(picture of Tracey and Evan this past summer up at the lake)Colby had yet another good day yesterday. He was still on the CPAP all day long. I really hope that this is here to stay now. He's just so much happier being able to move his head around and all. Because he was doing so well, I was able to hold him last night for about 45 minutes. We do what's called Kangaroo Care. That's when you hold your baby on your chest against your skin. The skin to skin contact helps keep him warm as he's still too small to stay warm himself. They can also hear your hear beat and you breathing which is supposed to help them.
He was very tired yesterday. I'm not sure if it's simply because he is having to work so much harder to breath on his own or if it's something else. I mentioned to the nurse that I thought he was more lethargic and she said she'd keep an eye on him.
They are going to do another ultrasound either today or tomorrow. If this again shows no change, they will most likely discontinue weekly ultrasounds unless they see clinical signs that something is changing.
He's also up to 6.5 cc's of milk and hour. With a little luck now that he's off the steroid for his lungs, he'll start to pack on the pounds again.
I'm tired this morning. My days have been starting before 8am when I'm on the road to either the office or an appointment. Many days I go right from my last appointment to the hospital and arrive around dinner time. Then after staying there for a couple hours I end up at home anywhere between 8pm and 10pm. Do that day after day and you start forgetting what day it is. I'm starting to feel as if I need a little vacation. Now that Tracey is working and with her odd schedule (monday, thursday, friday and saturday) it will be more difficult to get away together. But we'll work something out. Even if it's for a night or two. We've got a place on a lake in Maine and we both love it up there. I've been going to the same lake since I was a baby. It means a lot to me now to be able to bring my family up there and carry on the tradition. I can't wait until Colby is home and healthy enough for him to make his first trip up to the lake.
I was speaking with some other NICU parents and they come from very far away. Some even needing to stay over night near the hospital while the other parent is at home. Other's are finding it hard for both parents to work and one parent needs to stay out of work, thus affecting the families finances. Yet other families already have 2 or more little children at home which make it very difficult to take care of them, work and be at the hospital. So all in all, we are very lucky to both be able to work, to be only 35 minutes away from the hospital and Evan is old enough to be independent when we need him to be.
1 comment:
I understand, when our daughter was in the NICU, we basically lived at the hospital. But, I don't work, and Jordan was working 2 jobs. It was hard for him and he really didn't sleep much for that month. But, we became very good friends with a mother and grand mother, and they had to stay in a hotel because they lived 4 hours away from the hospital. It was hard on the grand mother because she had 3 other kids at home, and missed them so much. But, it does get better, I promise!!!
Glad to hear that he is still on the CPAP, and doing great. I hope he gets his rest, with breathing more on his own. It really does take a lot of them. We pray for little Colby and your family everyday!!!
GOD BLESS,
Jamie, Jordan, and Maleia Fabel
Keller, TX
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