Eli’s follow-up appointment

PHOTODUMP!

As promised, Eli on his due date!

Bath time today

Snoozin’ with Aunt Bri

In our OSU gear for the first game today!

Love this picture!

Eli’s first walk!

On the futon with Pappy

Grandpa and Rita think Eli is darling!

On Thursday night, I was in the den pumping while Eli was asleep in his bed in our room. I heard through the baby monitor that his apnea monitor was going off. It often goes off for a “loose connection” but has a different alarm for an apnea or a brady, so right away I knew something was wrong. I would say it took me about 5 seconds to get to him, and I immediately started “tickling” his head vigorously to stimulate him to breathe. The alarm stopped almost as soon as I did this. The light on the monitor was lit up next to “apnea.” It doesn’t alarm unless he has gone 20 seconds without taking a breath. I got him out of his bed and just held him, terrified that had he not been hooked up to a monitor that he could have died.

His first appointment on Friday was with the eye doctor. At his last check-up, we were told that he was showing some minor beginning signs of ROP. As a reminder, ROP can lead to blindness and has a chance of developing until the blood vessels behind the eye fully mature. This time we were told that Eli’s eyes look great and he didn’t need to see an ophthalmologist again until he was 3! His check-up at 3 is done as a precaution since preemies are at a higher risk for vision problems.

His next appointment was at the BPD clinic. BPD stands for bronchopulmonary dysplasia and is clinically defined as oxygen dependence for longer than 21 post-natal days. It’s characterized by inflammation and scarring in the lungs. Eli’s BPD is classified as “between mild and moderate,” according to his doctor at the clinic.

The first thing that was done at the clinic was his weight and length. He is not 18″ long and weighs 6lb 2 oz. The nutritionist was very pleased with Eli’s weight gain. The target for his growth is .75-1.0 grams per day. Friday made 10 days since Eli came home and he gained 10 oz in that 10 days–perfect! She told us to keep doing what we’ve been doing. The doctor examined him and was also pleased. He felt confident that Eli would come off oxygen at his next appointment on October 3rd. He advised us to try to keep him out of public places where he would be confined in a small area with a lot of people, like church, or any place where he could be exposed to germs, until April. This is because of RSV/cold and flu season coming up. Eli could catch something that, to us, would be just like a cold but could land him back in the hospital and back on the ventilator. He would basically have to start back at square one with his breathing. However, he said it was fine to go outside and go on walks and to have cautious visitors!

Edited to add:  How could I have forgotten?  After reviewing the memory on Eli’s apnea monitor, the doctor told us that ALL of the alarms that have gone off have been false alarms.  The apnea that scared me so badly?  Not real!  His nurse, Angie, said that the monitor can sometimes alarm if Eli is sleeping deeply and doing some shallow breathing.  What a relief!

Eli’s due date

Today, Wednesday, August 27, 2008, is Eli’s original expected due date. He is now a full-term baby and his corrected age is 0 days. I tried to post a picture of what he would have (in theory) looked like had he been born today, but again I’m having issues with getting pictures onto the computer!

We’ve now been home for a little over a week and it still feels so surreal. As much as it’s becoming so normal to have Eli around 24/7, I still sometimes look down at him and I just can’t believe he’s actually our little boy. And he’s getting so big so fast! The visiting nurse weighed him yesterday and got 6 lbs 2 oz. Hardly any of his preemie-sized clothes fit anymore.  He’s now really into the whole sleep all day thing and likes to stay up all night. We try to wake him up during the day to play, but he just won’t have it, so we just let him do what he wants to do!

He has his follow-up appointment at Children’s on Friday, so I’m anxious to see how they think he is doing!  Daddy doesn’t think he needs his oxygen anymore!

Since we’ve been home

Eli is adjusting pretty well to being home. Seth and I joke that we brought home a different baby because he acts much different here at home. Now, he knows that if he fusses a little bit, he’ll get picked up! The first thing he did to make himself at home was pee on our bed as Daddy was changing his diaper!

