NICU Day #14 - I Need Another Freezer!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Only one visit on Tuesday. =( But that's okay! For those who know me well and have been wondering, the postpartum blues haven't hit me nearly as hard as they have after my previous deliveries. I am able to get through the day fine. In fact, I almost feel like I'm living two lives - the one I had before I got pregnant; mother of three, trying to figure out how to get on top of my
house and not jip my kids on quality time - and the life of a first-time mom. I don't start feeling anxious to get over to the NICU until right after dinner. James gets home, we get the kids ready for bed, I pump and then I'm more than ready to see my baby boy.

His peaceful look when I first held him Tuesday night.

Our nurse for the night was Marnae. I've seen her a few times before and she has come over to check on Timmy and silence alarms, but this was the first time she's had Timmy and I actually got to talk to her. LOVE that woman! She's a transport nurse, like Laurel. Maybe we just have a preference for transport nurses...

Anyway, she only had Timmy and his new neighbor. She's new to the NICU and, I believe, may be sedated. (Her mom came in in a hospital gown the night before. She asked me Tuesday night how old Timmy is and I only had time to tell them "2 weeks tomorrow" and answer "Yes, he is a preemie - 29 weeks" before the resident came by to talk to me and I didn't get a chance to talk to her anymore before they left.)

A little about Marnae, she is number 5 of 10 children and has two boys of her own, ages 18 and 10. She works 2 days on, 2 days off, 2 days on, 8 days off. Tuesday was her last night before the 8 days off so she is officially on vacation again. Hope she has a great time! (Didn't get a chance to take a picture with her, so hope we get her again when she comes back!)

Timmy's tummy was a little distended on Tuesday as well so he was still only on fat emulsion and TPN (total perenteral nutrition). Somehow, he had gained another 10g, putting him at 1280g, just over 2 lbs. 13 oz. (1279 is 2 lbs. 13 oz. exactly.)

You can just see in the picture above his right eye is a little goopy. Forgot to mention that he had that in his left eye Sunday and Monday. No one has been overly concerned, as warm compresses and wet 2x2s have kept his eyes clear. Most likely, it's just a clogged tearduct.

I thought he looked especially sweet playing peek-a-boo.
He had a few more bradys and apneic spells, according to the monitor. Fortunately, he usually recovers quickly. Around 11:00, just as I was thinking I needed to pump, Timmy's neighbor was due for cares and needing attention so I got to meet another nurse, Holly. What a sweetheart! Not only did she get the pump and screens for me, but she also brought me juice!

But the real reason for mentioning the pumping is that I still had Timmy. So I laid him in my lap and just stared while I pumped and he didn't set a single monitor off the entire time!

These are the monitors and lines for all his IV fluids and medications. (Pretty sure we're clear of medications for the time being.) The number 1 is for his fat emulsion line. Right now, he's at 20%. And the 7.2 is the TPN line. He's been at 6.1 most of the time, but, now that he's gotten bigger and is back off feedings, they've had to increase the amount he gets to meet his body requirements.

Blessedly, the pumping continues well. The only downside is that we're rapidly running out of room to store all the little bottles of milk. My bin at the hospital has been mostly full for a week - Laurel was the one who told me I only had a few spots left and not to bring in any more for a while. Timmy was off feedings starting 4/23 while he was receiving medication to close his PDA and only got put back on last Thursday, 4/29, and was taken off by Monday, 5/3.

So here's where we stand:

An update on mommy: my body is finally starting to feel more normal again. After 10 weeks of leaking and bleeding, I am more than ready.

Also happy to report that the cankles have finally subsided. Not quite completely back to normal there either, but I am not forced to wear only my maternity sandles anymore and the skin on my ankles isn't nearly as taut as it was. Not sure these pictures really look too different (other than the one on the left reveals my true pasty whiteness and the one on the right makes it look like I haven't shaved in weeks!). Left is now, right is 1.5 weeks ago.