Day 46
HAPPY EASTER! Jack had a very happy Easter today. He got his picture taken with the Easter Bunny and everything! The nurses posed him with the Bunny and snapped a Polaroid of him and put it into a cute card for us. That truly made our day!
He is up to 3lbs, 10.6 oz and is getting 31ccs of food. He’s continuing to grow right before our eyes. He’s still on 9 hours of Nasal Cannula and 3 hours of CPAP. He’s getting there!
Sunday, April 20, 2003
Saturday, April 19, 2003
Day 45
Day 45
Jack weighs 3lbs, 9.5 oz! He had a big weight gain in the last two days. He’s now getting 30ccs of food every three hours. He’s also on 9 hours of Nasal Cannula and only 3 hours of CPAP. Tomorrow they hope to eliminate the CPAP completely!! He’s making great progress since he was only off the ventilator less than a week ago.
We got to hold Jack again today, he’s such a good boy! We are so looking forward to the day when he comes home. We’ll be so happy. But until that day, we know he’s getting the best care anywhere!
Jack weighs 3lbs, 9.5 oz! He had a big weight gain in the last two days. He’s now getting 30ccs of food every three hours. He’s also on 9 hours of Nasal Cannula and only 3 hours of CPAP. Tomorrow they hope to eliminate the CPAP completely!! He’s making great progress since he was only off the ventilator less than a week ago.
We got to hold Jack again today, he’s such a good boy! We are so looking forward to the day when he comes home. We’ll be so happy. But until that day, we know he’s getting the best care anywhere!
Friday, April 18, 2003
Day 44
Day 44
Jack was so alert and wide awake during our visit today. His little facial expressions are priceless! He’s such a cutie. He amazes us more and more each passing day – he’s getting so big and strong. We’re hooked on the kid!
We gave him a bath this afternoon and he didn’t seem to mind it at all! He was such a good boy. They also extended his time off CPAP! He’s switching from CPAP to Nasal Cannula every 6 hours. This is a great accomplishment. He didn’t have any Apnea episodes today, which is also very good.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter! Goodnight everyone!
Jack was so alert and wide awake during our visit today. His little facial expressions are priceless! He’s such a cutie. He amazes us more and more each passing day – he’s getting so big and strong. We’re hooked on the kid!
We gave him a bath this afternoon and he didn’t seem to mind it at all! He was such a good boy. They also extended his time off CPAP! He’s switching from CPAP to Nasal Cannula every 6 hours. This is a great accomplishment. He didn’t have any Apnea episodes today, which is also very good.
We hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter! Goodnight everyone!
Thursday, April 17, 2003
Day 43
Day 43
Jack and mommy got to bond “kangaroo” style this evening! It was a wonderful thing for both of them. Jack was very content and even had his dinner while on her chest.
Every once in a while preemies get a little too comfortable and forget to breath and have an episode called Apnea. Most times they can be stimulated by a tickle on the foot or a pat on the back. Jack has these every so often, and this is something he’ll grow out of eventually. It’s very scary for us to watch, but we are getting accustomed to it. Other than that, Jack is doing very well with his breathing. He is cycling between CPAP and nasal cannula every few hours. They will continue to decrease the amount of time spent on CPAP and increase the time spent on nasal cannula as the days go by.
Jack weighs 3lbs, 6oz and is getting 29ccs of food every three hours. That’s 1cc shy of a whole ounce! He is getting bigger and changing so much as the weeks go by. He’s getting chubby cheeks and everything!
Jack and mommy got to bond “kangaroo” style this evening! It was a wonderful thing for both of them. Jack was very content and even had his dinner while on her chest.
Every once in a while preemies get a little too comfortable and forget to breath and have an episode called Apnea. Most times they can be stimulated by a tickle on the foot or a pat on the back. Jack has these every so often, and this is something he’ll grow out of eventually. It’s very scary for us to watch, but we are getting accustomed to it. Other than that, Jack is doing very well with his breathing. He is cycling between CPAP and nasal cannula every few hours. They will continue to decrease the amount of time spent on CPAP and increase the time spent on nasal cannula as the days go by.
