After a false start on Friday evening, Sean was finally discharged on Monday evening. :) He is now 8lb!!
:)
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Seanie and his Terms
UGH! We went to the hospital today to bring little Seanie home with us. As soon as I walked into the NICU, C says that Sean has had a "funky day." She explains that he had a nurse who doesn't know him. The nurse had his swaddled tightly (he hates that) and he didn't feed well for her. But, when C came to work, he was doing well, but she was a little concerned. Well, when he was literally minutes from being discharged, he started acting up. He dropped his oxygen level lower than it's been in weeks! Something just wasn't right. So, C called the doctor and she came to see him. Dr L came to see him and she, along with C and me decided he needed to stay a little longer. UGH!! It might be a day, it might be a few days, it might be a week.
Colton is doing well and thinks being the "only child" is just fine with him!
Colton is doing well and thinks being the "only child" is just fine with him!
Monday, March 22, 2010
108 Days
The boys are now 108 days old. Colton has been home for 20 days. And, now, finally, the neonatologists are looking at sending Little Seanie home! :) They are very happy how Sean is doing. He is on 100ml of oxygen a minute and is doing well on it. His estimated discharge is this coming weekend! Of course, he has to pass his car seat challenge test and continue to do well on this amount of oxygen. It doesn't always go as planned. Another NICU baby was all ready to go home last weekend. He caught a cold, yes, a cold, and his discharge was cancelled. He doesn't have a new discharge date. This little guy was born at 24 weeks, 5 days, just two days after the boys were born.
Colton is now 7lb, 9oz
Sean is now 7lb, 3oz
Seanie is definately catching up to his big brother! Sean eats about 100ml per feeding; Colton eats about 90ml. Sean has been taken off the high calorie formula and is just on preemie formula. His formula has 22 calories per ounce. Colton is still on 24 calories an ounce.
Colton is doing very well at home. He loves to hang out with his dad and dog. He really doesn't care what is going on as long as he is tightly swaddled. He loves his swing. And, the good little boy sleeps for about 5-6 hours at night. Thank you NICU nurses for putting him on a schedule! :) (Sean is doing the same thing in the NICU!)
Happy Monday! :)
Colton is now 7lb, 9oz
Sean is now 7lb, 3oz
Seanie is definately catching up to his big brother! Sean eats about 100ml per feeding; Colton eats about 90ml. Sean has been taken off the high calorie formula and is just on preemie formula. His formula has 22 calories per ounce. Colton is still on 24 calories an ounce.
Colton is doing very well at home. He loves to hang out with his dad and dog. He really doesn't care what is going on as long as he is tightly swaddled. He loves his swing. And, the good little boy sleeps for about 5-6 hours at night. Thank you NICU nurses for putting him on a schedule! :) (Sean is doing the same thing in the NICU!)
Happy Monday! :)
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
OH SEANIE!!!
Today I went to see Seanie by myself. Bubba stayed home and watched Colton. When I got to the hospital, Seanie's nurse had just gone to dinner. The break relief said, "C said to tell you that Sean grew up overnight and she would explain when she got back from her break." Hhhhmmm. Ok. I needed to pump so I was setting up my pump stuff, but I paused to look at him to see if he was swollen or something of the like. I walk around his isolette and notice that I don't have to walk around any equipment. WHAT?!?!?! WAIT A SECOND!!! I say, really loudly and breaking every NICU rule, "HOLY SHIT!! HE'S OFF THE VAPOTHERM! THE VAPOTHERM IS GONE! OH MY GOD!" The three nurses in the room start laughing instead of scolding me for my loud voice and cursing! I forget about pumping and scoop Seanie up and start crying! I tell him, "Oh Seanie! I knew you could do it! Mommy is so proud of you and loves you so much!" I was a bit too excited for him and he started breathing really quickly and dropping his oxygen level. WHOOPS!!!! I put him back down, swaddled him, and let him rest (and recover) while I pumped.
