it's not "just reflux"

When both you and your husband miss a call from the NICU, you know you're in for a rough Saturday. 

Our dear little Ivan had a very hard night. There was blood in his stool and he required extensive stimulation to come out of an episode of bradycardia. His feedings were stopped, an IV was placed, an x-ray and an ultrasound were done, and our sweet little man, who we thought was just fussy with feedings or maybe had some reflux, was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis. An infection of the intestines, it can be life threatening. 

It was caught early in our sweet son, and we thank God for that, but we are not out of the woods. Ivan will be on antibiotics for 7? 10? 14? days and will be getting regular x-rays (every 6 hours) to make sure that his intestines do not perforate. If this happens, he will require surgery.

His little body is once again hooked up to lots of machines by lots of wires which requires lots of pokes on his little body. He is lethargic and pale, which has his mama longing for the days of "fussy during feedings."

We beg for prayers on behalf of our Ivan.