Jack weighs 3lbs, 6oz and is getting 29ccs of food every three hours. That’s 1cc shy of a whole ounce! He is getting bigger and changing so much as the weeks go by. He’s getting chubby cheeks and everything!
Wednesday, April 16, 2003
Day 42
Day 42
Well, little Jack surprised us again. He was actually off the CPAP today and just got a little assistance from nasal cannula, which just provided oxygen for him to breath. He was on that for over two hours! In fact, the tube wasn’t even hooked up properly so he wasn’t getting any oxygen and only after 15 minutes did his oxygen saturation drop a bit. That’s 15 minutes of breathing without any assistance! What an accomplishment!
Tomorrow they are going to take him off CPAP for a little longer. They’ll continue this until he is off totally. That doesn’t mean that he will never be on it again. In fact, if preemies off CPAP develop an infection, it is not uncommon for them to have to be intubated for a while until their body recovers. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed that this won’t be the case for Jack.
Daddy even got to hold Jack today while he was free of CPAP. He looked up at him and smiled a few times. Jason was making funny noises and singing to him. That made him smile. He was so content all day in his mommy’s arms. He loved it.
When it was time to put Jack back on the CPAP, he was not a happy camper at all. He fought the nasal prongs and tried to pull them out (which he did eventually). But mommy and his nurse settled him down and it seemed like he just accepted the fact.
Soon we will start Kangaroo Care with Jack which is bonding skin to skin. A man from Jason’s work who recently had a preemie said once he started Kangaroo Care with his daughter, she started to progress much more rapidly.
Jack got a new home today as well. It was time for his incubator to be changed and he got an older, less advanced model. He doesn’t seem to mind. We just take it as good news that he doesn’t need all those bells and whistles any more… and now we can see him better.
Well, little Jack surprised us again. He was actually off the CPAP today and just got a little assistance from nasal cannula, which just provided oxygen for him to breath. He was on that for over two hours! In fact, the tube wasn’t even hooked up properly so he wasn’t getting any oxygen and only after 15 minutes did his oxygen saturation drop a bit. That’s 15 minutes of breathing without any assistance! What an accomplishment!
Tomorrow they are going to take him off CPAP for a little longer. They’ll continue this until he is off totally. That doesn’t mean that he will never be on it again. In fact, if preemies off CPAP develop an infection, it is not uncommon for them to have to be intubated for a while until their body recovers. We’ll just keep our fingers crossed that this won’t be the case for Jack.
Daddy even got to hold Jack today while he was free of CPAP. He looked up at him and smiled a few times. Jason was making funny noises and singing to him. That made him smile. He was so content all day in his mommy’s arms. He loved it.
When it was time to put Jack back on the CPAP, he was not a happy camper at all. He fought the nasal prongs and tried to pull them out (which he did eventually). But mommy and his nurse settled him down and it seemed like he just accepted the fact.
Soon we will start Kangaroo Care with Jack which is bonding skin to skin. A man from Jason’s work who recently had a preemie said once he started Kangaroo Care with his daughter, she started to progress much more rapidly.
Jack got a new home today as well. It was time for his incubator to be changed and he got an older, less advanced model. He doesn’t seem to mind. We just take it as good news that he doesn’t need all those bells and whistles any more… and now we can see him better.
Tuesday, April 15, 2003
Day 41
Day 41
Mommy got to hold Jack for three hours today! He did very well in her arms. He was making little faces and smiling. She even got to feed him while she held him.
He gained 40 grams today, but he is still officially at 3lbs 3oz. We are very proud of him.
Even though he is doing very well on the CPAP, it can still be uncomfortable for him and sometimes he tries to pull the prongs out or they just accidentally come out. The nurse just comes over and puts them back in, or we can even put them back in if we are there.
He is so cute when he sucks on his pacifier while he gets fed. He really goes to town. He even sneezes! Everything he is doing is cute! It’s great to hear his sweet voice, even if he is very angry sometimes. Most of the time he is not.
Mommy got to hold Jack for three hours today! He did very well in her arms. He was making little faces and smiling. She even got to feed him while she held him.
He gained 40 grams today, but he is still officially at 3lbs 3oz. We are very proud of him.
Even though he is doing very well on the CPAP, it can still be uncomfortable for him and sometimes he tries to pull the prongs out or they just accidentally come out. The nurse just comes over and puts them back in, or we can even put them back in if we are there.
