These days I can't remember what I said, did or told anyone, it's like my brain has turned into mush. I can't really concentrate and I am always tired. I ended up buying a calendar where I can write down Cooper's accomplishments and struggles daily, something where I can go back and reference to. Of course everyday could be a new thing, a new struggle yet a new accomplishment, like the nurses said "two steps forward one step back."

Tomorrow Cooper will be 25 weeks, five days old.

He is currently on a oscillator, a high frequency oscillatory ventilator. Traditional ventilators physically inflates and deflates the patient's lungs, the oscillator actually keeps lungs permanently open with a positive end-expiratory pressure, and by vibrating the air at a high rate. When looking at the oscillator there are three numbers Tom and I look for. *Side note we are paraphrasing and don't know the exact terms or any for that matter* The number one the left started at 8.5 and the one on the right was at 28, we want both numbers to go down. The third number is on the side and it is was percentage Cooper is breathing. Normal healthy people breath the air at 27 percent, Cooper is at 33. The higher the number the more they are supplying him. Today the number went from 8.5 to 8.0 and 28 went down to 22. His blood gases are tested daily to see how he is doing as the numbers come down. Sometimes the number comes down and he is fine and then it needs to be raised again. It is all up to him. They don't have an "expected" date of when he will no longer be on an oscillator and move to a ventilator it is all dependent on Cooper.

Most premature babies are born with bleeding on their brain, that is why pregnant women who are going to deliver early they put on magnesium sulphate, it helps reduce the bleeding on the brain. I was on magnesium for almost 48 hours. Cooper had his first brain ultrasound the day after he was born. It showed that he had a bilateral bleed. The bleeds are broken down in "grades" 4 being the highest and 1 being the least. Cooper was just under a 1 for both sides, which was great news. As long as he is on the oscillator they will perform ultrasounds about four days. So in the mean time we have had another ultrasound done to see if there are any changes because the grades don't necessarily go from grade 1 to grade 2, it can jump from grade 1 to grade 4. But the results were great, one side had completely resolved and the other was the exact same.

Cooper is doing great considering his gestation. Him responding to breast milk by trying to suck as much as he can are good signs. He is active as can be, kicking, yawning, stretching, frowning and whatever else he wants to do. I am sure there is more I could share but I can't think of it right now! =]