When C came back from her break, we talked about what Dr Z did today. Dr Z walked in and said that Seanie has been there long enough and he wants to see what Seanie can do. So, off of the vapotherm and on to wall oxygen and change his diet to 22 calorie formula. Dr Z is the perfect doctor for Sean. Sean only likes to do things on his terms. But, if we left it up to him, he would be celebrating his first birthday in the NICU. Dr Z believes in challenging the kids like Sean. Sean likes to rise to the challenge. :) Oh Lord, Seanie is his mother's son. I am in for it!!!
So, this is a challenge. Seanie might not be able to stay off of the vapotherm. We will know in less than a day if he needs to be back on it.
:)
When C came back from her break, we talked about what Dr Z did today. Dr Z walked in and said that Seanie has been there long enough and he wants to see what Seanie can do. So, off of the vapotherm and on to wall oxygen and change his diet to 22 calorie formula. Dr Z is the perfect doctor for Sean. Sean only likes to do things on his terms. But, if we left it up to him, he would be celebrating his first birthday in the NICU. Dr Z believes in challenging the kids like Sean. Sean likes to rise to the challenge. :) Oh Lord, Seanie is his mother's son. I am in for it!!!
So, this is a challenge. Seanie might not be able to stay off of the vapotherm. We will know in less than a day if he needs to be back on it.
:)
Friday, March 12, 2010
Happy Birth Day, Boys!
I am writing this at 3am on the boys' due date. Exactly 14 weeks ago, we had the doctors scrambling around prepping for my c-section. Everything was a mess and nothing was going according to plan. Heck, we weren't even in the same universe as the plan!
Earlier tonight, while on my way to see Seanie, I thought about the circumstances surrounding their birth. When I arrived at the hospital and was heading to the elevator to go to the NICU, something familar caught my eye. Down the hallway on the labor and delivery unit, I saw a man who I knew that I knew, but wasn't sure how I knew him. In a split second, he was gone. I stood there waiting for the elevator with my back to it because I was staring down the hallway into labor and delivery. And, then, there he was again, talking to another man. I walked towards to door to get a closer look. Then, I recognized his shoes - or, really, I should say, I recognized the shoes I had been told about - old Vans. Yes, it was the doctor who was forced into deciding to deliver the boys even though they were only 26 weeks. He took a huge risk. If there had been a bad outcome, the blame would have fallen on his shoulders. Hindsight is 20/20. He absolutely made the right decision. The outcome could have been very different if he had waited even a few hours.
When I met Dr G, I immediately liked him. There was something about him that made me trust him. Bubba has joked about his "Johnny Bravo" response to a mock child abduction code, his old Vans, and the fact that he looked like he shows up to work on a surfboard. Not the typical doctor that I prefer. But, when he came into my room on that Thursday night, I trusted him as soon as he said hello. When he said I needed my c-section early Friday morning, I knew it was the right thing to do (heck, I might have even been begging for him to do it). And, then during a moment of clarity admist all the anesthesia and pain medicine, Dr G came and checked on me in the recovery room. I remember asking him two things - did I have a classical incision (a verticle cut on my uterus requiring a c-section in any future pregnancies) and did he use sutures or staples. He said yes, I had a classical incision and that he used sutures in a tone that said to me that he never even considered staples, I gave him a thumbs up and then fell back to sleep.
On my way to the NICU to see Seanie, I had to wade through what seemed like 100 pregnant women. It was the "Late Pregnancy/Hospital Tour" group. I smiled a nice fake little smile and they all smiled back none the wiser. Secretly, I hated each and every one of them for those few moments. As I got to Pod 104 (the room that has been Seanie's home for the last 98 days), I looked in the window as I always have. Seanie wasn't in his bed. The bed was empty. I looked around the room and saw that little Sean had been moved to another location in the room. He had lost his bed with a view (he had been in the bed by the window). As I changed Seanie's diaper and got ready to snuggle with him, I joked to the nurse that Seanie had lost his prime location housing. She said it was because Seanie isn't critical and those spots are for babies who are critical (there is different monitoring equipment on those beds - I had never noticed it until the nurse pointed it out). Seanie's bed and Colton's bed were ready for new babies to be admitted in them. There was a set of early twins (maybe 28 weeks) who were expected to be born soon.