He is so cute when he sucks on his pacifier while he gets fed. He really goes to town. He even sneezes! Everything he is doing is cute! It’s great to hear his sweet voice, even if he is very angry sometimes. Most of the time he is not.
Monday, April 14, 2003
JACK IS OFF THE VENTILATOR!
Day 40
JACK IS OFF THE VENTILATOR! We were so surprised to see that he was breathing all on his own when we got there today. He is such a strong boy. We’re very proud of him. He seems so much more comfortable now that he doesn’t have that tube down his throat anymore. He actually had his own pacifier and he did a good job breaking it in.
His nurse said that once he gets used to the CPAP, they will gradually wean him off that as well. That process consists of taking him off the CPAP for a few hours at a time and then increasing the length of time that he is off. Towards the end, he will only be on the CPAP for a few hours a day. We really don’t know the timeframe yet. It really depends on how well he does.
It will be great to be able to hold him without being hooked to a breathing tube. Of course he will still be on oxygen, but it will be much easier to take him out of his bed.
Right now he is handling the transition very well. His blood gases are good and the only time we saw his oxygen saturation drop is when he pulled the nasal prongs out. This is not a big deal because the nurses quickly respond and put them back in.
We also heard him cry for the first time and he made cute sounds when he hiccupped after his feeding. Soon he will be crying louder and louder after his vocal cords heal from being intubated. We can’t wait!
JACK IS OFF THE VENTILATOR! We were so surprised to see that he was breathing all on his own when we got there today. He is such a strong boy. We’re very proud of him. He seems so much more comfortable now that he doesn’t have that tube down his throat anymore. He actually had his own pacifier and he did a good job breaking it in.
His nurse said that once he gets used to the CPAP, they will gradually wean him off that as well. That process consists of taking him off the CPAP for a few hours at a time and then increasing the length of time that he is off. Towards the end, he will only be on the CPAP for a few hours a day. We really don’t know the timeframe yet. It really depends on how well he does.
It will be great to be able to hold him without being hooked to a breathing tube. Of course he will still be on oxygen, but it will be much easier to take him out of his bed.
Right now he is handling the transition very well. His blood gases are good and the only time we saw his oxygen saturation drop is when he pulled the nasal prongs out. This is not a big deal because the nurses quickly respond and put them back in.
We also heard him cry for the first time and he made cute sounds when he hiccupped after his feeding. Soon he will be crying louder and louder after his vocal cords heal from being intubated. We can’t wait!
Sunday, April 13, 2003
Day 39
Day 39
Jack is officially 3lbs 3oz today. He is making good progress on his weight gaining between 20 to 40 grams a day. That is just what he should be doing. His blood gases are good again today and that is good news if you want to get off a ventilator.
We ordered Jack’s furniture for his room today from Babies ‘R’ Us. He got a nice crib and changing table/ chest of drawers. It should be ready for pick-up in about two weeks. We need to get a lot ready for his trip home.
Jack was sleeping most of the time while we were there. Once in a while he would open his eyes and look around, stopping briefly to look at us. It is an awesome feeling to make eye contact with your baby. Especially when your baby had to wear a protective mask for the first few weeks and you couldn’t even see his eyes. Everyday, he seems to become more aware of his surroundings and more in tune with his facial expressions. Some people think that they see Jack smile at them. That’s not impossible to believe…Jack has surprised us in many ways so far.
Jack is officially 3lbs 3oz today. He is making good progress on his weight gaining between 20 to 40 grams a day. That is just what he should be doing. His blood gases are good again today and that is good news if you want to get off a ventilator.
We ordered Jack’s furniture for his room today from Babies ‘R’ Us. He got a nice crib and changing table/ chest of drawers. It should be ready for pick-up in about two weeks. We need to get a lot ready for his trip home.
Jack was sleeping most of the time while we were there. Once in a while he would open his eyes and look around, stopping briefly to look at us. It is an awesome feeling to make eye contact with your baby. Especially when your baby had to wear a protective mask for the first few weeks and you couldn’t even see his eyes. Everyday, he seems to become more aware of his surroundings and more in tune with his facial expressions. Some people think that they see Jack smile at them. That’s not impossible to believe…Jack has surprised us in many ways so far.
