We got some great news yesterday that only the Bunch family would celebrate. Conner’s nasal passages issues were considered severe enough by his doctors and insurance claims experts, that he was approved for RSV vaccinations this winter. For those who have forgotten, RSV is the dangerous respiratory virus that put Lexi on a ventilator for 2wks back in February, so we are excited that Conner qualified for a series of shots aimed at preventing the virus. And at $1,500 a pop for each of several monthly shot throughout the winter, it’s a precaution that simply would have been too expensive to afford out of our own pocket. Obviously we do not intend to be reckless with where we take Conner and who he interacts with this winter, but it’s great knowing he’ll have some measure of protection when we travel for the holidays, or when Lexi or other kids inevitably expose him to germs.
Our celebratory mood probably stems from the fact we actually were quite surprised our insurance company approved Conner’s shots. Normally only preemie's are able to qualify. And if his big sister – who can boast an Omphalocele, Polydactyly, Heart ASD, and Hip Dysplasia on her impressive resume – was denied coverage for the vaccinations, we didn’t think Conner would qualify. I guess his being approved underscores the risks associated with his narrow nasal passages. He has been fine the past few weeks and hopefully will literally grow out of the problem as he gets older (he's already well on his way, weighing in at 10 lbs. 6 oz at one month). However, this first winter in particular could be tricky, as anything beyond a slight cold figures to give him respiratory problems which might require oxygen support. Time will tell how things play out, but it sure is great knowing that although it’s not a 100% effective solution, Conner will have some added protection against RSV risks this cold & flu season.
Conner even celebrated the news by sleeping through the night last night, except for a single 2am feeding! That was a welcome event as well, because although he seems like a great baby in general, it’s been difficult to keep him comfortable and sleeping at night given the harness he wears at night for acid reflux, and given the inevitable monitor alarms which always seem to ring out for one reason or another. All in all, things are great, and we’re having fun discovering and working through the challenges of have a baby at home for the first time, even though Conner technically is the second child in the family!
Laura's good friend Suzanne, her daughter Reese, and Suz's parents drove to St. Louis for a visit. 
