Well, the flu bug has hit Durham again. The ICN has reinstated the flu restrictions. This means that only parents and grandparents are allowed to see the babies. Bummer. But it is for good reason, and we do appreciate taking precautions to keep those nasty bugs out.
The girls had a so-so day today. Both girls needed a unit of blood, due to low hematocrit levels. This is expected from time to time. This means that they didn't get to eat as much today. When they get blood they have to be NPO (Latin for nothing by mouth) for four hours prior to and four hours following the transfusion. They also both had to get new IV lines to get the blood with. They were not real happy this afternoon, as you might can imagine.
They should be a bit happier tomorrow as they should be able to resume their normal feeds.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
If only it was this hard for me to gain weight...
Everything is still going well. Both girls are handling their feeds well, and they are increasing each day. Evelyn may have a little reflux problem, but that's not much to worry about. I was watching her near the end of her afternoon feed and she started getting a big fidgety. She was laying on her tummy and starting arching her back as if she was trying ease her tummy off. They don't make Tums small enough for her. :)
Jessica is doing a bit better than Evelyn with her oxygen. She's very rarely ever desatting (dropping her oxygen saturation below 85%). She's probably a bit closer to getting a chance to try handling things without the CPAP. Stay tuned...
Jessica's weight is up and down day by day. She's getting feeds and extra calories, but they just don't seem to stick yet. After changing her diaper today, I think I know why!!! Whew! Hopefully, she'll have put some weight on today. She's at about 2 lbs 2 oz, which is great, but we really want her to start packing on the ounces. Evelyn is at a soild 2 lbs 6 oz, and doesn't seem to have a problem adding a little bit each day.
Everyone has been great in the ICN. The nurses are wonderful and are just the best people. Even though we've got the best doctors, best medicines and best nurses around, sometimes bad things happen that no one can do anything about. We just want to lift up all of the mommies and daddies of all of the babies that are in the ICN. We especially want to pray for those who don't get to take their babies home with them.
Jessica is doing a bit better than Evelyn with her oxygen. She's very rarely ever desatting (dropping her oxygen saturation below 85%). She's probably a bit closer to getting a chance to try handling things without the CPAP. Stay tuned...
Jessica's weight is up and down day by day. She's getting feeds and extra calories, but they just don't seem to stick yet. After changing her diaper today, I think I know why!!! Whew! Hopefully, she'll have put some weight on today. She's at about 2 lbs 2 oz, which is great, but we really want her to start packing on the ounces. Evelyn is at a soild 2 lbs 6 oz, and doesn't seem to have a problem adding a little bit each day.
Everyone has been great in the ICN. The nurses are wonderful and are just the best people. Even though we've got the best doctors, best medicines and best nurses around, sometimes bad things happen that no one can do anything about. We just want to lift up all of the mommies and daddies of all of the babies that are in the ICN. We especially want to pray for those who don't get to take their babies home with them.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Best Day Yet
We had another good day today. Evelyn and Jessica are both still on their CPAP's, but haven't needed any extra oxygen lately. YAY! If they continue to do well, we may be able to try to start weaning them off the CPAP in a few days.
They are both almost back up to full feeds. Of course, the increase in food resulted in some MAJOR poop during their 4:00 assessments. We're not complaining, especially since we've been waiting for Evelyn's bowels to start working again, but we're wondering how so much stuff can come out of babies that are so tiny. And you know it's bad when two nurses and Mom (who happens to be a seasoned diaper changer) declare in unison, "Oh, gross!!!"
And, the best for last...I got to hold Evelyn for almost 2 hours this afternoon! She really likes to be held--I think she's going to be our lap baby. Jessica on the other hand, only likes to be held for about 20 minutes and is then ready to be put back to bed. I have discovered that Evelyn seems to really like it when I hum "Down in the Valley" while Jessica likes "Clemintine." I'm not sure why they like these particular songs, but they relax and calm right down when I hum these when I hold them. I guess the notes must resonate just right in my chest. It will be interesting to see if these tendancies continue once they're bigger.
They are both almost back up to full feeds. Of course, the increase in food resulted in some MAJOR poop during their 4:00 assessments. We're not complaining, especially since we've been waiting for Evelyn's bowels to start working again, but we're wondering how so much stuff can come out of babies that are so tiny. And you know it's bad when two nurses and Mom (who happens to be a seasoned diaper changer) declare in unison, "Oh, gross!!!"
And, the best for last...I got to hold Evelyn for almost 2 hours this afternoon! She really likes to be held--I think she's going to be our lap baby. Jessica on the other hand, only likes to be held for about 20 minutes and is then ready to be put back to bed. I have discovered that Evelyn seems to really like it when I hum "Down in the Valley" while Jessica likes "Clemintine." I'm not sure why they like these particular songs, but they relax and calm right down when I hum these when I hold them. I guess the notes must resonate just right in my chest. It will be interesting to see if these tendancies continue once they're bigger.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
All's well
Both girls are doing well today. Evelyn had a little problem with her digestion at her 4 PM feed, but after checking with the nurses this evening, she was able to handle her 8 PM feed fine. I guess it was nothing a little glycerin wouldn't help. We were there for her assessment this afternoon, and she was wide awake. Her head is evidently growing a little bit. The nurse had to get her a new cap. She's on room air, but still can't go for longer than about 10 minutes without the CPAP. That will be the next goal.
After a fussy day yesterday, Jessica was much calmer today. Her feeds are getting increased day by day to what they were before she got the blood on Monday, so hopefully she'll get back to putting o wait. Right now she is holding at just over 2 lbs. Evelyn gained some more today, and is back to her birth weight of 2.5 lbs.