I pulled the curtain around Seanie's bed and sat down with him in my arms. I held him tight as I told him I loved him and that I hope and pray he grows up to be a strong boy. I also told him I was sorry he came into this world so early and that he wasn't home with his brother, mommy and daddy. As I told him, tears ran down my face. I hugged and kissed him and told him he was the handsomest boy in the NICU.
3:27 am: Colton's birth time
When I got home, I sat and held Colton. I told Colton that loved him dearly and that I was sorry for his early entrance into this world. I told him I was sorry for his brain problems and that I hope he is able to overcome the bleeding, hydrocephalus and the shunt. Tears ran down my face as I talked to him. I hugged and kissed him as well.
3:28 am: Sean's birth time
Colton and Sean are officially 14 weeks old. Yet, their adjusted age is 40 weeks. Tomorrow, their adjusted age will be 1 day. One day.
Earlier tonight, while on my way to see Seanie, I thought about the circumstances surrounding their birth. When I arrived at the hospital and was heading to the elevator to go to the NICU, something familar caught my eye. Down the hallway on the labor and delivery unit, I saw a man who I knew that I knew, but wasn't sure how I knew him. In a split second, he was gone. I stood there waiting for the elevator with my back to it because I was staring down the hallway into labor and delivery. And, then, there he was again, talking to another man. I walked towards to door to get a closer look. Then, I recognized his shoes - or, really, I should say, I recognized the shoes I had been told about - old Vans. Yes, it was the doctor who was forced into deciding to deliver the boys even though they were only 26 weeks. He took a huge risk. If there had been a bad outcome, the blame would have fallen on his shoulders. Hindsight is 20/20. He absolutely made the right decision. The outcome could have been very different if he had waited even a few hours.
When I met Dr G, I immediately liked him. There was something about him that made me trust him. Bubba has joked about his "Johnny Bravo" response to a mock child abduction code, his old Vans, and the fact that he looked like he shows up to work on a surfboard. Not the typical doctor that I prefer. But, when he came into my room on that Thursday night, I trusted him as soon as he said hello. When he said I needed my c-section early Friday morning, I knew it was the right thing to do (heck, I might have even been begging for him to do it). And, then during a moment of clarity admist all the anesthesia and pain medicine, Dr G came and checked on me in the recovery room. I remember asking him two things - did I have a classical incision (a verticle cut on my uterus requiring a c-section in any future pregnancies) and did he use sutures or staples. He said yes, I had a classical incision and that he used sutures in a tone that said to me that he never even considered staples, I gave him a thumbs up and then fell back to sleep.
On my way to the NICU to see Seanie, I had to wade through what seemed like 100 pregnant women. It was the "Late Pregnancy/Hospital Tour" group. I smiled a nice fake little smile and they all smiled back none the wiser. Secretly, I hated each and every one of them for those few moments. As I got to Pod 104 (the room that has been Seanie's home for the last 98 days), I looked in the window as I always have. Seanie wasn't in his bed. The bed was empty. I looked around the room and saw that little Sean had been moved to another location in the room. He had lost his bed with a view (he had been in the bed by the window). As I changed Seanie's diaper and got ready to snuggle with him, I joked to the nurse that Seanie had lost his prime location housing. She said it was because Seanie isn't critical and those spots are for babies who are critical (there is different monitoring equipment on those beds - I had never noticed it until the nurse pointed it out). Seanie's bed and Colton's bed were ready for new babies to be admitted in them. There was a set of early twins (maybe 28 weeks) who were expected to be born soon.
I pulled the curtain around Seanie's bed and sat down with him in my arms. I held him tight as I told him I loved him and that I hope and pray he grows up to be a strong boy. I also told him I was sorry he came into this world so early and that he wasn't home with his brother, mommy and daddy. As I told him, tears ran down my face. I hugged and kissed him and told him he was the handsomest boy in the NICU.
