Both boys continue to make progress. They are both gaining weight and they have both had their food intake increased. Nolan is now on 40 ccs and Brooks is on 35.
Brooks is on a nasal cannula now. He is not getting oxygen, just air to help his brain remember to breathe, especially when he is eating/ pooping/ etc. The neonatologist expected this to happen to both of them, it is not a setback, just some help to reduce his bradys (bradycardias). Both boys continue to have a few bradys. Most of Nolan's are never "real"- his heart rate doesn't drop very far, and he recovers quickly on his own, or his wire is not hooked up properly. Brooks has a few more than Nolan, but again they don't drop very far and he recovers quickly on his own (neither one has never needed assistance to recover). Next week, when they are 34 weeks, the heart rate limit drops to 80, and most of their bradys won't count at all then. The nasal cannula isn't as uncomfortable as the CPAP, the tubes are much smaller and it is just a small puff of air vs. a continuous pressure of air. You can tell, because in his first pictures, his nose is so swollen and smushed from the pressure.
We are working on sucking- the nurses are working with a bottle when they seem to be searching, and we are trying breastfeeding when I am there. It's hard, because I keep being told to rest from my month-long stint in OB High Risk, but I want to help my babies grow so they can come home. It's hard not to stay in the NICU for 4+ hours when you have 2. We can only pick them up right now during their care times, as to not overstimulate them (one time I did have Brooks for a long time, and some of his vital signs started going out of whack), and you want to give them both equal time.
To add to my weirdness, I have developed what appears to be an allergic reaction to either the tape they used during the C-section, or the binder I used afterwards for support. I have a rash that started on my hip bones, and has wrapped around to my back and spread to my stomach. It itches like crazy. I went back to my doctor to make sure it wasn't effecting my incision, which it's not, but she can't believe how bad it looks. She called the maternity ward to see what they use on patients who react like this, and she referred to it as a "weird one"- something I think she has said to everyone on the phone she has ever talked to on my behalf.
Emotionally, Shane and I are doing pretty well. I thought for sure we would have both broken down at some point after all these months of stress and problems. I think we are both so grateful and thankful for how lucky we are at this point, we have put everything else behind us.
It was weird, because last night Shane didn't get to the NICU till a little later, because he had to work. The NICU closes from 6:30-7:30 for shift changes, and I think he got there around 5. So we thought we'd go get something to eat and come back. Normally, we just run up to the cafeteria or get something quick out, but last night we decided to eat somewhere and try to relax a little bit, but nothing fancy. So we're sitting at this big table, just the 2 of us, and I asked him if he felt like we were missing something. "I know we never physically had them anywhere with us other than when they were still inside me, but I feel wrong being here without them." I said. He said he felt the exact same way, and that he felt kind of stressed being there. I agreed, and we both tried to laugh it off. We were both anxious to get back to them.
It's hard not being able to say goodnight, but it's hard being there that late after being there all day. I can feel my body start to ache and we both become a little delirious. I hate being without them, and it's getting harder and harder to say goodbye to them now, which I thought would be the opposite. Every night we tell them how much we love them and to try and grow big and strong so they can come home with us. <3
No comments:
Post a Comment