Unfortunately not all stories have a happy ending. Leo fought a valiant fight for 23 days, but his little body was just not strong enough to continue the battle.

After meeting with the doctors, Sheena and James made an unselfish and heart wrenching decision. They finally had the chance to hold their son while everyone else was allowed (two at a time) to go in and say loving good byes. When the time arrived, Leo was cradled by daddy and mommy as he was peacefully turned over to the Lord.

We've cried a lot, even managed a few laughs during the day, but we all know Leo is at peace. It's amazing how such a tiny little boy has touched so many lives in just 23 days, but he has; and so many lives have touched us too. We thank each and everyone for the love and support you have given us and we know you will continue to pray for comfort for us.

We love you all

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Today has been a much better day, they've left Leo on his tummy throughout the day and he has remained adequately stable. He is fighting the infection in his lungs, but his stats have been within range today.

Sheena & James were relaxed enough that they decided to take a bit of a break and take in a movie this afternoon. I'm pleased whenever they can step away from the intensity even if it's for a couple hours.

I had meetings all day today and will have again tomorrow, so it really helps to have today's technologies that allow me to stay in contact with Leo's status reports.

We have a long road ahead of us and I can't stress enough how much we appreciate all your love and support.

Wasn't sure I was going to get an update out tonight since we've been at the hospital all evening, but by 10PM Leo had been stable long enough that Sheena & James felt they could go home and get some sleep (or at least try).

We've been a bit on edge these past few days; Leo lungs have been having a rough go of it. It appears he has some sort of infection in his lungs but it hasn't been long enough for the results of the cultures yet and his stats have not been very stable. His lungs have not been consistently oxygenating his blood, which is a major cause of concern. Leo's daily treatment routine includes repositioning him from his tummy to his back every 12 hours, and it certainly appears to us (non-medical folks) that Leo continually responds negatively to being on his back.

By the time we arrived at the hospital this evening, they had again put Leo on his belly. His stats returned to normal ranges and he settled right into a comfortable "fetal" position. Tonight they put a riser under his chest which is kind of like laying on one of those big exercise balls, only Leo's exercise ball is the size of a ping pong ball. We hung around the hospital for about 3 hours and the whole time Leo's stats stayed in an acceptable range.

What will tomorrow bring??? We just need to lean on each other for strength. I know as I was driving to the hospital tonight I found a great deal of comfort in the knowledge that so many people are sending love and prayers Leo's way.

I'm sure I have more to add, but it's late and quite honestly my brain is not functioning as I'd like, so for now I'm going to say good night.

Today has been a bit more stressful than I care for, but Leo is hanging in there. Sheena & James couldn't sleep last night, so they made a run to the hospital about 2AM just to see their little man; they were then able to go home and get a few hours of sleep. They have also spent a couple hours at the hospital this afternoon and will make their nightly visit in a bit.

Leo has had a number of setting changes today, up and down, and they are in the process of changing some of his IV lines (this is normal). They did put him back on his tummy this afternoon and he seemed to settle down quite a bit. He definitely prefers to be on his tummy.

Thank you to everyone for posting such wonderful messages in the "guestbook" on the website. We all really enjoy reading them and I know Sheena & James look forward to checking the "guestbook" daily. The love and support we are getting is providing us a lot of strength. Thank you so much. If you haven't posted a message, we'd love to hear from you.

Today Leo has not been as stable as we'd like, whether it's because he doesn't like being on his back or what, we don't know. Sheena did get to give Leo a kiss on the head today and that really brightened her day. After 19 days of ups and downs, something as delicate as a kiss makes a huge difference.

Sheena and James are a bit uneasy about the night ahead, so if you read this tonight, please say a special pray of comfort for them. After such a heart-wrenching crisis just a week ago, it's hard to put those thoughts aside. I find a great deal of peace knowing Leo is a valiant fighter and I keep my faith strong knowing he is in the best of care all the way around.

We've received a lot of messages expressing concern for Sheena and James, and all of us in the thick of things. I assure you staying rested and healthy is a top priority for all of us, we need to in order to be there in full strength for Leo. Sheena & I even went to a birthday dinner with a wonder group of friends last night, it gave us time to enjoy the company of very loving and supportive friends and at the same time get a bit of a break. We truly appreciate your thoughts and prayers; I know we find a great deal of comfort just knowing how many "angels" are praying for us throughout.

