More Pictures

Logan had a wonderful day today. He was awake for most of the day and we were happy to see his blue eyes! He loves listening to his music and nature sounds!! We had many visitors...Grandpa and Grandma Watkins with Uncle Dana. Along with Uncle Ben and Aunt Molly.

My cousin Tina is in the Cleveland Clinic also in ICU and is not doing very well... a lot of my mom's family was in to visit and they stopped by to see Logan...so speical to see you all!! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and say hello!! Love you!

Some pictures from our day today!! 

Mommy was so happy to see his eyes today!

Kisses from Momma

Talking with Daddy 

Out little Family

Uncle Ben and Aunt Molly

Special Time with Uncle Dana

Telling Grandma stories



Watkins Bunch

Have a great Night!

Darren, Rebecca and Logan



aNoThEr DaY....

Hello from the Watkins Family!! We can’t say thank you enough for all the loving thoughts, care, prayers, hugs, cards and packages we have received from our family and friends!!  It means so much to us in our time of need to be a part of His wonderful family!! We’ve had a rough couple days with Logan as you can read in the post before. The doctors feel they have tried every trick up their sleeve for our little man…but he’s a fighter and keeps hanging on. He had a rough morning, but when we were in to see him tonight he was doing “great”!?!?! He’s a little puzzle.

We have some really great nurses that are caring for Logan and we are so thankful for them. One in particular Laura has fought so much for Logan and getting the best care for him. As of right now he is back on the nasal cannula getting some oxygen and he is handling it very well. Laura feels that even on CPAP (a step up from the nasal cannula) when Logan does have a seizure which cause his oxygen to drop the CPAP is not going to help him anymore the nasal cannula would. Plus, he is much more comfortable with just the nasal cannula on (Dad and Mom highly agree J) Don’t know if any of that information makes sense…Rachel does a much better job of updating!!! The Main Point he is on his nasal cannula which is GOOD!

They took him down this afternoon and had another MRI done around 4:00. They want to compare it to the one he had when he first arrived here at Cleveland Clinic. We are hoping to have those results tomorrow morning.

At 2:00 this afternoon they gave him a seizure drug called Klonopin/Clonazepam, which he has been on before, but was taken off when trying to wean down on ALL his seizures meds. Since receiving the Klonopin he hasn’t had any of his desat episodes??? Again, who knows why or what that means. One thing we have learned with seizures is they are very tricky and a lot of times it goes by trial and error to help correct. Which, can be frustrating…but thankful he is in the best care!!

They are still working to try him on a seizure med called Depakote, but they first had to draw labs just to test that his liver could handle it. They are hoping to start it as early as tomorrow…

Gramma Badertscher came to see Mr. Logan tonight along with Uncie Nate and Aunt Rachel…he is always happy for the snuggles as I think are they!!

We also had some other special visitors Grandpa and Grandma Watkins with Uncle Dana, and Uncle Ben and Aunt Molly came too!! We were very excited to see them…they all got a snuggle in too!!

Daddy tucking him in for the night...

 Sweet Dreams...

Again, we can’t say THANK YOU enough, but please know it comes from the bottom of our hearts!!

Love to you all -

Darren, Rebecca and Logan Watkins

Up and Down and all Around...

Where to begin tonight....


We started off the week on a wonderful note.  Logan was breathing so well that he was able to come off CPAP and was weaned to only oxygen via his nasal cannula.  The hope was that perhaps he would be able to come home soon!! 

It wasn't too long though and Logan again, started having oxygen desaturations.  Logan's respirations become slow and shallow which cause a lower amount of oxygen in his blood.  So, back to CPAP we go!!

Wednesday night, Darren and Rebecca received phone calls from the doctors throughout the night, due to the increase in amount of 'de-sats' Logan was having.  They played around with the idea of intubating him again and decided against it.

A couple weeks ago a MRI revealed that Logan more than likely suffered a stroke during pregnancy.  So, let's back up in time to PRENATAL:  At 35 weeks of pregnancy, during an ultrasound, Rebecca's ultrasound technician noticed that the blood flow from the mother to placenta wasn't as good as it could be and sent her to a high-risk OB.  The physician looked at the ultrasound and decided that everything was okay and sent her home.  It was shortly after that when Rebecca stopped gaining weight and just 'felt differently'.  She voiced these concerns to her care providers, but was told this was normal.  No NST or other testing was performed.  At 40 weeks, the ultrasound technician found there to be no fluid and the blood flow from the mother to baby was very, very poor.  An emergency c-section was immediately scheduled and Rebecca was whisked to the hospital.  The same high-risk OB came to do the c-section and decided to do an ultrasound before performing surgery.  After looking at the ultrasound, he decided to labor Rebecca and see how she did.  Rebecca labored for 12 hours before they decided to do a STAT/Emergency c-section, which Rebecca had to have general anesthesia for. So.....

