Hi Everyone. Yesterday was a good and exhausting day. We went first over to Sukon's to check out their tent sale, but the furniture was way to big for our needs. We did get a few little things though. Then we had a quick lunch and headed to North Shore to make it in time for the 2pm bottle feeds. We actually got there a little before they were ready to eat so I quickly pumped some fresh milk for Leah. The nurse let me try to bottle feed her, but it was apparent pretty soon that she was having difficulty sucking with the NG tube in her mouth. It has to stay there until she is off her oxygen cannula, so it will probably be a few more days until she can really give it a good try. We switched over to NG tube though and she took 16 ml of breast milk without any problem. She is doing well today on 0.04 L of 100% Oxygen. She has some bradycardias (where the heart rate slows down way too low) but she always self-recovers, meaning the heart rate increases without anyone stimulating her (a good sign). She is now taking 16 ml of breast milk and weighs 1385 g (2 lbs. 0.85 oz.) and she has stopped her supplemental lipids.
Daddy got to feed Micah yesterday (see pictures below) and he did a great job (and got a smelly noseful as a reward!). Micah is, as of today, taking 25ml of breast milk, supplemented with human milk fortifier to add extra calories. Heis still alternating NG and bottle feeding every other feeding. And, tonight, when his TPN (extra nutrient supplements) runs out around 4 or 5 pm, they will stop all supplemental nutrition for him and remover his PICC line! He will then only have his NG tube and monitors attached to him! He now weighs 1815 g (4 lbs 0.02 oz.).
When we went to visit Golda yesterday she was still off CPAP and only needing to have her saliva suctioned every so often to keep her oxygen levels up. We got to hold her and get a nice look at her little face and eyes (see photos below). We spoke to the NICU fellow and asked about the results of her sonograms. She had a head and kidney sonogram to check for brain hemorrhage and to ensure her kidneys had no malformations (often associated with esophageal atresia). Thankfully, both were negative for any real findings, although the head sono did show signs of prematurity, which is to be expected (her brain sulci (those deep ridges on the surface of the brain) aren't as deep as they would expect for a newborn, but they will become fully formed as she puts on weight and continues to grow).
Unfortunately, last night around 11:30 pm Golda started having "episodes", her blood oxygen was decreasing, she was having bradycardias and apneas and they needed to put her back on the CPAP. She is still on room air though. One of the reasons she could need to return to CPAP could be an infection so they immediately did a blood culture and started antibiotics just in case. The culture hasn't grown out anything yet, but we have to wait 24 hours for the complete results. If it is negative then they will stop the antibiotics and try her of the CPAP Monday or Tuesday. They are also starting her on caffeine, which is commonly given to preemies as a stimulant to try to raise the level of alertness to stop the bradycardias and apneas. However, in spite of all this action last night our little Golda still managed to gain a bit of weight. She is now 1081 g (2 lbs. 6.13 oz.).
Jon and I have decided to take today to rest. We are both close to falling down on our feet, falling asleep at the drop of a hat, so we are going to stay home and relax and regroup, not to mention pay some quality attention to Harry. My parents are going to deliver the breast milk to the hospital and look in on our little ones. I am going to call the hospitals later today for updates, though I will still post the next update tomorrow :)
Leah in Mommy's arms, with a great confused expression on her face. She is wearing a hat knitted by volunteers. The tubing is her PICC line. We think she looks like Daddy.
Leah catching some zz's.
Leah, getting her yummy breast milk by NG tube in her isolette.
Daddy feeding Micah his bottle. Doesn't he look like his big brother? That's his PICC line on his left arm.
"Why am I hanging like this!??!? You mean you want me to burp?"
Mommy, Daddy and Micah in the NICU.
Golda and Mommy.
Golda's cute little face - we think she looks like her Mema.
Golda, resting in Mommy's arms. That hat was knitted by volunteers. Daddy thinks it makes her look like a Beastie Boy!!!
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