Saturday, April 12, 2003
Day 38
Day 38
Jack seems to be enjoying the lovely day. He was very content during our visit this today. He now weighs 3lbs, 2oz, and is up to 26ccs of food! He’s a big boy!
His vent settings were lowered again to 25 breaths per minute, and this time his blood work came back a-okay! So they will try him on an even lower setting this evening. He’s well on his way to being off that ventilator.
We want to thank everyone for their continued support, it’s your words and your prayers that are helping our little family stay so strong. We hope everyone has a great weekend!
Jack seems to be enjoying the lovely day. He was very content during our visit this today. He now weighs 3lbs, 2oz, and is up to 26ccs of food! He’s a big boy!
His vent settings were lowered again to 25 breaths per minute, and this time his blood work came back a-okay! So they will try him on an even lower setting this evening. He’s well on his way to being off that ventilator.
We want to thank everyone for their continued support, it’s your words and your prayers that are helping our little family stay so strong. We hope everyone has a great weekend!
Friday, April 11, 2003
Day 37
Day 37
Jack is still at 3lbs 1oz, but did gain 20 grams…just not enough to officially gain an ounce. Tomorrow he will be there though.
Jack is being slowing weaned off the ventilator. They lowered his vent settings to only 25 breaths per minute at around 25% oxygen and then took a measurement of his blood gases. His C02 levels were a bit high so they raised his breaths to 30 times per minute. Tomorrow they will most likely try again. Right now Jack is comfortable with the amount of help the ventilator is giving him. In order to get him off that he has to learn to do more on his own. He has been gradually doing that over the past month, but now they are being a bit more aggressive in their approach. Hopefully next week he will be on CPAP
Jack is still at 3lbs 1oz, but did gain 20 grams…just not enough to officially gain an ounce. Tomorrow he will be there though.
Jack is being slowing weaned off the ventilator. They lowered his vent settings to only 25 breaths per minute at around 25% oxygen and then took a measurement of his blood gases. His C02 levels were a bit high so they raised his breaths to 30 times per minute. Tomorrow they will most likely try again. Right now Jack is comfortable with the amount of help the ventilator is giving him. In order to get him off that he has to learn to do more on his own. He has been gradually doing that over the past month, but now they are being a bit more aggressive in their approach. Hopefully next week he will be on CPAP
Thursday, April 10, 2003
Day 36
Day 36
Jack is tipping the scale at 3lbs, 1oz today! He is doing very well. Angie gave him his bath this afternoon, and took part in a few of his care sessions today. We spent some time with him this evening getting him fed and ready for bed.
The doctors think Jack will be ready to be off the ventilator soon, and on to something called CPAP. This will help him breathe using nasal prongs with oxygen and some ventilator control, but he won’t have to have a tube down his throat and he will be taking all the breaths on his own.
We are so happy to be planning Jack’s homecoming, and we look forward to seeing our friends and family all together at Jack’s party!
Jack is tipping the scale at 3lbs, 1oz today! He is doing very well. Angie gave him his bath this afternoon, and took part in a few of his care sessions today. We spent some time with him this evening getting him fed and ready for bed.
The doctors think Jack will be ready to be off the ventilator soon, and on to something called CPAP. This will help him breathe using nasal prongs with oxygen and some ventilator control, but he won’t have to have a tube down his throat and he will be taking all the breaths on his own.
We are so happy to be planning Jack’s homecoming, and we look forward to seeing our friends and family all together at Jack’s party!
Wednesday, April 09, 2003
Day 35
Day 35
Jack has reached 3 lbs! And, along with his weight gain, there must have been a strength gain as well. Today, without being initially noticed, Jack lifted up his head and turned it completely in the other direction. We’ve seen Jack raise his head off his bed a few times in the past, but nothing to this magnitude. Jack’s nurse was surprised. He shouldn’t be moving his head because he is intubated and the nurses have to totally disconnect him to move him around. But, they looked at his oxygen saturation and there were no problems with that. It will probably be soon when Jack is off the ventilator anyway, so this shouldn’t be a problem in the future. We’re just proud of his accomplishment. Soon he’ll be doing jumping jacks.
