Jack’s trip to the neurologist went well. His ventricles look really good on the ultrasound -- a lot better than the last (in the exact words of the neuro). He said the shunt is definitely doing its job. He did note a tiny swollen spot behind Jack's ear (along the shunt tubing) but just told us to keep an eye on it and call if it seems to get bigger -- or "sausage-like" as he said. He only wants to see him again in September. So we’ll continue our daily inspection of Jack’s shunt site.
Jack's oxygen company is willing to bring us a great big tank for our first floor! This means we'll no longer only have 7 feet to move Jack around -- we'll have 50! We are VERY happy about this! Now he’ll get to see more than the living room! They are coming on Monday to deliver it.
This week Jack sees his pediatrician on Thursday. We are looking forward to another weigh-in! He was 8lbs, 1oz on June 18th, so we’re excited to get the newest numbers!
We learned that Jack’s other friend (the same one we saw at the eye doc) is now back in the hospital with a possible infection. They took him in through the ER last night. We would like to ask you to keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We keep in contact with his family by e-mail mostly and we’ll keep you posted on how he’s doing. Jack’s other friend is still recovering (at home) from his stay.
Sunday, June 29, 2003
Thursday, June 26, 2003
Jack went on a trip to see his eye doctor yesterday. We even saw one of Jack’s very best little friends there! It was so special to see them together again. Jack really doesn’t like these eye exams!! He cried so loud he made the doctor’s ears hurt. It was over almost as soon as it started and we were on our way home again. Right now they are keeping an close watch on Jack’s eyes. Almost all preemies end up with a condition called ROP (Retinopathy of Prematurity) and ranges from mild to severe. ROP is when abnormal development of the blood vessels supplying the retina of the eye occurs. This can be very serious if not monitored and treated. Jack’s ROP is very mild and he’s almost “in the clear.” He’ll go back for another exam in three weeks. Jack also suffered Optic Nerve Atrophy close to or at the time of his brain bleed a few days after birth. This is something that we will not know the long term effects of until Jack is older. This is damage that occurred, and won’t get worse and won’t get better, basically what’s done is done. There is no treatment or surgery for Optic Nerve Atrophy and we were told it’s “wait and see.” We do feel Jack has vision and it’s getting more and more obvious to us. He follows our faces (even without voices) and loves to look at his little Elmo doll. So we take these as very good signs.
Tomorrow Jack sees his neurologist for a check up. He’ll be able to tell us if Jack’s shunt is doing its job by doing a cranial ultrasound and observing Jack’s behavior. We left the hospital with a bulleted list of things to watch out for when a shunt malfunctions. So far everything looks okay when we do our daily checks. We’ll keep you updated on how his appointment goes.
Tomorrow Jack sees his neurologist for a check up. He’ll be able to tell us if Jack’s shunt is doing its job by doing a cranial ultrasound and observing Jack’s behavior. We left the hospital with a bulleted list of things to watch out for when a shunt malfunctions. So far everything looks okay when we do our daily checks. We’ll keep you updated on how his appointment goes.
Saturday, June 21, 2003
Jack seems to be growing right before our eyes! He’s totally outgrown all of his preemie clothing and is now filling out his “big boy” clothing quite nicely. He’s continuing to eat very well – it’s been over a week without the feeding tube. He even gets one ounce of apple juice every day!
We pretty much are still living out of two rooms downstairs. Jack has yet to be upstairs to his nursery and we have yet to sleep in our bed since he’s been home. Right now we take turns sleeping at night on the sofa. Once he is off the oxygen it will be so much easier to move him from room to room. We hope it’s not too much longer! We’ll know more next month after we meet with his neonatologist at Hershey.
Jack has long periods of alertness now. He doesn’t sleep all the time anymore. It’s so neat to see his personality take shape each passing day. He has certain things he loves and certain things he really dislikes. His strength is also amazing us as well. He has great head control and is pushing himself up when he’s on his belly.
Jack is involved in a program called Early Intervention which is a group consisting of physical, occupational and speech therapists. They are coming soon for their first evaluation of Jack. They make sure Jack has all the extra help he needs to catch up and they help identify any delays he may have. Early Intervention helps a lot of children and especially preemies. It’s a proactive approach to facing any difficulties that may exist. We are glad to be involved with such a program.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
We pretty much are still living out of two rooms downstairs. Jack has yet to be upstairs to his nursery and we have yet to sleep in our bed since he’s been home. Right now we take turns sleeping at night on the sofa. Once he is off the oxygen it will be so much easier to move him from room to room. We hope it’s not too much longer! We’ll know more next month after we meet with his neonatologist at Hershey.
