Milagros had a rough weekend. Her right lung collapsed slightly and the nurses and respiratory therapists worked hard to get her lung up and running. Dr. Suki also has been trying to wean her off of the Nitric Oxide but Milagros did not respond well to that so they have since gone back up on the Nitric. Her oxygen requirement has also been very high the last couple of days, between 80-100% oxygen support from her ventilator. There was a time last week when she had gone down to about 50% oxygen support and his since required more help breathing. This has been a frustrating week, but a real BRIGHT spot has been that Milagros is really increasing the amount of breast milk she is taking, by tomorrow she will be at the maximum daily amount of breast milk she can take ! Baby Milagros has also been weaned from her sedatives so she is awake and a lot more active. She has the most beautiful eyes, they are curious and alert and she often laughs in her sleep. Her oxygen tube blocks her vocal chords so we have never been able hear her cry or laugh yet but she has plenty of facial expressions to keep everyone entertained. Milagros now weights 8lbs 10 ounces and has a lot more hair :) Mom continues to pump every three hours but Milagros will quickly take more breast milk than Mom can give so we have the option to use donated breast milk or formula, we haven't decided on either yet. Meanwhile, back at the Ronald McDonald house the whole family continues to enjoy free meals by local organizations and most importantly, connect with other families that have sick children. The Ronald McDonald house has been a god send, families with sick children can stay here while their children are cared for at local hospitals. Generally, families pay between $1-$25 a day for a fully furnished apartment. Their website can be found here : http://www.rmhc.com/