Jack has reached 3 lbs! And, along with his weight gain, there must have been a strength gain as well. Today, without being initially noticed, Jack lifted up his head and turned it completely in the other direction. We’ve seen Jack raise his head off his bed a few times in the past, but nothing to this magnitude. Jack’s nurse was surprised. He shouldn’t be moving his head because he is intubated and the nurses have to totally disconnect him to move him around. But, they looked at his oxygen saturation and there were no problems with that. It will probably be soon when Jack is off the ventilator anyway, so this shouldn’t be a problem in the future. We’re just proud of his accomplishment. Soon he’ll be doing jumping jacks.
Tuesday, April 08, 2003
Day 34
Day 34
Jack weighs 2lbs 15 ozs. He gained 40 grams in one day. What a big boy!
Jack was very sleepy tonight. We read him “Goodnight Moon.” He responded by opening his eyes a few times, but then it was back to his slumber.
There isn’t much to report tonight, but Jack is continuing to do very well. We just can’t wait for him to come home.
Jack weighs 2lbs 15 ozs. He gained 40 grams in one day. What a big boy!
Jack was very sleepy tonight. We read him “Goodnight Moon.” He responded by opening his eyes a few times, but then it was back to his slumber.
There isn’t much to report tonight, but Jack is continuing to do very well. We just can’t wait for him to come home.
Monday, April 07, 2003
Day 33
Jack was very alert and active tonight. We took part in his evening care session and helped get him ready for bed. While he was getting dinner we sang “Itsy Bitsy Spider” to him. We’ll have to learn more songs though, because too many encores of that song and it’s permanently stuck in your head!
Jack won his first contest! We e-mailed www.earlybirds.com.au an Australian company and told them Jack’s story. He was chosen as “the preemie of the month” and they are going to send Jack clothing made just for preemies! Very cool for Jack to be winning over hearts all the way in Australia. They haven’t updated their site yet to include Jack’s picture, but we keep checking every day!
Jack was looking all around his isolette tonight. He even made eye contact with us a few times, what a wonderful feeling. As he drifted off to sleep we wished him goodnight.
Jack was very alert and active tonight. We took part in his evening care session and helped get him ready for bed. While he was getting dinner we sang “Itsy Bitsy Spider” to him. We’ll have to learn more songs though, because too many encores of that song and it’s permanently stuck in your head!
Jack won his first contest! We e-mailed www.earlybirds.com.au an Australian company and told them Jack’s story. He was chosen as “the preemie of the month” and they are going to send Jack clothing made just for preemies! Very cool for Jack to be winning over hearts all the way in Australia. They haven’t updated their site yet to include Jack’s picture, but we keep checking every day!
Jack was looking all around his isolette tonight. He even made eye contact with us a few times, what a wonderful feeling. As he drifted off to sleep we wished him goodnight.
Sunday, April 06, 2003
Day 32
Day 32
Jack continues to have a great appetite. He is up to 24 ccs of food now. How much can his little tummy hold anyway? Jack weighed about the same as he did yesterday, only gaining a few grams. We aren’t too concerned because depending on the time he pees, his weight can vary. His doctors say he is steadily gaining weight. As long as it increases, we are happy.
Not much has changed from yesterday, except we are talking more and more about the day when Jack will come home. There’s a big party in the works, so stay tuned.
Jack continues to have a great appetite. He is up to 24 ccs of food now. How much can his little tummy hold anyway? Jack weighed about the same as he did yesterday, only gaining a few grams. We aren’t too concerned because depending on the time he pees, his weight can vary. His doctors say he is steadily gaining weight. As long as it increases, we are happy.
Not much has changed from yesterday, except we are talking more and more about the day when Jack will come home. There’s a big party in the works, so stay tuned.
Saturday, April 05, 2003
Day 31
Day 31
We had a chat with Jack’s primary doctor today and he had some encouraging news. First, if all goes well, Jack may be able to come home even before his due date (June 13th)! This is the first time a doctor mentioned him going home. And late next week, he may even be off his ventilator, so that means no more tube down Jack’s throat and we’ll be able to hear his first cry.