Well today has been a pretty good day. Leo's medical team is very pleased with his lab work and his condition throughout the day. Leo even got "tummy" time, he really likes being on his tummy and after a week on his back he looks quite comfortable.

I'm still not ready to start using the "chill" word yet, but Leo continues to get good reports from the care team. He's definitely showing his personality, he tolerates his care well but really doesn't like his diaper changed. The nurses all love him, just as we do.

Leo continues to remain stable. Sheena & James visited him and have been pleased with the reports of the day. We pray the upcoming days will bring stable and positive reports. With each day I truly believe Leo gets stronger and will continue to fight valiantly.

Today was a day of rest and recovery for all of us; and all the while we await the next report form the kids on Leo's status.

Leo is truly a valiant fighter! At this point it APPEARS that he has "won" this battle, there are a few unknowns as to the origin of this crisis, but as long as his reports remain stable and there are no new occurrences, the doctors don't feel it's necessary to explore these events further. Without going into great detail, Leo experienced an internal bleed. Last night about 11pm they completed a bed-side procedure to drain the accumulated blood (they had to wait for Leo to be stable enough to perform the procedure) and Leo came through "great" as the doctor said. Leo was actually stable enough by 11am yesterday, but the surgeon had more serious surgical demands and wasn't available prior to 11pm.

The last 48 hours have left us emotionally exhausted. Sheena & I spent another night in the NICU waiting room, sleeping on the couches. After getting a satisfactory report this morning, Sheena was ready to go home shower and freshen up a bit. She & James will go back to the hospital this afternoon. As for me, I'm home, but I'll be ready to go at a moments notice. I won't go back today unless the need arises, Roger, Dustin & I will make a visit tomorrow.

I want to thank my wonderful friends Nancy & LeAnne; they brought all of us a delicious lunch yesterday and provided us with a welcome break from the stress of waiting. We laughed so hard we thought they'd kick us out of the dining area. Friends and laughter are truly fabulous medicine.

I can't tell you how much comfort we have taken during these trying times that there are family and friends around the world praying for Leo and keeping us in thought. I can't tell you how many times Sheena and I have talked about the expression of love and support we are getting, it truly has (and is) making a difference. I thank each and everyone for your love and support.

I wish I could say tonight is another "chill" night, but it's not really. However, Leo has had a stable and uneventful day. At last report (a short time ago) Leo's stats look good. His settings have been stable and there has been no evidence of new bleeds. Sheena and James have been pleased with his appearance and they are hoping to speak with the doctor yet tonight for the most current report.

It is a good morning. Leo is valiantly fighting a tough battle! Yesterday (Thur) the kids received a call about 11:30am to get to the hospital quickly. James was near by and arrived quickly, Sheena arrive about noon, James' dad arrived and then I arrived about 12:30 (Sheri arrived shortly there after). By the time I arrived they had Christened Leo and he looked terrible. Without going into great detail, Leo had a major crisis.

Sheena & I stayed the night and Leo seems to be somewhat stable. The battle is not over and today will be another very long day, the doctors need to assess the events of yesterday and see if they can determine the source. Please forgive me for being vague, just know we love you and need all the prayer power available.

They have transferred Leo to Children's Hospital since the handle the acute cases. Mom, dad and the rest of us are hanging in there and hugging when necessary. I had finally unpacked my "hospital" bag and of course Sheena & I ended up without anything last night, but we were where we needed to be.

This morning started with a tearful call from Sheena, the hospital had called to inform them that Leo was having a rough go of things, his lungs were not responding as they would like. Sheena and James went to the hospital and spent the morning in the NICU. They performed a number of treatments and suctioned his lungs and by noon he had settled down enough that Sheena & James felt comfortable taking a break. When they got back to the hospital about 3pm, Leo had stabilized and had responded well to the morning's treatments. By the time they left around 5:30, Leo was resting comfortably.

It is 8pm and Sheena just texted me to let me know Leo's respirator settings are back down where we want them. Please pray that his lungs continue to respond positively and grow stronger by the minute.

Today was a so-so day. Leo's lungs are requiring a bit more attention, and they have made a number of adjustments to his respirator. It didn't help that the doctor on duty today doesn't have the best bedside manner and it took some reassurance from the nurses for Sheena & James to feel comfortable that Leo's condition was pretty much "status quo" for now. I have to say the nursing staff in the NICU is absolutely fabulous.