Now trying to piece the puzzle together, it seems as if Logan suffered a stroke due to the lack of blood flow/lack of oxygen after 35 weeks and his body compensated for it by stopping growth and just working on staying alive. This is why he was so small at 40 weeks (6lbs 0.1oz).  His brain is now smaller than average and he has brain damage on the left side of his brain.

Doctors are now saying that surgery isn't an option because they can't just remove a part of the brain where the seizures are coming from because the seizures are 'all over' the brain.  They have exhausted almost all of their options.  They have one more medication to try but it is extremely high risk, but it is their only option.

Doctors are taking off all of his other seizure medications except phenobarbital (this should be done by Wednesday).  If they are going to try the other medication, they will more than likely begin it then. 

Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers and cards and care packages that have been sent.  It is so encouraging and reassuring to belong to this great family of ours - knit together in love.

I'll leave you with some pictures from Dad and Mom's visit to Cleveland Clinic at Christmastime.

 Gramma singing him some songs and telling him stories..

 kisses from Gramma

Daddy and Logan

All for tonight

~Rachel

holding his own....

We haven't had much to add this past week.  Logan has been holding his own.  The doctors are just working at lowering his phenobarbital level to one that Logan can function at and be alert while keeping the seizures at bay.  They are also trying to wean him off his other medications as we mentioned before.  It's so hard to be patient!! 

Darren and Rebecca spent Saturday night with us and we were able to be in meeting together this morning.  It sure was special.  Everything that was spoken was so helpful and fed our hearts.  A couple of hymns were sung: 

I will follow my Saviour o'er life's darkest way, And my heart shall not fear as I go; For His love cannot fail; it is stronger than death:  His own precious word tells me so.

Jesus came from the home of His Father on high To enlighten the world here below, Showing God's perfect way, His pure truth and His life:  His own precious word tells me so. 

I am conscious of weakness but strong in His grace; There is vict'ry when facing the foe. Jesus is my strong tow'r and my rock of defence His own precious word tells me so.

I will follow the Lamb where-so-ever He leads; All the prayer of my heart is to know How to walk in His way, undefiled to the end:  His own precious word tells me how.

CHORUS:  Unchanging my Saviour remains; My heart shall not fear as I go.  His love cannot fail; it is stronger than death:  His own precious word tells me so.

Another hymn was special:

Fair are the prospects all ahead, And good the land He offers free; The One who all our fathers led Will lead thee through:  He waits for thee.

After meeting, Terry and Pat watched the girls while Nate and I went up to see Logan with Darren and Rebecca. 

Logan is so stinkin' cute....well, you can see for yourselves.....

 taking his pacifier

 he still has CPAP on...which is the funny-looking contraption around his nose

 Logan has big feet and long toes

After we were with him for a little while, Karen and Aunt Marjorie came to visit with Logan.  It was so special to have them there.

I'll leave you with this picture....I love it....my sister with her baby boy!!!

More pictures on Rebecca's camera of Darren and Logan [my battery died]...

All for tonight

~Rachel



good day!!

Hello Everyone!!

Hope your holidays were fun and special!! We sure enjoyed being together.  It was hard to not have little Logan with us, but it seems as if he has been having good days during the holidays so we are all very excited and hopeful!!

The high level of phenobarbital medication seems to be working for helping keeping the seizures at bay.  Logan will go for periods of no seizure activity and then when he does have them they are not as frequent.  The doctors are working at tweaking his medication regimen again.  They want to take away the seizure medications slowly to find out which ones are assisting the phenobarbital and which ones aren't.  Even though Logan's phenobarbital level is high, he is alert and active.  The doctors continue to be blown away by his response!!

The last weight report is 9lbs 9 oz. 

Hoping to visit soon and get some more pics!!

Thanks for checking in...
Loving to have to post a boring update...
~Rachel