Day 15 Update 2

Hi Everyone.  I just wanted to give a brief update since I know people are wondering how Golda did today.  She had her Upper GI series with contrast at 1:30 pm.  When I got there at 4:30 she was finishing up her very first feed!!!!  Her stomach is healed.  There was no leakage of contrast material into her abdomen this time (just a little leaked at the skin surface, which is a common occurrence).  That meant that her surgeon started her on 1 ml of pedialyte to be given over the course of an hour and repeated every three hours.  The big questions here are whether she can tolerate it, will it move down her digestive tract, does her stomach function, and does the lower digestive system function?  The answers, at least so far, are all yes!!  She did not have any residuals (stuff left in her stomach) at the next feeding and she passed some meconium earlier in the week.  That means that things are working and she is tolerating the liquid in her belly.  If all goes well tonight, when the surgeon checks on her tomorrow he will start her on breast milk!!!  The fellow explained that the process of expanding her stomach will be slow.  It may take a number of days to increase from 1 ml an hour to 2 ml an hour, but the pace will pick up as it goes.  Golda was quiet exhausted from all the activity today and slept during my entire visit.  She also had two episodes of desats while I was there.  Both resolved easily, one with stimulating her by patting her back and one with suction.  They are contemplating giving her some assistance at clearing that thick saliva by putting her back on the CPAP for a little bit.  While that would stink, dropping her oxygen saturation so often stinks more, so I will try to keep that in mind if it does happen.  All in all a great day for Golda!

Leah and Micah are also doing well.  Leah is up to 30 ml per bottle and drinking like a pro.  They are decreasing the temperature in her isolette every time she has a good temperature reading and when the isolette reaches room temp, she will transfer to a bassinet!  That should be tonight or tomorrow.  The nurse manager told me that they usually go home within three or four days of that, so we are keeping our fingers crossed. 

Micah passed his car seat challenge with flying colors!  He is now up to 40 ml per bottle (and did not take anything by breast today - wasn't interested in the least!).  I spoke to his resident and she said it will be October 9th at the latest that he is released if all keeps going so well.  She thinks it will more likely be earlier in the week though as does his nurse.

Okay, that's it for now.  I will update again tomorrow.