We're holding our breath waiting and hoping Samuel won't hold his so we can still come home on Wednesday. So far so good. We'll spend the night at the hospital tomorrow night to get used to practice using the equipment we'll have at home.
Our little baby is growing like a weed. Breaking out of his steady ounce a day gain, the last three days he's put on a total of 7oz! He now weighs 5lb 14oz. I think he's going for 6lb before he goes home! He is now 18.75 inches long.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Friday, September 26, 2008
Restart the Clock
Samuel had a spell this morning. :( Apparently he hasn't grown out of them yet. So we'll be here for at least another five days. That means Wednesday is homecoming day - if he stays spell-free until then.
He's still growing (5lb 7oz now) and getting cuter by the minute. This morning when I got to the hospital he was wide awake and contentedly looking around. Being greeted by those big eyes and sweet little face was such a wonderful way to start the day!
We still got to learn all about the oxygen and the apnea monitor we'll be bringing home. They even went up to Ames and installed the oxygen concentrator in the house, so it will be all ready for us whenever we end up coming home.
In His time, in His time
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Lord, please show me every day
As you're teaching me your way
That you'll do just what you say in your time.
It's not quite the same without the music, but this little chorus always helps me keep things in perspective. We'll get there. Sooner or later, but we'll get there. :)
He's still growing (5lb 7oz now) and getting cuter by the minute. This morning when I got to the hospital he was wide awake and contentedly looking around. Being greeted by those big eyes and sweet little face was such a wonderful way to start the day!
We still got to learn all about the oxygen and the apnea monitor we'll be bringing home. They even went up to Ames and installed the oxygen concentrator in the house, so it will be all ready for us whenever we end up coming home.
In His time, in His time
He makes all things beautiful in His time.
Lord, please show me every day
As you're teaching me your way
That you'll do just what you say in your time.
It's not quite the same without the music, but this little chorus always helps me keep things in perspective. We'll get there. Sooner or later, but we'll get there. :)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Well, the nurses were telling me Saturday, but the doctor said Sunday will be when we get to go home. That makes it "official." We still have to be spell free until then, though. Samuel passed his car seat test this morning. He had to sit in his car seat for as long as it takes to get home or a minimum of 30 minutes with the monitors on him to make sure he wouldn't have a spell. They actually left him in the car seat for over three hours. Now I know that he can make it all the way to Grandma and Grandpa Law's house! :) I don't know that we'll be allowed to travel anytime soon, but at least we know he could make it.
Samuel will be going home on oxygen and a monitor, so tomorrow we get to learn how to use all the equipment. Should be interesting. I've talked to a couple moms whose babies have gone home on oxygen, and they said it's not so bad. You get used to the "leash," and you can still carry baby around the house with you.
My little boy is still eating like a champ. They had me start weighing him again. I think the nurses just get nervous when they don't have numbers to write down. He took a whole three ounces nursing this morning, which is more that he ever took at one time even from a bottle! That should show 'em! ;)
Samuel will be going home on oxygen and a monitor, so tomorrow we get to learn how to use all the equipment. Should be interesting. I've talked to a couple moms whose babies have gone home on oxygen, and they said it's not so bad. You get used to the "leash," and you can still carry baby around the house with you.
My little boy is still eating like a champ. They had me start weighing him again. I think the nurses just get nervous when they don't have numbers to write down. He took a whole three ounces nursing this morning, which is more that he ever took at one time even from a bottle! That should show 'em! ;)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Spell Count
The count is on. Samuel has to go five days without having an apnea spell (stops breathing, oxygen levels and heartrate drop) before he can go home. He's supposed to be growing out them anytime now. His last one was on Monday the 22nd (his two month bday!!), so that means as of now we'll be coming home on Saturday! It doesn't sound like they're considering trying to get him off of oxygen before we come home (we can still pray for one more miracle, though!), so we'll probably get to bring a little extra equipment with us. They did turn his flow back down to 1/4L, and I've heard he shouldn't need the O2 for more than a month or two.