Once again, the doctor reiterated that we won’t know exactly how well Jack will do until he actually reaches the points where his developmental milestones should be…breathing completely on his own, sucking and swallowing reflexes, and ultimately muscular control. There aren’t many tests that can accurately predict how he will be. We just have to take the wait and see approach.
The doctor also said that he is seeing signs that the area of the bleed is starting to clear up. This doesn’t mean that the damage will go away, but instead something called a porencephalic cyst is starting to form. This isn’t necessarily bad news, but just something that happens after an IVH. The cyst basically takes up the space where the bleed occurred.
We left feeling pretty good and optimistic after our talk. We got more assurance that he’s progressing well. His lungs are developing well, he’s taking his food well, and he is growing and getting stronger.
Angie got to hold Jack again and as usual he fell asleep in her arms.
We had a chat with Jack’s primary doctor today and he had some encouraging news. First, if all goes well, Jack may be able to come home even before his due date (June 13th)! This is the first time a doctor mentioned him going home. And late next week, he may even be off his ventilator, so that means no more tube down Jack’s throat and we’ll be able to hear his first cry.
Once again, the doctor reiterated that we won’t know exactly how well Jack will do until he actually reaches the points where his developmental milestones should be…breathing completely on his own, sucking and swallowing reflexes, and ultimately muscular control. There aren’t many tests that can accurately predict how he will be. We just have to take the wait and see approach.
The doctor also said that he is seeing signs that the area of the bleed is starting to clear up. This doesn’t mean that the damage will go away, but instead something called a porencephalic cyst is starting to form. This isn’t necessarily bad news, but just something that happens after an IVH. The cyst basically takes up the space where the bleed occurred.
We left feeling pretty good and optimistic after our talk. We got more assurance that he’s progressing well. His lungs are developing well, he’s taking his food well, and he is growing and getting stronger.
Angie got to hold Jack again and as usual he fell asleep in her arms.
Friday, April 04, 2003
Day 30
Day 30
Jack spent the day lounging around in his bed. He didn’t do too much today. He did get a visit from his neurologist, but that is nothing new for him. He is up to 2 lbs 14 oz. Soon he’ll be about 3 lbs and we are going to throw a party!
Angie and his grandma Josie spent the day with him and Angie got to do his afternoon care which consists of changing his diaper, taking his temp and getting him dressed. He didn’t cause too much of a fuss this time.
We think that he is beginning to react to our voice and touch. We are continuing to touch him while talking to him. This would have been too much for him to bear in the early days, but if he gets too stressed we let him rest.
Tomorrow, April 5 will be his official one month birthday. What a milestone!
Jack spent the day lounging around in his bed. He didn’t do too much today. He did get a visit from his neurologist, but that is nothing new for him. He is up to 2 lbs 14 oz. Soon he’ll be about 3 lbs and we are going to throw a party!
Angie and his grandma Josie spent the day with him and Angie got to do his afternoon care which consists of changing his diaper, taking his temp and getting him dressed. He didn’t cause too much of a fuss this time.
We think that he is beginning to react to our voice and touch. We are continuing to touch him while talking to him. This would have been too much for him to bear in the early days, but if he gets too stressed we let him rest.
Tomorrow, April 5 will be his official one month birthday. What a milestone!
Thursday, April 03, 2003
Day 29
Jack was sleeping comfortably on his belly when we were visiting with him tonight. He had just been through his care session and was just finishing his dinner when we got there. He opened his eyes a few times to say hello, but then it was right back to sleep. We can just sit and stare at him forever!
Jack’s getting 21ccs of formula every three hours, and his ventilator settings are even lower tonight and he is taking more breaths on his own. He is continuing to progress each and every day.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support. It means a lot to us! Have a good night everyone!
Jack was sleeping comfortably on his belly when we were visiting with him tonight. He had just been through his care session and was just finishing his dinner when we got there. He opened his eyes a few times to say hello, but then it was right back to sleep. We can just sit and stare at him forever!
Jack’s getting 21ccs of formula every three hours, and his ventilator settings are even lower tonight and he is taking more breaths on his own. He is continuing to progress each and every day.
Thanks to everyone for your continued support. It means a lot to us! Have a good night everyone!
