News and Weather, juvat style.

 Well, Campers, it's been a comparatively busy week here at Rancho Juvat.  Not that anything new is going on, more of the usual routine, albeit with a deadline approaching.

First, on the first order of importance.  LJD continues to show improvement.  Last weigh-in had her at 6 lbs 12.6 ozs.  Virtually all her other measurements are now within expected ranges.  I'm not a Doctor, nor have I played one on TV, but I've been told that with Preemies, the most important and last area of development is Lung Capacity.  Specifically, a couple of measures of Oxygen usage.  

One is FI-O2, this is a measure of the ratio of oxygen supplement to regular air provided in her breathing apparatus.  Since the amount of Oxygen in the air you and I are breathing right now is ~21%, that's the goal they're shooting for her.  While no measure of human being activities is ever a straight line, and her's certainly complies with that theory, she's been trending down for quite a while.  Last measure was 30%.   She's been below 35% for a week or so.  So, good news/progress.

The other measure of Oxygen is the supplemental Oxygen Flow rate.  The goal here is a sustained rate below 3.0 Liters/Minute which will allow her to begin breast/bottle feeding and no longer need a feeding tube.  Again, she's making pretty steady progress.  Visit before last, she was at 4.3, this last one was 3.5 and she's been down to 3.0 a couple of times, so, again, good news/progress.

From my non-medical observation perspective, she's beginning to show a little personality.  E.G. beginning to fuss a bit when she doesn't want to do something.  The Physical Therapist is a prime recipient.  Having been at the kind hands of a few of those in my days, I understand that.  But...things are going well.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again.  If there are Saints walking on the Earth today, I firmly believe they're wearing NICU Garb.  Thank You Lord!

On a lighter note.

Get it?

Summer appears to be officially over down here in the Lone Star State.  Woke up this morning, got ready for Church, walked out of the house at the usual time and...spent the next 10 minutes or so, scrapping frost off the windows.  

Yes, Sarge, I know you Rhodies go sunbathing and skinny dipping at this temperature.  Down here, we refer to this as  "COLD!".  Fortunately, however, another weather event that occurred this week had dissipated.

I believe the technical term for this WX phenomenon is "Rain".  It's been so long since I've used the term without a negative in front of it, I've forgotten.  It is interesting how fast the brown grass started showing some shades of green. 

I decided that, given the circumstances, even the Wicked Witch would go out in it, so I wandered out to look at the rain gauge.  Just under 1.5" at that point, got a total of 2 for the day.  So...we got that going for us.

On a lighter note, one must enjoy humor where it presents itself.  Even if that happens in the parking garage for a major hospital.

I've seen it a few times there, so either it's someone visiting a long term patient, or a health care professional.  If the latter, I think that person and I could get along quite well.  

If I weren't his patient.

Since it was so cold today, Mrs. J decided to give me an early Thanksgiving (No, Beans, not early, early, early Christmas) present.  I got a chuckle out of it.  Course, it's also completely true.

Gift construction is progressing at an acceptable pace.  A couple of them are in the final finishing coats process, so apply then dry, is taking time.  Once those are done, and all the flippin' sanding dust is cleaned up, the big one will commence.  Might be up all night Christmas Eve, but hey, if Santa can pull it off, so can I.

Headed over to College Station this afternoon, to visit MBD, SIL and MG.  No real reason, just haven't seen them face to face in a while.  Video phones are better than what we had when we were stationed overseas, but they still haven't figured out a way to give your grandkids a hug via one.   So...comment responses might be a bit brief/late.

Peace Out, y'All!  Don't let the Bastiges get you down!