Jack has long periods of alertness now. He doesn’t sleep all the time anymore. It’s so neat to see his personality take shape each passing day. He has certain things he loves and certain things he really dislikes. His strength is also amazing us as well. He has great head control and is pushing himself up when he’s on his belly.
Jack is involved in a program called Early Intervention which is a group consisting of physical, occupational and speech therapists. They are coming soon for their first evaluation of Jack. They make sure Jack has all the extra help he needs to catch up and they help identify any delays he may have. Early Intervention helps a lot of children and especially preemies. It’s a proactive approach to facing any difficulties that may exist. We are glad to be involved with such a program.
Have a nice weekend everyone!
Thursday, June 19, 2003
We got an update on Jack’s little friend. He’s home now from the hospital with his mommy and daddy! Our thoughts continue to be with them as their little one recovers.
Jack got his weigh-in yesterday….he’s now 8lbs, 1oz!!! So using all that extra energy to finish his bottles has not slowed his weight gain. He’s continuing to gain over an ounce a day! We are so proud of Jack!
This week Jack was appointment free (except his quick trip to use the scale) and this coming week Jack sees his eye doctor and his neurologist – both appointments are at the medical center. Jack enjoys these road trips – we just can’t wait until he can go somewhere other than the doctor!
Jack got his weigh-in yesterday….he’s now 8lbs, 1oz!!! So using all that extra energy to finish his bottles has not slowed his weight gain. He’s continuing to gain over an ounce a day! We are so proud of Jack!
This week Jack was appointment free (except his quick trip to use the scale) and this coming week Jack sees his eye doctor and his neurologist – both appointments are at the medical center. Jack enjoys these road trips – we just can’t wait until he can go somewhere other than the doctor!
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Jack is doing great. He seems to be in a routine now which is good except for we think he has his days and nights mixed up! He is sleeping wonderfully in his bed through the day, but as soon as we get sleepy and are ready to doze off Jack is wide eyed and not interested in sleeping!
Jack is continuing to take all of his bottles like a pro. He goes to his pediatrician for a “weigh-in” just to make sure he’s continuing to gain weight and not spending too much of his energy and calories taking his bottle. So we’re anxious to see how much he weighs tomorrow!
We became close to two families in the NICU. All of our boys had similar issues including shunt surgeries. We just learned that one of Jack’s little friends is back in the hospital due to a shunt malfunction and there were complications with the surgery. He’s still in the hospital now, and our hearts are breaking for his family. Please keep your thoughts and prayers with them.
Jack is continuing to take all of his bottles like a pro. He goes to his pediatrician for a “weigh-in” just to make sure he’s continuing to gain weight and not spending too much of his energy and calories taking his bottle. So we’re anxious to see how much he weighs tomorrow!
We became close to two families in the NICU. All of our boys had similar issues including shunt surgeries. We just learned that one of Jack’s little friends is back in the hospital due to a shunt malfunction and there were complications with the surgery. He’s still in the hospital now, and our hearts are breaking for his family. Please keep your thoughts and prayers with them.
Sunday, June 15, 2003
Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there!
Jack is really surprising us! He’s been taking all of his feedings by bottle since Friday. He can take anywhere from 60-90ccs every 3-4 hours. We almost can’t keep up with his demands. Sometimes he is hungry two hours after he eats, but we have to wait a little long than that because Jack should get used to set schedules. During the nighttime hours it is much different. We usually have to wake him to eat and he never is too interested. It’s important that he does eat at every scheduled feeding because he needs as many calories as possible.
Jack’s reflux seems to be getting better. We are starting to lay him down for more extended time periods. It usually takes about twenty minutes for him to start crying. That is definitely better than when we first brought him home and he would cry immediately as we laid him down. It’s probably helping that he no longer has his feeding tube.
Along with his weight gain, Jack’s strength is increasing as well. When he lies on our chests he raises his head and looks all around. That’s great. Soon he’ll be doing summersaults in his crib.