Wednesday, April 02, 2003
Day 28
Day 28
Jack got his first bath from us tonight! Well, it was more of a wipe down with baby body wash. He didn’t like it too much though. It was probably cold for him. First we washed his face with no soap. Then, we added a little soap and washed the rest of him starting at his head. It only took about 10 minutes. We didn’t even realize that Jack gets baths. He has been getting them every other day for a while now. Now that they know we like to bathe him, they are going to wait and let us do it every time.
We also met Jack’s neurosurgeon for the first time. We never had the opportunity to see him because he usually comes in first thing in the morning to see Jack. He was a jolly fellow and very nice. He said Jack is progressing well from his viewpoint. I think I trust the viewpoint of a neurosurgeon. Every day or two they come in and tap his reservoir and get about 10 ccs of fluid, which is pretty standard.
Jack has pretty good reflexes too. He was staring wide-eyed at his kitty when the nurse at the bed across from him turned on the light. He quickly slammed his eyes shut.
Jack got his first bath from us tonight! Well, it was more of a wipe down with baby body wash. He didn’t like it too much though. It was probably cold for him. First we washed his face with no soap. Then, we added a little soap and washed the rest of him starting at his head. It only took about 10 minutes. We didn’t even realize that Jack gets baths. He has been getting them every other day for a while now. Now that they know we like to bathe him, they are going to wait and let us do it every time.
We also met Jack’s neurosurgeon for the first time. We never had the opportunity to see him because he usually comes in first thing in the morning to see Jack. He was a jolly fellow and very nice. He said Jack is progressing well from his viewpoint. I think I trust the viewpoint of a neurosurgeon. Every day or two they come in and tap his reservoir and get about 10 ccs of fluid, which is pretty standard.
Jack has pretty good reflexes too. He was staring wide-eyed at his kitty when the nurse at the bed across from him turned on the light. He quickly slammed his eyes shut.
Tuesday, April 01, 2003
Day 27
Day 27
Jack is up to 21 ccs of food and weighs 2 lbs 14 oz!
He was being fed while we were there tonight. He tolerated his formula very well. There were a couple of times when it seemed that he had an upset stomach, because in his facial expressions it looked like he wanted to cry. His arms became tense and he clenched his fist. A few times he would grab onto his ET tube and yank. We were nervous that he was going to pull it out. We tried a few times to move his arm away from his face, but he was insistent upon quickly moving it back and keeping his hand tightly clenched on it. The nurse reassured us that babies do not often pull their tubes out. Not often, huh?
Jack is getting much stronger as well. During his times of discontent he will almost raise his head completely off the pillow! When you put your finger in and he grabs it, you almost have to fight to get your finger back.
He especially does not like being changed. But, he doesn’t like being wet either. This creates a conflict for Jack, but ultimately he has to be changed and he responds by becoming the seriously mad, kicking preemie. He soon becomes content in a short time after being snuggly wrapped in his blankets.
Tonight he also learned how much Little Brown Hare loves Big Brown Hare from listening to us read, “Guess How Much I Love You?” He drifted off to sleep midway, so don’t spoil the ending for him.
Jack is up to 21 ccs of food and weighs 2 lbs 14 oz!
He was being fed while we were there tonight. He tolerated his formula very well. There were a couple of times when it seemed that he had an upset stomach, because in his facial expressions it looked like he wanted to cry. His arms became tense and he clenched his fist. A few times he would grab onto his ET tube and yank. We were nervous that he was going to pull it out. We tried a few times to move his arm away from his face, but he was insistent upon quickly moving it back and keeping his hand tightly clenched on it. The nurse reassured us that babies do not often pull their tubes out. Not often, huh?
Jack is getting much stronger as well. During his times of discontent he will almost raise his head completely off the pillow! When you put your finger in and he grabs it, you almost have to fight to get your finger back.
He especially does not like being changed. But, he doesn’t like being wet either. This creates a conflict for Jack, but ultimately he has to be changed and he responds by becoming the seriously mad, kicking preemie. He soon becomes content in a short time after being snuggly wrapped in his blankets.
Tonight he also learned how much Little Brown Hare loves Big Brown Hare from listening to us read, “Guess How Much I Love You?” He drifted off to sleep midway, so don’t spoil the ending for him.
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