BIG blessings come in small packages

It's been a long week to say the least...not so much because its been BAD...but so much has happened. As many of you know... (some of you may not) my son (Todd) and daughter -in-law (Dana) were expecting their first baby...our first grandson on October 20th. BUT Tuesday afternoon changed all of that. Todd and I took Dana over to our little hospital for a "stress test". She had been feeling some "pains" in her back as well as some discomfort in her front. She wasn't feeling well and so we thought that we better have things checked out. 

We arrived at the hospital where they hooked Dana up to a couple of monitors to listen to the babies heart beat and to check and see if she was having any contractions. She was hooked up the monitor for 3 hours and they picked up NO contractions...then the nurses checked her to see if she was dilated (her doctor ordered that as routine before letting her go home)...thats when everything became a little crazy. The nurse found that Dana was dilated to 6 cm. They immediately decided that they were going to call for "Life Flight" and fly Dana to Salt Lake where she could be close to the NICU in case she delivered. They also wanted her out in the city where she could get the best care possible. The Dr.'s and nurses began to prepare Dana...giving her meds, steroids and fluids...and trying to stop her labor (which she didn't even know she was in and wasn't feeling any pain). The Life Flight Team arrived and determined that Dana was dilated more and was now at 8 cm making it a "NOT so good of an idea" to fly since they didn't want to deliver her baby in the air. She was going to deliver this baby within just a short few minutes or hours...it just wasn't going to be in Salt Lake, it was going to be right there in our "home town" hospital. The Docs called another Life Flight team to come(the Life Flight team that was there wasn't equipped to take care of a preemie) and Dana's doctor was trying to hold Dana off from delivering until the team arrived. At 11:09 our sweet, 2 month early grandson....Kenron (pronounced Ken-run) Zane Wilkerson was brought into this world. He was screaming (which was such a good sign and a wonderful blessing) as he was whisked down the hall for the Life Flight team to stabilize and prepare fly to the NICU in Salt Lake City. 

He has tons of dark brown hair, weighed 3lbs. 15 oz and measured 17" long. After a couple of hours of getting the baby ready, the Life Flight team took him into see Dana. She melted when she saw his tiny little body and grinned ear to ear as she held onto his sweet little hand. She is going to be a wonderful mommy.

...and Todd is going to make an awesome daddy!

 I was blessed to be able to bring Todd and Dana out to the hospital in Salt Lake the next day to stay with Kenron. He will be in the NICU until he is grown enough to come home. Being so tiny and so extremely early, he has alot he has to overcome before being released to come home. Our youngest was born 8 weeks early too. I remember the entire ordeal like it was yesterday. These preemies are so fragile and their little systems are so complex....its just a huge mile stone every time they do even the littlest thing. Like when Kenron opened his eyes for the first time, you would have thought he had just learned to walk. It was so exciting and awesome. Stepping stones to US are Milestones for him!
 Todd and Dana have been able to stay in a "complimentary room" right in the hospital. Its been wonderful that they have been able to be so close to him. They can go and see him any time they want to. They can stay as long as they want to...and he knows when they are there. Its such a sweet baby.

Kenron still has so many hurdles to overcome...but he is doing really well. He was taken off the ventilator after only 1/2 a day and has slowly been weaned completely off it now. What a miracle to have this extremely early baby breathing on his own...he is definatly a fighter!!!

 He has jaundice and is under the Bili lights and gets to wear a cute little "batman" mask. Hopefully he will be off the lights tonight as his biliruben levels have been dropping.  He is just as sweet and adorable as can be and I am so in love with him already.

 I can't believe how much my heart just swells up with joy when I see him and hold his little hand. It's amazing what modern day medicine is capable of and all the things that the Doctors can do to save lives. I know that prayers are answered and that Kenron is receiving blessing after blessing from a loving Heavenly Father. We are so grateful for this sweet baby in our lives. I am grateful that Dana came through this so well and that we have such wonderful friends and family who continues to love and support us through everything. Its amazing how fast our lives change from second to second, minute by minute and hour by hour....life is always full of changes and I am sure we will be seeing many more changes in our lives.
Miracles are real and we are grateful today for our little miracle grandbaby, Kenron.

PS...Dayna is keeping a blog to update anyone who is interested in whats happening with Kenron...you are welcome to check it out at KenronZaneWilkerson.blogspot.com and watch our little miracle baby grow and change day by day.

*update- Kenron was taken off oxygen as well as the the bili lights and is now happily sleeping without having to be attatched to so many tubes and cords....he is such a sweet little, beautiful baby! We love him so much!