Evening update (Thursday, 12/4)

Max continued to benefit today from his stomach/bowel deflation, blood transfusion, etc. He seemed quite comfortable, with the exception of yelling just before every feeding time. I think the poor kid is just plain hungry. He got ramped back up to full feeds by the end of the day (still not fortified yet). His heart rate, breathing rate, and oxygen saturations were all good--indicators that he is just feeling much better. His next big challenge is to start moving his bowels again, and that hasn't happened since yesterday afternoon. The plan is to give him this last chance to get his bowel-act together, and if he can't then the surgeon will do a colon biopsy and test for Hirschsprung's disease. C'mon Max, you can do it!

No word yet as of this evening on the latest head circumference.

Max entertained two visitors -- our friend Kerry stopped by in the late afternoon, and Valerie from the Hospital Foundation stopped by mid-afternoon. Max is very popular with the ladies.

Both Andreas and I got to hold Max today. In addition to being very peaced out (both Max and us), we also got to look him in the eyes and made him do some calisthentics, especially knees-to-chest and bicycle pedalling motions which are supposed to help him move his bowels.