On Sunday, he passed his hearing screen. Tuesday he was circumcised. He continues to do excellent with eating. I don't have to weigh him before and after nursing anymore because he's established the fact that he can take as make as he needs. :) It's so much nicer - he doesn't usually wake back up when I try to put him in his bed now. He's gaining about an ounce a day - currently at 5lb 4oz. I'm hoping to spend the next few nights here and feed him around the clock. I want to take him home exclusively breastfeeding, which I'm told almost never happens. That just motivates me more as my MAP would tell you. :)
We're looking forward to being home!
On Sunday, he passed his hearing screen. Tuesday he was circumcised. He continues to do excellent with eating. I don't have to weigh him before and after nursing anymore because he's established the fact that he can take as make as he needs. :) It's so much nicer - he doesn't usually wake back up when I try to put him in his bed now. He's gaining about an ounce a day - currently at 5lb 4oz. I'm hoping to spend the next few nights here and feed him around the clock. I want to take him home exclusively breastfeeding, which I'm told almost never happens. That just motivates me more as my MAP would tell you. :)
We're looking forward to being home!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Coming Home Soon?!
Samuel loves to eat! He really took off on breastfeeding this week. He has consistently taken at least half of the amount that he needed at each feeding. Then he'd get the rest through his tube. However, he was waking up over an hour before it was time for his feedings, so yesterday (Friday) I asked the nurse what it would take to get him on an "ad lib" schedule where he could he when and how much he wants to. The requirement is that he has to be taking all of his food by mouth, so last night after I fed him, instead of putting the rest in his tube, I gave the rest to him in a bottle (it's a lot less work for him) and he took it all. The nurse gave him a bottle at 2am, and he took it all again. She then convinced that doctor to put him on an ad lib schedule, and at 5am, he took one and 1/2 times (60ml instead of 40ml) as much milk as he'd been getting each feeding! The nurses thought he wouldn't be hungry again until 9am since he took so much, but he was ready to eat again shortly after 8am. He took 60ml again! The rest of the day, I got to nurse him whenever he wanted to eat. I weigh him before and after feeding to see how much he ate, and he met his requirement for the day. :)
Since he's eating so well, the nurses started saying we could be going home in a few days! Yikes! I've been asking everybody this week how long it would be so I could try to have some idea, and everyone was saying 2-3 weeks. Now it sounds like it will be less than a week! The doctor will make an official plan on Monday.
On Tuesday, Samuel was 8 weeks old, and exactly double his birth weight at 4lb 14oz. He hit 5lbs on Friday, and is now 5lb 1oz.
Thursday he had another eye exam; his ROP is better, but not gone yet. He gets another exam in 2 weeks.
Yesterday he had a head ultrasound again. It came back negative, which means everything is normal. :) They also did an official room air test. He didn't quite pass it, but he didn't blatantly flunk it either. They may try again after a few days, but he may end up going home on oxygen.
Today Samuel got his first round of immunization shots. He is also getting eye drops because he has an infection in his right eye. Samuel is anemic (low on red blood cells) right now, which could play into why he failed the room air challenge yesterday. They're holding off on giving him another blood transfusion, though, because his body is working very well at making new red blood cells. If they give him a transfusion, the body could decide it doesn't have to keep working on making red blood cells, so it's better to wait and see if he'll catch up on his own.
Since he's eating so well, the nurses started saying we could be going home in a few days! Yikes! I've been asking everybody this week how long it would be so I could try to have some idea, and everyone was saying 2-3 weeks. Now it sounds like it will be less than a week! The doctor will make an official plan on Monday.
On Tuesday, Samuel was 8 weeks old, and exactly double his birth weight at 4lb 14oz. He hit 5lbs on Friday, and is now 5lb 1oz.
Thursday he had another eye exam; his ROP is better, but not gone yet. He gets another exam in 2 weeks.
Yesterday he had a head ultrasound again. It came back negative, which means everything is normal. :) They also did an official room air test. He didn't quite pass it, but he didn't blatantly flunk it either. They may try again after a few days, but he may end up going home on oxygen.
