Seven Weeks- Lily Anna Ray

Dear friends,

Thank you for your prayers, concern, support, and well wishes regarding our daughter, Lily. She is seven weeks old, progressing well, and now weighs just over 3lbs. We have been visiting her everyday at Reading Hospital (we've been very glad that it is only a half hour away!) Lily has been very fortunate to have had no major set backs or issues, and only a few minor set backs. These minor set backs were all feeding issues, she has a feeding tube going into her intestines to prevent her from refluxing, however she has managed to do so four times. Each time this happens, we have to stop the feeding process and start over. It takes several days to get back to where she was each time this happens. She's on a roll right now, though, and is feeding at the largest volume yet!

Yesterday we spoke with Lily's doctor about what milestones he wanted to see Lily meet before she would be released from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The next step for Lily is to have her feeding tube backed-out to her stomach and to feed successfully there for a while. After that, she will begin bottle feeding and breast feeding. Once she is doing well with oral feedings, and her weight is over four pounds, she will be ready to come home!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. If you would, please continue to pray for Lily in the following areas:

1. That she will not have any more reflux issues

2. Continued weight gain

3. Successful oral feeding

Blessings,

Justin