He’s gained quite a bit of weight since he’s been home. He left the hospital at 5 lb 8 oz and the visiting nurse that came Thursday weighed him in at 5 lb 12 oz. The very next day at his first visit to the pediatrician his weight was 6 lbs! I’m not sure that’s possible, so it must have been a little bit off or maybe he had to poop or something, but either way, his weight gain has been great! He’s been nursing at all feeds except for his one bottle a day when he gets his vitamin and some time with Daddy who usually gives him his bottle.

His new pediatrician is fantastic. The visit went great except that Eli has a clogged tear duct that got infected so we have to use some cream on it. He goes back to see that doctor in 2 weeks. His discharge follow-up appointment at Children’s is this Friday. We will be going to the BPD (broncho-pulminary disease, formerly known as chronic lung disease) clinic. His next appointment will be one month after Friday and as long as he is on oxygen he will visit the clinic once a month. Once he is off oxygen, he will see them once every 6 months until he is two. He will be on oxygen for at least 6 weeks because even if he is doing fabulous at this coming appointment, they will be hesitant to make any big changes so soon after coming home.

Home sweet home

Well I’ve got to feed our little guy shortly so I won’t post the details of the discharge (it’s possible I will do it later, but don’t get your hopes up). Let’s just say we were supposed to leave around 1 or 2 in the afternoon and didn’t until 6:30. We didn’t get home until after 10 last night. It was pretty stressful, but today has been a great day. It’s just gone by way too fast. Here are some pictures!

Baby shower

I just wanted to post a quick “thank you” to everyone who came to the baby shower and everyone who had a part in helping out.  My and Seth’s moms did the planning, but there were many others who helped to make it great.  Eli got loads of clothes, books and baby blankets.  He also received a comination swing/bouncer, money/gift cards, and many other things.  My favorite gifts were coming home to find our bedroom babyfied thanks to the “in-laws” and a scrapbook that my mom made for Eli that is just wonderful.  The scrapbook had a page for Eli’s birth, Eli with Mommy and Daddy, Eli with grandparents and a page for his homecoming plus every holiday for the rest of the year.  The last page is my favorite and made me tear up at the shower:  it says “When did yesterday become today?” and has a picture of my Mom holding me as a baby and a picture of me holding Eli for the first time.  Wow, I’m getting sentimental just thinking about it!  Thanks again everyone! 

Everything is stil looking great for Eli to come home on Tuesday.  He is up to 5 lb 4 oz now and is eating like a little piggy.  The only bad thing is that I am sick!  I have a fever and some terrible stomach issues so I have had to stay away from him today.  I’m really hoping it’s a 24-hour-type thing and I will be better tomorrow.  The home equipment for Eli’s oxygen was dropped off this morning, but I still have to learn about how to use it and do a return demo on infant CPR, along with some other things. 

Everyone is so excited about Eli’s homecoming!

Immunization Reaction

Well, the vaccinations did not fare so well with little Eli.  This afternoon he was not at all like himself.  He was extremely fussy and pretty much refused to eat at two of his feedings.  I was starting to get concerned (Ok, I was really stressed!) when finally his nurse and I got the nurse practitioner to put in an order for Tylenol at 4:30.  By 6:00 he was back to taking the whole thing!  He’s still acting lethargic, but I’m hoping he’ll be feeling much better by tomorrow. 

He had a fair weight gain tonight nonetheless.  He is now 5 lb 1.5 oz.  Bring on the ad-lib feeds!

Fuzzy Monday

Well, I was hoping to get a tentative realease date today, and I DID!  If everything goes well, he’s coming home Monday!  Dr. Shepherd says it’s still kind of fuzzy, but it’s a realistic estimation.   Over the next several days, he has to do the following:  First, he has to continue to gain weight.  Second, tomorrow night, he will have a sat study done.  This means that an extra monitor will be set up specifically to monitor his sats and make sure they are high enough for him to be safe at home.  Unless something drastically changes, he will be going home on oxygen and have an apnea monitor.  Lastly, he has to keep eating well.  His NG was pulled this morning, and so far, so good.  Today he is going to stay on the same feeding schedule that he has been on–eating every 3 hours.  Tomorrow we will probaby start ad-lib feeds.  This means that he will eat when he is hungry, as he would if he was at home.  The goal is for him to eat a little more frequently during the day and go a little longer in between feeds at night. 