Jack is really surprising us! He’s been taking all of his feedings by bottle since Friday. He can take anywhere from 60-90ccs every 3-4 hours. We almost can’t keep up with his demands. Sometimes he is hungry two hours after he eats, but we have to wait a little long than that because Jack should get used to set schedules. During the nighttime hours it is much different. We usually have to wake him to eat and he never is too interested. It’s important that he does eat at every scheduled feeding because he needs as many calories as possible.
Jack’s reflux seems to be getting better. We are starting to lay him down for more extended time periods. It usually takes about twenty minutes for him to start crying. That is definitely better than when we first brought him home and he would cry immediately as we laid him down. It’s probably helping that he no longer has his feeding tube.
Along with his weight gain, Jack’s strength is increasing as well. When he lies on our chests he raises his head and looks all around. That’s great. Soon he’ll be doing summersaults in his crib.
Friday, June 13, 2003
Well, today June 13th, was Jack’s original due date! He’s officially supposed to “be here” now. It’s hard to believe just how amazing it is that he was so strong to face the world almost 15 weeks before he was supposed to. He came into the world at only 2lbs 2oz (even dropping under 2lbs for a while) and not given much hope of survival. But just look at him now! He’s done nothing but truly amaze us with his spirit, strength and character and is really showing us what life is all about. We’ll never truly understand all that Jack had to endure early in his life, but we are so very proud of him for just being Jack.
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Jack is really doing well here at home! He’s gained a lot of weight too! He’s up to 7lbs, 8oz. His pediatrician was very pleased with how well he’s gaining weight. She also told us we can try him without any tube feedings today to see how he does on his own. So far he’s been taking a lot, in fact he normally gets 60ccs, and now that he’s bigger he can have anywhere from 60-90ccs every three or four hours. Well, he just took 79 all by bottle! We’ll get rid of that tube very soon, we’re sure!
His pediatrician also gave him a prescription for another Reflux medicine called Reglan. This worked well for him in the NICU, so we are confident that it will work for him again. We’ll all be so much happier when he doesn’t have to deal with Reflux anymore.
We are a little more comfortable with caring for Jack too. We aren’t as nervous or scared anymore. Even 4am feedings are becoming ordinary around here. We are sleeping on and off and not minding it as much as we did in the first few days. So it’s safe to say we’re adjusting!
Jack saw his eye doctor yesterday. They still were not able to tell us the prognosis as far as how well Jack will see, but we do notice him tracking things with his eyes much more. He even turns his head to follow your face! So we are hopeful that his vision will continue to develop as well as it is now.
Thanks for your calls and thoughts! They mean a lot. Take care and we’ll keep you up to date on how Jack is doing. We hope you’re enjoying the warm weather!
His pediatrician also gave him a prescription for another Reflux medicine called Reglan. This worked well for him in the NICU, so we are confident that it will work for him again. We’ll all be so much happier when he doesn’t have to deal with Reflux anymore.
We are a little more comfortable with caring for Jack too. We aren’t as nervous or scared anymore. Even 4am feedings are becoming ordinary around here. We are sleeping on and off and not minding it as much as we did in the first few days. So it’s safe to say we’re adjusting!
Jack saw his eye doctor yesterday. They still were not able to tell us the prognosis as far as how well Jack will see, but we do notice him tracking things with his eyes much more. He even turns his head to follow your face! So we are hopeful that his vision will continue to develop as well as it is now.
Thanks for your calls and thoughts! They mean a lot. Take care and we’ll keep you up to date on how Jack is doing. We hope you’re enjoying the warm weather!
Saturday, June 07, 2003
Well, hello world! Around here we’re not even sure what day it is anymore : )
Jack is doing well, although his Reflux is still bothering him. We’ve learned to just hold him upright against our chest almost all of the time. When his reflux isn’t acting up, he loves to be in his bassinet. We’ve have it all cozy for him with the great baby blankets we received at the shower. Unfortunately, he doesn’t stay comfortable very long. He sees his pediatrician this week and we’ll be asking her for some advice on how to help Jack’s Reflux.
Jack has such a busy schedule! The little man needs a personal assistant just to handle all of his engagements…(okay, really they’re just doctor’s appointments). It’s a bit daunting getting Jack where he has to go. We’re getting better at carrying Jack and all of his equipment – it really helps that he loves to be in his car seat! His eyes get wide and he clasps his little hands almost like saying, “Hey, I’m ready when you are!”