3:27 am: Colton's birth time
When I got home, I sat and held Colton. I told Colton that loved him dearly and that I was sorry for his early entrance into this world. I told him I was sorry for his brain problems and that I hope he is able to overcome the bleeding, hydrocephalus and the shunt. Tears ran down my face as I talked to him. I hugged and kissed him as well.
3:28 am: Sean's birth time
Colton and Sean are officially 14 weeks old. Yet, their adjusted age is 40 weeks. Tomorrow, their adjusted age will be 1 day. One day.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Long Overdue Update
Sorry folks. I've been busy. :)
Colton has nicely settled into being home. He is still on his NICU schedule for the most part. (I love those NICU nurses!) At night, he shows he is his mommy's baby. He will sleep for six hours at a time if I let him. Usually, I will get him up at five hours if he doesn't wake up himself. Miss Lulu (our dog, the Italian Spinone) loves him dearly. She knows the difference between him just making noise and his cries. She responds to him quicker than I do sometimes. One thing she likes to do that kind of bothers me is she loves to lick his hands and head. Of course when I mentioned this to Sean's NICU nurse she said not to worry about it. She said taking him out in public and exposing him to the flu or RSV would be much worse. Of course Sean's nurse is an animal lover (as am I).
Most of Colton's days are spent in mine and Bubba's bedroom. He has a basinette set up in there along with the changing table. He does go out to the living room to the other basinette we have (or the swing if he is feeling social), but moving him isn't exactly easy. He has an oxygen tank that is probably about 3 feet tall and on a little wheeled cart (that hurts like hell if it runs over your foot!). Along with the oxygen, he has an apnea monitor that is like an odd shaped purse (definately not one of my lovely purses!). Speaking of the apnea monitor, OMG! When he sets that thing off, it kills your eardrums. It is designed to wake parents up in the middle of the night and to be heard across the house, but damn it's freakin' loud! Usually he sets it off when he needs to burp (so not breathing) or he's crying and his heart rate passes the upper limit. Other than that he is doing really well. I do need to schedule him for a follow up pediatrician appointment in a few weeks. I need to try to find a pedi who has an interest in preemies. The pedi we saw this week said it wasn't neccessary, but after the appointment it was clear that yes, we need someone who has an interest in preemies and doesn't ask questions like why is he on oxygen.
Sean's vapotherm has been turned down again. He is now on three liters per minute (Monday it was turned down from 6 to 5 - he skipped 4). His percent of oxygen is staying around 38 to 42 percent, even with the decrease in liters per minute. He is tolerating all of this very well. The pulmonologist came by to check on him again and said he thinks Sean is doing well and this is all related to his prematurity (meaning we just have to let him grow and there isn't anything else going on). He also got another eye exam. All is well. He gets his recheck in two weeks. :)
A few nights ago, while visiting Seanie, all four babies in the room were setting off their alarms. I said to Seanie that we need to get him out of there because those other babies are becoming a bad influence on him. One of the nurses said, "Oh no they're not! He's the ringleader!" That's my boy! :) Tonight while Bubba was there a nurse came over to do something near Seanie's crib and Bubba told her not to try to blame the smell on Seanie. She told him everyone knows that Seanie has a stinky butt! Poor Seanie is still on that 27 calorie formula. It causes lots of stinky gas.
Also, my friend showed me this video and I wanted to share it with everyone. I will warn you - it's very sad and it will make you cry. But, it's a beautiful story of the life of a little boy names Eliot who suffered from Trisomy 18. So, I've warned you . . . you will cry . . . 99 Balloons
Colton has nicely settled into being home. He is still on his NICU schedule for the most part. (I love those NICU nurses!) At night, he shows he is his mommy's baby. He will sleep for six hours at a time if I let him. Usually, I will get him up at five hours if he doesn't wake up himself. Miss Lulu (our dog, the Italian Spinone) loves him dearly. She knows the difference between him just making noise and his cries. She responds to him quicker than I do sometimes. One thing she likes to do that kind of bothers me is she loves to lick his hands and head. Of course when I mentioned this to Sean's NICU nurse she said not to worry about it. She said taking him out in public and exposing him to the flu or RSV would be much worse. Of course Sean's nurse is an animal lover (as am I).