Today Samuel got his first round of immunization shots. He is also getting eye drops because he has an infection in his right eye. Samuel is anemic (low on red blood cells) right now, which could play into why he failed the room air challenge yesterday. They're holding off on giving him another blood transfusion, though, because his body is working very well at making new red blood cells. If they give him a transfusion, the body could decide it doesn't have to keep working on making red blood cells, so it's better to wait and see if he'll catch up on his own.
Monday, September 15, 2008
September 14
This morning they tried Samuel on room air (i.e. no breathing support at all) a couple times. He did well for 5-10 minutes. That's a start. They won't try again for several days. He just needs more time to build up lung capacity.
This evening we gave him his first tub bath! We wrapped him in warm blankets and put him in the tub wrapped up. Then we just unwrapped the parts we were washing. This way he stays warmer. He absolutely loved it! Since he was so calm and content, it was much easier to bathe him as well. :) He sure squealed when we took him out, though!
Samuel likes to play a pooping game. He'll have a dirty diaper, so I'll change it. As soon as I get him wiped off, he'll go again. Even if I wait a bit, he seems to like to save it for a new diaper. Generally he'll repeat this pattern 3 or 4 times! Fortunately, this happens only every few days, not several times a day, so I still think it's hilarious! :)
September 13
This morning they turned his air flow down to 1/4L. Also, since he's gaining weight so well, they decreased the amount of high calorie formula he's been getting mixed in with his breastmilk. Today's weight - 4lb 110z. He should be double his birth weight within a few days! :)
September 12
Today they increased Samuel's feedings again. He's also been working on learning to nurse. We're told it can be a slow process with a preemie. He seems to be doing pretty well, but he's not getting enough to measure yet. Samuel weighs 4lb 10oz today.
September 11
Samuel decided to freak Mommy out tonight. Around 8pm, his breathing was sounding rattly, so the nurse suctioned out his nose a little bit. I guess since he's not on the heated Vapotherm anymore, the airflow can dry him out. Then we started Kangarooing, but he still sounded really rattly to me. He also seemed like he was working really hard to breathe. Usually when we Kangaroo, he settles in and sleeps like a rock. This time after an hour, he was still awake and restless. I put him in his bed and went to find a nurse. Of course it was a really busy night, so it was another 15 minutes before anyone came in. By then, I was miserable, just holding him and crying and praying. After listening to his lungs, our nurse went and got the charge nurse. She said before they got the doctor they should suction him out again. Good call - they got a couple huge buggers out! He immediately started breathing better. :) If only I had known that's all it was!
He also had another eye exam today. They found the mildest possible signs of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), which is when the blood vessels in the eye grown abnormally. They will check again in a week to see how things are progressing. It will probably go away on its own, but unless it gets a lot worse, the only effect would be needing glasses at a young age.
This morning they tried Samuel on room air (i.e. no breathing support at all) a couple times. He did well for 5-10 minutes. That's a start. They won't try again for several days. He just needs more time to build up lung capacity.
This evening we gave him his first tub bath! We wrapped him in warm blankets and put him in the tub wrapped up. Then we just unwrapped the parts we were washing. This way he stays warmer. He absolutely loved it! Since he was so calm and content, it was much easier to bathe him as well. :) He sure squealed when we took him out, though!
Samuel likes to play a pooping game. He'll have a dirty diaper, so I'll change it. As soon as I get him wiped off, he'll go again. Even if I wait a bit, he seems to like to save it for a new diaper. Generally he'll repeat this pattern 3 or 4 times! Fortunately, this happens only every few days, not several times a day, so I still think it's hilarious! :)
September 13
This morning they turned his air flow down to 1/4L. Also, since he's gaining weight so well, they decreased the amount of high calorie formula he's been getting mixed in with his breastmilk. Today's weight - 4lb 110z. He should be double his birth weight within a few days! :)
September 12
Today they increased Samuel's feedings again. He's also been working on learning to nurse. We're told it can be a slow process with a preemie. He seems to be doing pretty well, but he's not getting enough to measure yet. Samuel weighs 4lb 10oz today.