Well, it’s time to make more bottles! We’ll keep you updated! Have a nice weekend.
Jack is doing well, although his Reflux is still bothering him. We’ve learned to just hold him upright against our chest almost all of the time. When his reflux isn’t acting up, he loves to be in his bassinet. We’ve have it all cozy for him with the great baby blankets we received at the shower. Unfortunately, he doesn’t stay comfortable very long. He sees his pediatrician this week and we’ll be asking her for some advice on how to help Jack’s Reflux.
Jack has such a busy schedule! The little man needs a personal assistant just to handle all of his engagements…(okay, really they’re just doctor’s appointments). It’s a bit daunting getting Jack where he has to go. We’re getting better at carrying Jack and all of his equipment – it really helps that he loves to be in his car seat! His eyes get wide and he clasps his little hands almost like saying, “Hey, I’m ready when you are!”
Well, it’s time to make more bottles! We’ll keep you updated! Have a nice weekend.
Wednesday, June 04, 2003
Jack is three months old tomorrow! Happy Birthday Jack!
We are starting to adjust to no sleep. Jack is having problems with Reflux. It’s like heartburn. He is very uncomfortable for him and will only settle once he is being held upright. We saw his pediatrician this week and she increased his dosage of Zantac. She said he’s probably just outgrown the old dosage. He seems a little better in the last day or so, but we can still see that it hurts him at times.
He’s getting better and better at taking his food by bottle. He’s taking over half now, which is much better! We think he’ll get rid of that feeding tube pretty darn soon! The feeding team at Hershey Med said that each week he should be taking about 10 percent more by the bottle. We’ve been charting his feedings and it looks like he is right where they would like him to be.
We love having him home! Our little Jack, home at last! And, no more trips to the hospital. However, we do miss the staff – we were told if we ever had any questions about Jack we could call them. This is great because there “open” 24 hours a day. So far we’ve only called them twice. It’s still nice to know that there’s always help or advice available.
We can’t believe it’s been a week already. All the days are sort of running together, but that’s what we (happily) expected : )
We are starting to adjust to no sleep. Jack is having problems with Reflux. It’s like heartburn. He is very uncomfortable for him and will only settle once he is being held upright. We saw his pediatrician this week and she increased his dosage of Zantac. She said he’s probably just outgrown the old dosage. He seems a little better in the last day or so, but we can still see that it hurts him at times.
He’s getting better and better at taking his food by bottle. He’s taking over half now, which is much better! We think he’ll get rid of that feeding tube pretty darn soon! The feeding team at Hershey Med said that each week he should be taking about 10 percent more by the bottle. We’ve been charting his feedings and it looks like he is right where they would like him to be.
We love having him home! Our little Jack, home at last! And, no more trips to the hospital. However, we do miss the staff – we were told if we ever had any questions about Jack we could call them. This is great because there “open” 24 hours a day. So far we’ve only called them twice. It’s still nice to know that there’s always help or advice available.
We can’t believe it’s been a week already. All the days are sort of running together, but that’s what we (happily) expected : )
Saturday, May 31, 2003
Hello everybody! Jack’s continuing to do very well. Last night he slept very well, thus we slept well too. Only a few times did Jack wake up crying, but it didn’t take much to get him to go back to sleep. Not a single alarm went off either. That’s because when the monitor man brought the new monitor (because the memory was full from all the false alarms) , he also showed us how to use the belt instead of the sticky leads. They just were not cutting it. Now the belt holds the leads in place and they have a harder time falling off. It also makes it much simpler to remove the monitor for the occasional bath.
The visiting nurse came by today as well. She gave Jack a checkup and everything was just fine. In fact, she said Jack is doing very well. He was put on a sat monitor and that showed that Jack was at 100%. We also changed his feeding tube while she was here. We still strongly dislike doing this and Jack doesn’t really have a different opinion about it, but the nurse gave us a few pointers that help. We are getting all sorts of helpful hints from so many people, that we are becoming the experts.
He was also weighed and is 6lbs 2oz. We think the pediatrician’s scale was a bit wacky on Thursday.
Jack got another bath today. He still doesn’t really know how to feel about it but he is beginning to not be so shocked when his little butt hits the water. He’s starting to let himself enjoy it. One thing he defiantly likes to do in the tub is peeing.
