High White Blood Cell Count

For the past three or four days Eli's white blood cell count has been higher than normal. It hasn't really been worrying the doctors that much because of El's normal disposition. Babies that young don't get fevers, so there are really only two ways to tell whether or not they have an infection: 1.) observe their actions; sick babies usually don't move around very much; 2.) grow a blood culture. Eli has been moving around as much or more than he did while he was in the womb, and the blood culture wasn't showing anything—until today.

We got a call this morning from the neonatologist informing us that yeast had grown on Eli's blood culture. When this happens there are many tests that need to be done in order pin point the location(s) of the infection. Today they will be doing a spinal tap to test for meningitis, an echocardiogram to test for infection around the heart, a head x-ray to test for infection around the brain, an ultrasound to test for infection around the kidneys and other parts of the body, and an ophthalmologist is going to check his eyes for infection.

We really don't know anything right now; we're just praying that they are able to locate the infection and treat it quickly.

There have been so many prayers said on Eli's behalf, and we've seen many miracles. We're positive and optimistic that he will make it through this.