After a fussy day yesterday, Jessica was much calmer today. Her feeds are getting increased day by day to what they were before she got the blood on Monday, so hopefully she'll get back to putting o wait. Right now she is holding at just over 2 lbs. Evelyn gained some more today, and is back to her birth weight of 2.5 lbs.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Up and down we go...
Evelyn was doing great today. She was breathing room air for most of the day, and I was able to hold her again for about and hour and a half this afternoon. She started getting her feeds again, so she will slowly start building herself back up.
Jessica had a little harder day. Her regular labs overnight showed that her hematocrit and sodium were low. The hematocrit is the measure of the percentage of red blood cells in the blood. It's normal for premies hematocrit to be low with all the tests that are run on them with their low blood volume. The remedy is for her to get a unit of blood, which she did this afternoon. Her sodium levels are low because of the diuretics she had been recieving to try to get the fluid off of her lungs. That can be replaced with saline fluids.
Niether of these are major problems, except that Jessica had had her IVs and PICC lines removed last week. Blood and saline can't be given in the same IV, so she had to have two new IVs put in either arm today. Since their arms are so tiny, the nurses tape support boards to their wrists so that they cannot pull the IVs out as easy. That means that both of Jessica's wrists have the supports on them. She was not real happy this afternoon when she couldn't rub her fact like she likes to do.
The blood and saline helped her out though, so that is good. In fact, while I was holding Evelyn, Jessica completely turned her body about 90 degrees as if to see what we were doing. I think she may have been a bit jealous. :)
Jessica had a little harder day. Her regular labs overnight showed that her hematocrit and sodium were low. The hematocrit is the measure of the percentage of red blood cells in the blood. It's normal for premies hematocrit to be low with all the tests that are run on them with their low blood volume. The remedy is for her to get a unit of blood, which she did this afternoon. Her sodium levels are low because of the diuretics she had been recieving to try to get the fluid off of her lungs. That can be replaced with saline fluids.
Niether of these are major problems, except that Jessica had had her IVs and PICC lines removed last week. Blood and saline can't be given in the same IV, so she had to have two new IVs put in either arm today. Since their arms are so tiny, the nurses tape support boards to their wrists so that they cannot pull the IVs out as easy. That means that both of Jessica's wrists have the supports on them. She was not real happy this afternoon when she couldn't rub her fact like she likes to do.
The blood and saline helped her out though, so that is good. In fact, while I was holding Evelyn, Jessica completely turned her body about 90 degrees as if to see what we were doing. I think she may have been a bit jealous. :)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Father's Day!
Jason received some good presents for his first Father's Day. The girls got him some ties (courtesy of the nurses), he was able to hold Evelyn for a long time (over an hour), and he got to give Jessica a bath (he let me give Evelyn her bath)!
Ties from the girls.
Daddy looking at Evelyn's sweet little face.
Daddy rocking Evelyn.
Evelyn giving her lungs a work out, telling Mommy she does not like bath time.
So maybe Evelyn likes having her hair washed/scalp massaged, but who doesn't?
Jessica likes having her hair washed too, but cried through the rest of the bath.
Jessica tuckered out after having her bath.
Evelyn and Jessica were both doing well today. They are still receiving some extra oxygen from time to time, but are able to stay under 25% most of the time. Evelyn has FINALLY had some decent urine output! Hopefully she'll be able to start back on some food tomorrow. Happy Father's Day to all you daddies out there!
Ties from the girls.
Daddy looking at Evelyn's sweet little face.
Daddy rocking Evelyn.
Evelyn giving her lungs a work out, telling Mommy she does not like bath time.
So maybe Evelyn likes having her hair washed/scalp massaged, but who doesn't?
Jessica likes having her hair washed too, but cried through the rest of the bath.
Jessica tuckered out after having her bath.
Evelyn and Jessica were both doing well today. They are still receiving some extra oxygen from time to time, but are able to stay under 25% most of the time. Evelyn has FINALLY had some decent urine output! Hopefully she'll be able to start back on some food tomorrow. Happy Father's Day to all you daddies out there!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Not much new today
As the saying goes, no news is good news. It's true in our case too.
Evelyn and Jessica are still doing well. Jessica is getting more and more food each day, and her tummy is handling it well. Her breathing is still a little erratic, but it's just more of an annoyance to mommy and daddy rather than a real worry. I still think she likes to do it on purpose just to make sure we're paying attention to her.
Evelyn has not started back on her feeds yet. The nurses are having to wait for her urine output to get back up after the PDA treatment she went through earlier in the week. As soon as it gets back to above normal, they can start her feeds back. Don't ask me what "above normal" is. The nurses tried to explain the formula to me, but during that Jessica got a bit jealous and made an alarm go off, so I've got no idea. :)
Other than that, not much else going on. Mom slept in her own bed last night for the first time in about 6 weeks. Other than being a bit tired, she's doing good. It's tough leaving the two princesses in their current castles everyday, but we do feel better knowing that they have some of the best caretakers available in this or any other kingdom.
Evelyn and Jessica are still doing well. Jessica is getting more and more food each day, and her tummy is handling it well. Her breathing is still a little erratic, but it's just more of an annoyance to mommy and daddy rather than a real worry. I still think she likes to do it on purpose just to make sure we're paying attention to her.
Evelyn has not started back on her feeds yet. The nurses are having to wait for her urine output to get back up after the PDA treatment she went through earlier in the week. As soon as it gets back to above normal, they can start her feeds back. Don't ask me what "above normal" is. The nurses tried to explain the formula to me, but during that Jessica got a bit jealous and made an alarm go off, so I've got no idea. :)
Other than that, not much else going on. Mom slept in her own bed last night for the first time in about 6 weeks. Other than being a bit tired, she's doing good. It's tough leaving the two princesses in their current castles everyday, but we do feel better knowing that they have some of the best caretakers available in this or any other kingdom.
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