On an up note, Leo has taken nicely to his mama's milk and they have increased the amount he's getting. Leo is starting to show acceptable weight gain, he weighed a whopping 705 grams (or 1 pound almost 9 ounces). As they've been doing the past few days, they are allowing Leo to remain quiet for long stretches of time. For now, Sheena & James will reserve visits for themselves. Once Leo settles down a bit we will start making short visits again.

Today was another good day. Sheena had her post-op visit at the doctor and they are VERY pleased with her progress, she was even cleared to drive which will help a great deal with scheduling. Thank you so much to those who assisted and those that were more than willing to assist with transportation, your support is greatly appreciated. Thanks too for those that have provided a number of meals for Sheena and James; that too makes a huge difference.

Leo is doing nicely; the main focus is his immature lungs. His respiratory needs will be monitored very closely for quite sometimes. We need to continue praying that his lungs get stronger and continue to tolerate the respiratory treatment.

Sheena and I had the opportunity to spend a couple hours in the NICU today and were able to observe a number of things, including a modification to his respirator. As a result I was able to get a picture without tape on his face. He could have that tape for quite some time.

Leo appears to be tolerating mom's milk quite well and they will slowly increase the frequency and then the amount.

I have received wonderful notes of support from so many and each one is very much appreciated. Please understand if I don't take time to respond at this point, we are all still trying to find a new balance in our lives and our schedules. But your love and support provides all of us a wonderful feeling of comfort, thank you!

Good days are always welcomed! Leo is definitely showing his personality, he fussed enough that they finally positioned him on his tummy and he's been resting comfortably since (spoiled already). You will notice by the new pictures that they have converted his "open" warming bed into an isolate which provides a more comfortable environment for Leo, and is another sign of progress. Another positive is that Leo has made a smooth transition to the latest changes in respirators. Yeah!

Leo also got his first "taste" of mom's milk today. Actually his tummy got the milk, not his tongue. He will be slowly introduced to it via a feeding tube, 1 cc every 3 hours at first (that might be 1/8 of a teaspoon). Leo is still right around his birth weight, which is normal, but I'm sure we'll start to see growth in the weeks to come.

Leo received a greeting via our neighbors from "King Leonidas" (actually the actor that portrayed him in 300, Gerard Butler). Our neighbors' daughter is Amber Valleta (Hitch) and she is filming a new movie with Gerard; Teresa has been on location with Amber and has been sharing Leo's updates and everyone was interested in the name. Sheena and James wanted a strong Greek name for their little boy and had decided on Leo's name almost a month ago. Teresa sent me an email with Gerard's blessings and a photo for Leo.

Today was a much better day! Leo has been resting comfortably, and Sheena & James were able to interact with him a bit. For now the plan is to keep him quiet and stable, so there's not a lot of interaction for now. As long as Leo has a good night and continues to respond well, Roger, Dustin & I; and John & Cheri (James' dad & stepmom) will be able to go in for a brief visit tomorrow.

We did have some good news yesterday, but with everything else I forgot to include it in my email. There is a valve between the lungs and heart and commonly in premies the valve doesn't close on its own and need surgical correction. Leo's valve did close and did not require the correction. Yeah!

Today was one of those days we were praying we could avoid, but we're hanging in there. Leo didn't respond well to the respirator change and as a result they have been making adjustments all day. It's been very difficult on Sheena and James as they have not been able to touch and interact with Leo during the day. We could certainly use some extra prayers tonight.

While they are determining the right balance for Leo, they want his environment to be quiet, so it may be a day or two before we can visit. Sheena and James can still visit and will keep us posted on Leo's progress.

Another good day! Leo has now advanced to the next stage of respirators and he started to open his eyes today. Sheena and James got to spend some time with Leo throughout the day and James experienced his first diaper change. Sheena continues to heal and prayers continue to be answered.

Tomorrow marks a week! I'm sure we have many more to follow and I pray they are all as smooth as this week.

Leo had another "chill" day, as the nurses put it. We like hearing that kind of report. Leo knows when he has visitors, but he spends most of his time doing what he needs to do, and that is growing and getting stronger. While Roger watched on, Sheena got to change Leo's diaper, take his temperature and wet his lips (which he apparently really liked).

Sheena spent the day with Dustin and me and she is doing very well. James on the other hand is coping with a bit of a flu bug, hopefully he will be feeling good very soon so he can get back to see his son.

Our family received wonderful new this evening when we learned that my niece and husband welcomed their son at 7:08PM ET this evening. Congrats to Jolie and Brian and welcome Peter Brian. Jolie's brother and his wife are expecting number 2 any time now.