September 11
Samuel decided to freak Mommy out tonight. Around 8pm, his breathing was sounding rattly, so the nurse suctioned out his nose a little bit. I guess since he's not on the heated Vapotherm anymore, the airflow can dry him out. Then we started Kangarooing, but he still sounded really rattly to me. He also seemed like he was working really hard to breathe. Usually when we Kangaroo, he settles in and sleeps like a rock. This time after an hour, he was still awake and restless. I put him in his bed and went to find a nurse. Of course it was a really busy night, so it was another 15 minutes before anyone came in. By then, I was miserable, just holding him and crying and praying. After listening to his lungs, our nurse went and got the charge nurse. She said before they got the doctor they should suction him out again. Good call - they got a couple huge buggers out! He immediately started breathing better. :) If only I had known that's all it was!
He also had another eye exam today. They found the mildest possible signs of Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), which is when the blood vessels in the eye grown abnormally. They will check again in a week to see how things are progressing. It will probably go away on its own, but unless it gets a lot worse, the only effect would be needing glasses at a young age.
Friday, September 12, 2008
The Second Month (so far)
The first few weeks of Samuel's second month of life were characterized by steadily gaining about an ounce a day, increasing his feedings every few days, and working on weaning him from the Vapotherm. Weaning followed a pattern of turning him down, turning him back up after two days or so, then turning him back down - repeat cycle with the next level. We continued to do Kangaroo care once or twice a day depending on how he was doing. He had an eye exam which showed that his eyes, though still premature, were developing well.
August 30
For Darren's birthday, the nurses helped Samuel make an adorable little card with his actual footprints on it! Samuel also got to meet his great-grandma (Carol's mom) that day.
September 3
Samuel graduated to an open crib. Since he was able to maintain his own body temperature, he no longer needed to be in the heated isolette. He also weighed in at exactly 4lbs that night! :)
September 4
The nurse told us that we could pick Samuel up and hold him when ever we wanted! Being able to that helped this feel much more "normal," but that in turn made it even harder to leave at night.
September 6
Oma and Grandpa got to hold Samuel for the first time!
September 7
After a week, they finally turned the Vapotherm back down to 2L. Samuel is now 17 inches long - almost 2 inches longer than when he was born! He weighs 4lb 4oz. Aunt Susan got to hold him today.
September 8
Today they stopped giving him caffine. He was getting it daily to help with breathing. Since he's 34 weeks along now he shouldn't need it anymore. We also started putting a couple drops of milk in Samuel's pacifier while he was being fed. The idea is that it helps him associate the taste of milk with sucking and getting his stomach full.
September 9
They turned the Vapotherm down to 1L already!
September 10
Everything's moving so fast all of sudden! Samuel is off the Vapotherm and on 1/2 liter of Nasal Cannula! He's starting at about 50% oxygen, which seems high since he has been under 30% on the Vapotherm for quite some time. The best part is we finally get to try to breastfeed!
August 30
For Darren's birthday, the nurses helped Samuel make an adorable little card with his actual footprints on it! Samuel also got to meet his great-grandma (Carol's mom) that day.
September 3
Samuel graduated to an open crib. Since he was able to maintain his own body temperature, he no longer needed to be in the heated isolette. He also weighed in at exactly 4lbs that night! :)
September 4
The nurse told us that we could pick Samuel up and hold him when ever we wanted! Being able to that helped this feel much more "normal," but that in turn made it even harder to leave at night.
September 6
Oma and Grandpa got to hold Samuel for the first time!
September 7
After a week, they finally turned the Vapotherm back down to 2L. Samuel is now 17 inches long - almost 2 inches longer than when he was born! He weighs 4lb 4oz. Aunt Susan got to hold him today.
September 8
Today they stopped giving him caffine. He was getting it daily to help with breathing. Since he's 34 weeks along now he shouldn't need it anymore. We also started putting a couple drops of milk in Samuel's pacifier while he was being fed. The idea is that it helps him associate the taste of milk with sucking and getting his stomach full.
September 9
They turned the Vapotherm down to 1L already!
September 10
Everything's moving so fast all of sudden! Samuel is off the Vapotherm and on 1/2 liter of Nasal Cannula! He's starting at about 50% oxygen, which seems high since he has been under 30% on the Vapotherm for quite some time. The best part is we finally get to try to breastfeed!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Friday, September 5, 2008
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