Most of Colton's days are spent in mine and Bubba's bedroom. He has a basinette set up in there along with the changing table. He does go out to the living room to the other basinette we have (or the swing if he is feeling social), but moving him isn't exactly easy. He has an oxygen tank that is probably about 3 feet tall and on a little wheeled cart (that hurts like hell if it runs over your foot!). Along with the oxygen, he has an apnea monitor that is like an odd shaped purse (definately not one of my lovely purses!). Speaking of the apnea monitor, OMG! When he sets that thing off, it kills your eardrums. It is designed to wake parents up in the middle of the night and to be heard across the house, but damn it's freakin' loud! Usually he sets it off when he needs to burp (so not breathing) or he's crying and his heart rate passes the upper limit. Other than that he is doing really well. I do need to schedule him for a follow up pediatrician appointment in a few weeks. I need to try to find a pedi who has an interest in preemies. The pedi we saw this week said it wasn't neccessary, but after the appointment it was clear that yes, we need someone who has an interest in preemies and doesn't ask questions like why is he on oxygen.
Sean's vapotherm has been turned down again. He is now on three liters per minute (Monday it was turned down from 6 to 5 - he skipped 4). His percent of oxygen is staying around 38 to 42 percent, even with the decrease in liters per minute. He is tolerating all of this very well. The pulmonologist came by to check on him again and said he thinks Sean is doing well and this is all related to his prematurity (meaning we just have to let him grow and there isn't anything else going on). He also got another eye exam. All is well. He gets his recheck in two weeks. :)
A few nights ago, while visiting Seanie, all four babies in the room were setting off their alarms. I said to Seanie that we need to get him out of there because those other babies are becoming a bad influence on him. One of the nurses said, "Oh no they're not! He's the ringleader!" That's my boy! :) Tonight while Bubba was there a nurse came over to do something near Seanie's crib and Bubba told her not to try to blame the smell on Seanie. She told him everyone knows that Seanie has a stinky butt! Poor Seanie is still on that 27 calorie formula. It causes lots of stinky gas.
Also, my friend showed me this video and I wanted to share it with everyone. I will warn you - it's very sad and it will make you cry. But, it's a beautiful story of the life of a little boy names Eliot who suffered from Trisomy 18. So, I've warned you . . . you will cry . . . 99 Balloons
Monday, March 8, 2010
A quick update
Sorry folks, it's hard to tear myself away from Colton. Usually, I only do it so that I can go visit Seanie. :)
Seanie's vapotherm settings have been turned down and he is tolerating it very well. He is now eating 3 oz at a time of his 27 calorie formula/breast milk mix. He also reached a new milestone . . . HE IS SIX POUNDS!!! :)
Colton is doing well at home. He had his follow up pediatrician appointment today. Of course, he was very popular in the clinic. He is now 7lb 4oz! :)
Will update with the going-ons of the last week later tonight or tomorrow. Off to go visit Little Seanie!
Seanie's vapotherm settings have been turned down and he is tolerating it very well. He is now eating 3 oz at a time of his 27 calorie formula/breast milk mix. He also reached a new milestone . . . HE IS SIX POUNDS!!! :)
Colton is doing well at home. He had his follow up pediatrician appointment today. Of course, he was very popular in the clinic. He is now 7lb 4oz! :)
Will update with the going-ons of the last week later tonight or tomorrow. Off to go visit Little Seanie!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
COLTON IS HOME!!
:)
Will write more later. I just wanted to let eveyone know that Colton was discharged on Tuesday afternoon.
:)
Seanie is doing well. We miss him and want him home with us too.
Will write more later. I just wanted to let eveyone know that Colton was discharged on Tuesday afternoon.