I have no new pictures today, Leo was again under his sheet of plastic to keep his skin moist and between the blue light and the plastic, I don't like how the pictures turn out.

We've had a few questions about his weight, at this point he is just about the same which is normal. They do weigh him daily and record it in grams, and though there have been changes (up and down) it doesn't even measure in ounces. As Leo progresses I will start including reports on his growth.

Sheena is doing great, she was discharged today and after a long visit with Leo she went home. Her dogs and cats missed her a lot and I'm certain they will help Sheena through this roller coaster. I've scheduled my day tomorrow to spend time with Sheena and visit Leo. We will get her there daily until she can drive again.

Dustin has been modifying our family website and turning it into a Leo information center, at the moment there are only pictures but in the coming days he will be adding more. With regards to the pictures, as we post more pictures you will see Leo under plastic, don't be alarmed. The plastic is used to keep the moisture in his skin, all the lights and open air tends to dry out the baby's skin. He is doing well, but they are using lots of monitors and "tools" in his care.

I've also had a number of inquiries asking if the kids are registered anywhere. Yes, they are registered with Babies R Us - last name Glinatsis, the registry number is 50852914. I'm also going to talk with Sheena about establishing a savings account for Leo, I'll keep you posted.

With each new day and every passing hour we give thanks for the progress Leo and Sheena are making. We are extremely grateful for all the loving support, the power of prayer and positive energy that is there for us. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Today was another good day. Sheena has been cleared to go home tomorrow and Leo had another "chill" day. Sheena got to change Leo's diaper (visualize a tiny panty liner folded up into thirds) and take his temperature. We also got to observe his nightly weigh in, all is good.

Tomorrow we embark on new schedules of rides and visits, but we have a wonderful circle of friends who are going to help along the way. I've got a new picture I have to share, look past the tubes to see how cute Leo is.

Today was another very good day. Sheena's bouncing back from her surgery exceptionally well and is mentally preparing for her discharge from the hospital. We're working on establishing a workable plan that will include work, life and lots of NICU time with Leo. Sheena won't be able to drive for six weeks, but thanks to a fabulous circle of family and friends, we have a growing list of people willing to help with transportations and other needs.

Leo continues to receive very positive reports from his doctors and nurses, so that really helps us to remain upbeat and positive. Sheena is feeling well enough, that she made a number of visits throughout the day.

Sheena had all IV's and monitors removed this morning, she's still on pain killers and has vital signed taken at regular intervals, but she's definitely on her road to healing. She's starting to pump milk today, which will be kept in the freezer in the NICU until they are ready to start Leo on it (currently he is receiving a special nutrition solution via IV).

Leo has had an uneventful day, which is very good. Sheena had two opportunities to visit Leo and actually had a good visit with his nurse this evening. Getting more information has really helped. Sheena is more than happy to receive visitors and/or phone calls. She will be in room 498 at Sharp Mary Birch until Tuesday morning (at least).

Leonitas James Glinatsis wasn't due until April 28th, but for some reason he decided to show up at 4:18 am today (Pacific Time). He came out crying, which is a very good sign; and, he weighed 1 pound 7 ounces. Already in Intensive Care at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women in San Diego, he will spend quite a while there before he can go home to Sheena & James.

Last weekend, Sheena began having contractions. She spent a couple days in the hospital while medications were administered to stop the contractions; but they returned yesterday and this time the contractions wouldn't stop. LJ / Leo was born via C-section.

Sheena is doing well. I don't yet know when she will be discharged to go home. But hopefully, given all she's been though, it will be several days.

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For those that have not heard the latest, Sheena gave birth via a C-section at 4:18AM this morning January 4, 2008 (1/4/08 @ 0418) to Leonidas James Glinatsis a whopping 1 pound 7 ounces (16 weeks early). He arrived to this world kicking and screaming (which is a hugely positive start). We have a very long road ahead, but the early hours have been quite promising (we know all too well that there's a roller coaster ahead).

James is a beaming proud papa and dotes on Sheena and proudly escorts family and friends down to the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) to see Leo. Roger and James' dad John, are equally proud grandpas and Dustin certainly seemed proud to be an uncle.

Sheena finally had the chance to meet her son at about 8:30pm tonight, very touching and brought lots of tears. Though we had some very scary moments, both Sheena and Leo have made it through this very challenging day. Sheena will most likely be at Scripps Mary Birch until Tuesday and Leo will be there much, much longer.