We are now in week 4 about 1/3 of the way through the boys' hospital stay. This has actually been the best week yet!!! :)
On Wed Nicolas got taken off the ventilator and so now both the boys are on C-PAP that I mentioned in my last post. They are both doing very good with their breathing now.
On Thursday (our Anniversary) I got to hold Nicolas for the first time!! On Friday I got to hold BOTH the boys at the same time!!!! It was their first time together since birth.
Yesterday the boys got moved out of their private room to the rows with the other babies. I will miss the private room a little, but moving out is a BIG step for them.
On our anniversary we went out to eat at Red Lobster and went to see a movie. Our gift to us was a new camera. Now we can take better pictures of the boys and also video!!! I have posted some new pictures and a short video below, be sure to check those out!! ENJOY!!!
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Making Progress
Both of the boys are having a really good week!!! :) It makes the time go by so much faster when they are doing well.
Ethan is making progress- he on a different breathing machine called C-PAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) It is pretty much the same thing people use for sleep apnea. He has also graduated to a different incubator. A feeding tube in his mouth is the only thing foreign in his body now, no more IV lines or the like. He is being fed 7 ML an hour.
Nicolas is progressing nicely as well. He is also being fed 7 ML an hour now like brother and is being taken off IV fluids for nutrients in the next day. His breathing is getting much better as his infection is clearing so he is being weaned from the ventilator.
I am glad that I only have good news to write tonight!!! Check back soon for more updates!!
Ethan is making progress- he on a different breathing machine called C-PAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) It is pretty much the same thing people use for sleep apnea. He has also graduated to a different incubator. A feeding tube in his mouth is the only thing foreign in his body now, no more IV lines or the like. He is being fed 7 ML an hour.
Nicolas is progressing nicely as well. He is also being fed 7 ML an hour now like brother and is being taken off IV fluids for nutrients in the next day. His breathing is getting much better as his infection is clearing so he is being weaned from the ventilator.
I am glad that I only have good news to write tonight!!! Check back soon for more updates!!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Milestones
Sorry it took me so long to post again.... Things are crazy. During the week I have been staying at the Ronald McDonald house in Springfield so I can be close to the boys. I come home on the weekends to relax, recharge and get a few things done. It is very difficult being away from home and Trevor so much. Thursday the 15th will be our 4 year anniversary so he is coming to Springfield to be with me. It will be nice to have him there with me more this week, it helps keep the stress level down just having him there. Last week was hard because he was sick with a cold so he couldn't come up and see the boys or me. We can't risk the boys getting sick.
Ethan's infection is better now. He made a BIG step this week. On Tuesday he pulled his ventilator tube out!! The good news is they didn't have to put it back in because he was breathing OK without it!!!!!! He is getting some assistance with his breathing with nasal prongs. I got to hold him that day for a few moments while they changed his bed. Then on Wednesday I really got to hold him. They call it Kangaroo Care where I unbutton my shirt and they lay him on my chest so he gets the skin to skin contact. It was awesome to get to hold him so close!!! Below is a picture of me holding him. I get to hold him once a day now for about as long as he tolerates it. So far it's been about 30 minutes a day. He pretty much just snuggles right up. He is up 6 oz. from his birth weight to a total 2 lb. 9 oz.
Nicolas has another infection so he is on anti-biotics for that. He is still having some difficulties breathing because he has a lot of secretions in his lungs, he's coughing those up though. They have to watch him closely and help him get the gunk out of his tube when he coughs because is blocks the airway. But with all the monitors he's on they are able to be on top of everything. There is a nurse in their room at all times. Nicolas FINALLY opened up his eyes for Trevor and I for the first time on Monday!!! (picture below) Today - he reached a milestone - he now weighs 3 lb..... up 11 oz. from his birth weight!!!
They are both gaining weight nicely. Ethan is being fed my milk only, getting no more assistance from IV fluids; and Nicolas has been started on my milk this week but is still getting some nutrients through an IV.
Ethan's infection is better now. He made a BIG step this week. On Tuesday he pulled his ventilator tube out!! The good news is they didn't have to put it back in because he was breathing OK without it!!!!!! He is getting some assistance with his breathing with nasal prongs. I got to hold him that day for a few moments while they changed his bed. Then on Wednesday I really got to hold him. They call it Kangaroo Care where I unbutton my shirt and they lay him on my chest so he gets the skin to skin contact. It was awesome to get to hold him so close!!! Below is a picture of me holding him. I get to hold him once a day now for about as long as he tolerates it. So far it's been about 30 minutes a day. He pretty much just snuggles right up. He is up 6 oz. from his birth weight to a total 2 lb. 9 oz.
Nicolas has another infection so he is on anti-biotics for that. He is still having some difficulties breathing because he has a lot of secretions in his lungs, he's coughing those up though. They have to watch him closely and help him get the gunk out of his tube when he coughs because is blocks the airway. But with all the monitors he's on they are able to be on top of everything. There is a nurse in their room at all times. Nicolas FINALLY opened up his eyes for Trevor and I for the first time on Monday!!! (picture below) Today - he reached a milestone - he now weighs 3 lb..... up 11 oz. from his birth weight!!!
They are both gaining weight nicely. Ethan is being fed my milk only, getting no more assistance from IV fluids; and Nicolas has been started on my milk this week but is still getting some nutrients through an IV.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
up and down
This is the roller coaster ride of my life!! I now know that I never knew what stress really was.
We were told by the hospital and others to expect ups and downs... and they weren't kidding.
Today wasn't such a good day. Ethan has an infection now too so he is on anti-biotics. He is having difficulty breathing because he has a lot of junk in his chest that he is trying to cough up.
Nicolas is getting over his sickness but is still having issues breathing. Both the boys are not handling stimulation of any type very well... (getting there diaper changed, breathing treatments,) so I didn't get to touch them very much today. It is really hard to see them having a hard time and not be able to do anything... not even touch them. But hopefully the anti-biotics will have them well soon so they can focus on getting bigger and stronger.
This is all part of the ride. Things are good, then bad, then good again.
One good thing happened yesterday: they had to change Nicolas incubator bed out and give him a new one so I got to hold him in my arms a couple of minutes while they did that. Finally I got to hold one of them!!! :)
We were told by the hospital and others to expect ups and downs... and they weren't kidding.
Today wasn't such a good day. Ethan has an infection now too so he is on anti-biotics. He is having difficulty breathing because he has a lot of junk in his chest that he is trying to cough up.
Nicolas is getting over his sickness but is still having issues breathing. Both the boys are not handling stimulation of any type very well... (getting there diaper changed, breathing treatments,) so I didn't get to touch them very much today. It is really hard to see them having a hard time and not be able to do anything... not even touch them. But hopefully the anti-biotics will have them well soon so they can focus on getting bigger and stronger.
This is all part of the ride. Things are good, then bad, then good again.
One good thing happened yesterday: they had to change Nicolas incubator bed out and give him a new one so I got to hold him in my arms a couple of minutes while they did that. Finally I got to hold one of them!!! :)
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