy we expended agonizing over the outcome, the appointment was anticlimactic. The doctor breezed in, conducted the exam, shared her assessment and was out the door in a matter of minutes. She said Bryce's right eye looks really good; the abnormal vessels are regressing nicely. His left eye, on the other hand, is not responding as much, and requires further observation.

We were both thrilled that another operation is not warranted at this point, although I have to confess that I was a bit disappointed to be sentenced to another week of waiting. Based on his prognosis, it was unrealistic to hope that we'd get the "all clear", but it's hard not to wish for a miracle for a boy who's been through so much.

The good news is that Bryce will be 36(!) weeks corrected age tomorrow, and he's only an ounce shy of the 5 lb. mark. There's a lot of variance in micro-preemies, but Bryce's doctor said that most 24-weekers go home around 37-39 weeks corrected age. I'm virtually certain he won't be ready next week, but beyond that, it's up to Bryce. Place your bets now! Print this post