So, the on-call pediatrician just came by and said that Reagan had to be placed back on the ventilator :-(
Towards the end of the pregnancy, the neonatal-cardiologist was one of the many doctors looking at the boys fairly regularly. They were concerned about something with Reagan's heart, but they just couldn't get a good look at it because Landon was lying right across him. And again, they were also concerned because the amniotic fluid in Reagan's sac was getting kind of low.
Reagan has what is known as Patent Ductus Arteriosus. Basically, when the baby is in the womb, the placenta does all the work that the lungs would normally do outside the womb. In the womb, there is a blood vessel between the artery and the aorta that is open so the blood and oxygen can do all their stuff. After the baby is born, the lungs start doing their own thing and this vessel closes. Well, Reagan's isn't closed, and the opening is relatively large.
So, his lungs weren't fully matured, and he has this heart thing going on. Both are related. Because his lungs aren't fully matured, they can't do what they would normally do. If they could, that would lead to the vessel closing and everything would be fine.
There are three basic ways to fix this thing.....
1. As time goes by, Reagan's lungs get stronger, do their job, and the vessel closes naturally
2. They can give him some medicine that will close the vessel
3. They can do surgery to close it
We're waiting for the neonatal-cardiologist to follow up with us, will let everyone know as soon as we find out.
Prayers!
PS: Landon is doing great, no problems coming off the ventilator.
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