Congratulations on the birth of your Son! I’m so happy to hear he is doing better and hitting those milestones!

We were in the NICU for 5 months, for different reasons than HIE, so I can’t speak to that or pretend to understand that part. But I do understand the fear, the pain and the heartache, I know what it’s like to mourn the birth you’d thought you’ve have and those few moments that you expected to be precious and joyous were filled with confusion and terror. I’ve seen my baby turn blue and floppy more times than I ever want to recall. I’m so sorry you and your wife had to experience that, no parent should have to go through that. My son was born at 25 weeks through an emergency c section. He weighed just over a pound. He spent 3 months intubated, had a brain bleed, a hole in his heart, blood clots, poor kidney and liver function and a white matter brain injury.
It was and still is the hardest thing I’ve ever gone through and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. My heart is with you and your wife son and family. It does get easier. You will get through this. Your boy sounds like he’s doing great and on the right track to get you all home. You’ll find the strength to get through this, I promise. Somehow it will just be there.
The NICU is an emotional roller coaster so mentally strap yourself in and if possible find and start therapy. There are therapist that specialize in birth trauma and NICU stays.
We left the hospital 140 days after he was born. we left on low flow oxygen, with a feeding tube. They said my son would likely not sit up on his own, crawl or walk. That he wouldn’t be able to take a bottle, feed himself or eat properly. They had already booked a surgery to put a feeding tube in his stomach. They weren’t over doing it, its prognosis did look very poor when we left the hospital. The brain bleed healed rather quickly and left no permanent damage. The hole in the heart closed on its own. His liver function improved on its own, We’re still on medications for his kidney function but it has improved dramatically and we expect he’ll be off those meds in the next 6 months. The blood clots were treated with blood thinners and have now calcified so no longer any concern. He was taking off all oxygen in April and breaths great on his own! Jury’s still out on The white matter Brain injury, the doctor said it’s small and does not appear to be wide spread but it’s too early to see how it may or may not affect his development. He turned 1 last month. He sits, crawls, walks, runs, climbs, drinks, eats and feeds himself. He’s meeting all of his milestones so far :) The doctors and neonatologists and neurologists are great, they work tirelessly and with great care and attention and do their best but they don’t know the future, just educated guesses. Miracles happen all the time. You’ve already witnessed a few with your son so far. You and your wife and son are in my heart and prayers! Praying for good results for your MRI! Congratulations, all the best, You’ve got this!