June 4: Christian is back to full feeds. Doc is happy with the bronchoscopy. 6lb 9.5oz.
June 5: Christian had his PICC line taken out today! 1 less tube! Christian is 6lb 13oz.
June 6: Christian will be getting 48cc of formula over 2 hours. I kangarooed again today. Christian also wore his first "real" outfit (with pants!) today. The doctors are now talking about possible hernia surgery. This would be surgery number 3 for my lil boy!
June 8: Christian is down to 1/2 liter of o2. He's now getting 48cc of formula over 1 1/2 hours. He weighs 6lb 11.5oz. He failed his hearing test. He will have a BAER test on Wednesday (this is a more extensive test).
June 9: Christian failed the BAER test today. Once he is discharged, he will get a referral to a hearing specialist. They have determined that his hearing loss is moderate-severe. The doctors wrote orders for bottle feeding today! Yeah! He'll get a bottle once per shift.
June 11: Christian will tenatively be going home on June 21st! I was able to give him 2 bottles today. He received 30cc! He's now on Similac Advance (which is a "normal" formula). He will have hernia surgery on 6-14 at 5pm
June 12: Christian weighs 6lb 12.5oz. And he doesn't like to take the bottles for the nurses, but he sure chows down when Mom gives him a bottle! Yummy!
June 14: Christian's feedings have been stopped and he is NPO (nothing per oral or nothing by mouth) for the surgery. The surgery started around 5:30 and finished around 7:30. He came back to the room still intubated (he had to be on the vent for the surgery). He's at 20 BPM on 8 liters at 25%. Once they hear bowel sounds, they can restart the feeds. He had bi-lateral hernia repair (and a circumscision). Later that night, they finally extubated him. He's at 1/2 Liter of 02 at 27%. I was in tears when I saw him on the vent. It was very hard for me because he had been on the vent for so long and was doing so good off of it.
June 15: Christian now is getting 50 cc every feed (which is now every 3 hours). He is having a lot of apneas today (forgetting to breathe). It's probably from the anesthesia.
June 16: They are changing discharge date to June 23/24. Christian is now getting 50-65cc every 3-4 hours. They are talking about doing a G-Tube surgery (which is a line in his stomach so he won't need the ng feeding tube for feeds. Christian does great on the bottle, but he has a hard time finishing a bottle without them having to put it through his feeding tube). He's on 1/8 liter of o2 at 100%.
June 18: Wednesday or Thursday will be homecoming!! Doctor is writing orders for o2, monitor and a feeding pump. I had to place the ng tube (the doctor decided that if I'm comfortable in placing the tube, she's ok with him coming home on the ng tube, not a G-Tube). The first time, Christian turned blue (which means it went into his lungs). The second time, it wouldn't go anywhere. The third time, it came out his mouth (it goes in his nose). The fourth time, I finally got it! Christian was fed bottles all day. We watched the CPR, Discharge and Car Seat video. We do have a ped now. Christian is at 6lb 13.5oz and is 18.5" long.
June 19: Christian will be coming home on Wednesday for sure (which is June 23). He will do the car seat test on Sunday and Edwin and I will room in Monday and Tuesday night. He is now on Enfamil Advance.
June 20: Christian took an entire 70cc bottle! Didn't have to put any through the feeding tube. He must've been hungry!
June 23, 2004:
Christian finally has come home. Christian spent 129 long, hard days in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of theHosptial. He had a long journey. Well, the journey has finally ended. We loved bringing him home. Edwin drove so slowly while I sat in the back seat, just in case! Christian came home on 1/8 liter of oxygen, an ng tube (feeding tube), an apnea monitor and 8 meds Polyvisol (vitamins), Zantac (for reflux), Reglan (for delayed gastric emptying), Aldactazide (for getting rid of extra fluids), Actigal (for Jaundice), Pulmicort (breathing treatment), Xopenex (breathing treatment) and Ipratropium (breathing treatment). This is a chore in itself! Christian came home weighing in at 6lb 14 1/2oz.
June 25: Christian has thrown up his feeding tube. Silly boy!
June 30: Christian now weighs 7lb! He ripped the feeding tube off his face! OUCH!! He's at 26 calorie formula (Neosure) and he is taking 2 1/3oz every 4 hours!