:)
Seanie is doing well. We miss him and want him home with us too.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Overnight Visit with the Boys :)
Last night Bubba and I spent the night in the NICU in one of their family sleep rooms. It was like a cheap motel - bathroom door hit the bed when opened, no window, no fridge - but it did have free wifi. I wanted to blog from there but just didn't get the chance. Bubba and I were up every 4 hours to feed and change the boys. Each feeding and change took 90 minutes. For the 8am feeding, Bubba went to feed them while I pumped. WHOOPS!! I didn't pump, I slept! LOL
So, here are the updates . . .
Seanie is now 5lb 7oz! :) In a fit of rage, he pulled his feeding tube out AGAIN. The doc had already written an order to take it out, so he currently doesn't have one. The plan for him is ad lib feeding and care. This means he gets to eat how much he wants, when he wants. Those poor nurses. He is going to drive them crazy! Since they started feeding him, he always wanted to eat earlier than his sceduled time. The doc checked his prealbumin level (it's a protein in the blood). It was low so he is now getting a protein supplement - basically his feedings are protein drinks. :) Seanie also got his eyes checked again this week. All is well, recheck in 2 weeks. Because they haven't been able to really wean him on the vapotherm, the pulmonologist was called to look at him to make sure something else wasn't going on. Pulmonologist said nothing else is going on, he's just taking his own sweet time. Anyone who has met Seanie knows that little guy ONLY does things on his own terms!
Colton is now 6lb 11oz! Holy smokes that boy is huge! He is doing tremendously better on his feedings. He still burps like a truck driver. Because his feedings are going well, they ordered his home equipment. It should be delivered to the house tomorrow morning. Then Bubba and I will spend the night in the NICU again. This time he will be in the room with us. We will call the nurse to bring us a bottle when he's hungry. Yes, Colton will be getting room service. If all goes well, Colton will be coming home with us on Tuesday!! The only bump in the road can be if he doesn't pass his car seat challenge test. That might have already been done earlier tonight. Two days after going home, he will have his regular well baby check up like a regular baby! He will follow up with the neurosurgeon in four weeks. In July, he will meet with the developmental pediatrician (Seanie will as well). The developmental pedi follows the boys to make sure they are meeting their developmental milestones.
So, there is a lot of nervousness and excitement in the house tonight. :)
So, here are the updates . . .
Seanie is now 5lb 7oz! :) In a fit of rage, he pulled his feeding tube out AGAIN. The doc had already written an order to take it out, so he currently doesn't have one. The plan for him is ad lib feeding and care. This means he gets to eat how much he wants, when he wants. Those poor nurses. He is going to drive them crazy! Since they started feeding him, he always wanted to eat earlier than his sceduled time. The doc checked his prealbumin level (it's a protein in the blood). It was low so he is now getting a protein supplement - basically his feedings are protein drinks. :) Seanie also got his eyes checked again this week. All is well, recheck in 2 weeks. Because they haven't been able to really wean him on the vapotherm, the pulmonologist was called to look at him to make sure something else wasn't going on. Pulmonologist said nothing else is going on, he's just taking his own sweet time. Anyone who has met Seanie knows that little guy ONLY does things on his own terms!
Colton is now 6lb 11oz! Holy smokes that boy is huge! He is doing tremendously better on his feedings. He still burps like a truck driver. Because his feedings are going well, they ordered his home equipment. It should be delivered to the house tomorrow morning. Then Bubba and I will spend the night in the NICU again. This time he will be in the room with us. We will call the nurse to bring us a bottle when he's hungry. Yes, Colton will be getting room service. If all goes well, Colton will be coming home with us on Tuesday!! The only bump in the road can be if he doesn't pass his car seat challenge test. That might have already been done earlier tonight. Two days after going home, he will have his regular well baby check up like a regular baby! He will follow up with the neurosurgeon in four weeks. In July, he will meet with the developmental pediatrician (Seanie will as well). The developmental pedi follows the boys to make sure they are meeting their developmental milestones.
So, there is a lot of nervousness and excitement in the house tonight. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)