Please pray that all goes well and our little man can come home on Monday!  I always knew Monday was the best day of the week!

The scale doesn’t lie

And it says Eli weighs over 5 lbs!  He is actually 1 gram from being 5 lbs 1 oz.  I can’t believe how big he’s getting.  It amazes me every time I look at him.  He doesn’t seem so fragile anymore, although I know he is!  I’m actually starting to get a little scared about all of the germs when he comes home.  Preemies have especially weak immune systems and can end up back in the hospital if they are exposed to illness.  It’s going to be difficult to turn away all of the people who want to come visit him!  Speaking of illness, Eli is getting his 2 month immunizations tonight sometime. 

There were several nurses today who told us that it really wouldn’t be long now before it was time for Eli to come home.  It has now been a full 24 hours since he had to be fed through his NG tube.  He’s taken his whole bottle every time.  I’m hoping that his doctor will give me an estimated realease day tomorrow during rounds. 

Oh and just another supermom brag:  Today, the occupational therapist told me that I seem to be very in-tune with Eli.  She is surprised to hear me say some of the things I say and can’t believe I’m a first-time Mom.  I thanked her and told her I was trying to do a good job and she said that I was!  Hold your applause, please. 

A great day–2 months old

Today, August 11th, Eli is 2 moths old.  I can’t believe how far he’s come, especially when I think about all the things that we were told would happen in the beginning.  We had a great day today.  Very busy, but very good. 

I arrived at the hospital early enough to be present for the doctors making their rounds.  Eli’s new room is the first one they visit, so I have to be up bright and early (well, early for me anyway!).  The doctor on this unit is named Dr. Shepherd and I already like him a lot!  He is very willing to answer questions and listen to my concerns.  The doc told me not to quote him, because something can always change, but Eli should be home in 1-2 weeks!  Of course, I have been quoting him, I’ve been telling everyone!

We met with an occupational therapist, Holly, to work on bottle feeding.  She gave me some great tips and examined the way that Eli is sucking, swallowing and breathing during feeds so I can better understand how to help him eat well.  It was very helpful and she is going to continue working with us.  Eli was tired during the session so he only took half of his bottle, but he did well nonetheless. 

The reason he was so tired is that he had another trial run without his oxygen.  He’s getting very close to being independent of it.  He went for about 10 minutes, which is the longest he has ever gone without a desat.  He stayed in the high 80’s-low 90’s the whole time, so it was decided that he just need a little more time to grow!

We also saw a physical therapist.  She did an examination of Eli to make sure he is hitting the milestones for a 37-weeker.  She checked his reflexes and watched the way he reacted when she woke him and things like that.  She also went over several things with me such as baby massages, the imortance of “Back to Sleep,” and corrected and actual age.  Eli’s actual age is 8 weeks, but because he was born 11 weeks early, his corrected age is 37 weeks gestation.  When he is 11 weeks old, on his due date, his corrected age will be 0 days.  He will be developmentally like a newborn.  We will use his corrected age for the first 2 years of his life.  For example, most babies start taking solid food when they are between 4 and 6 months old.  When Eli gets solid food he will actually be more like 7 months.  When compared to other kids his actual age, he will be about 2-2 1/2 months behind.

And now for perhaps the two most exciting things of the day.  At his 9:00 p.m. feeding, Eli took his whole bottle like a champ in about 10 minutes.  I couldn’t believe it.  He didn’t have a single issue.  If he can keep that up, he will be home before we know it.  And he weighed in tonight at just shy of 5 POUNDS.  He is 13 grams under–that is the weight of a dry preemie diaper! 

“Hmmm, do I want to come off cannula today?”

This is what Eli thinks of getting the hiccups in the middle of a feed. It was so cute how angry he got when he tried to latch on and then couldn’t continue because a hiccup kept interrupting him!

I’m trying so hard to get him to burp!

What a ham!

Cutie Pie!

He looks just like Seth when he does that with his eyebrows!

This one is the background on my phone!

Last but not least…

The first “smile” caught on camera!