The visiting nurse came by today as well. She gave Jack a checkup and everything was just fine. In fact, she said Jack is doing very well. He was put on a sat monitor and that showed that Jack was at 100%. We also changed his feeding tube while she was here. We still strongly dislike doing this and Jack doesn’t really have a different opinion about it, but the nurse gave us a few pointers that help. We are getting all sorts of helpful hints from so many people, that we are becoming the experts.
He was also weighed and is 6lbs 2oz. We think the pediatrician’s scale was a bit wacky on Thursday.
Jack got another bath today. He still doesn’t really know how to feel about it but he is beginning to not be so shocked when his little butt hits the water. He’s starting to let himself enjoy it. One thing he defiantly likes to do in the tub is peeing.
Friday, May 30, 2003
Good morning everyone! Jack is doing great. He’s adapting just fine to his new surroundings. Yesterday we had him to his pediatrician (she was the one who worked so hard to get Jack intubated and breathing right after he was born) and she was amazed at how far he’s come. He weighs 6lbs, 6oz! It will be strange for us not to get a daily weight on Jack anymore. Some time soon, a visiting nurse will come see Jack here at home and help us if we have any questions.
Jack had a bath last night in his own little tub. He seemed to enjoy himself! We have been snapping all kinds of pictures, so some time soon (if Jack lets us) we will add his new pictures.
Jack is on a 4 hour feeding schedule – this has made life a little interesting for us! We take turns doing the 2am and 6am care sessions and catching sleep when we can. Right now we are spending all of our time on the first floor. It’s working out well for us. Jack is in his bassinet and we can be right next to him sleeping on the sofa and the kitchen is near for when he needs a bottle!
Jack’s apnea monitor is driving us a little crazy! It’s very sensitive and goes off a lot when Jack is sleeping because he tends to breathe shallow when he’s resting. It also alarms if either of the leads come off or slide around. The alarm is loud and piercing and won’t stop until the problem is fixed. We realize that this is a good feature in a real emergency, but false alarms at 3am at the exact moment when everyone falls asleep is driving us nuts. It’s definitely a necessary evil though.
It’s still a little hard to believe he’s actually home! It’s so wonderful to finally have him here. Thanks everyone for your thoughts of us in the last few days. We appreciate it!
Jack had a bath last night in his own little tub. He seemed to enjoy himself! We have been snapping all kinds of pictures, so some time soon (if Jack lets us) we will add his new pictures.
Jack is on a 4 hour feeding schedule – this has made life a little interesting for us! We take turns doing the 2am and 6am care sessions and catching sleep when we can. Right now we are spending all of our time on the first floor. It’s working out well for us. Jack is in his bassinet and we can be right next to him sleeping on the sofa and the kitchen is near for when he needs a bottle!
Jack’s apnea monitor is driving us a little crazy! It’s very sensitive and goes off a lot when Jack is sleeping because he tends to breathe shallow when he’s resting. It also alarms if either of the leads come off or slide around. The alarm is loud and piercing and won’t stop until the problem is fixed. We realize that this is a good feature in a real emergency, but false alarms at 3am at the exact moment when everyone falls asleep is driving us nuts. It’s definitely a necessary evil though.
It’s still a little hard to believe he’s actually home! It’s so wonderful to finally have him here. Thanks everyone for your thoughts of us in the last few days. We appreciate it!
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Day 84
Day 84
Jack is home! This is the first time that we are updating the website with Jack in clear site. It seems odd because we’re so used to coming home from the NICU and going straight to the computer. This is a totally different routine. Better get used to it, right?
Jack is resting very comfortably in his favorite position, on his belly on his mommy’s chest. He absolutely loves that. If he is crying and if you hold him close, he stops.
Wow! Getting Jack ready to come home and actually bringing him home was extremely stressful. The day didn’t really start off that stress-free either. When we tried to pick up Jack’s prescriptions, the pharmacy informed us that they lost the prescriptions and to top it off, they didn’t even bother to call. AHHH! We have that all straightened out now though.
We really didn’t waste any time at the hospital getting Jack and his things all packed up. We said our goodbyes, signed some papers and off we went. We took his stroller to the NICU, which is really nice because his car seat/carrier clicks right into it. We need that with everything we have to carry. It really is a big job to get Jack’s monitor and oxygen coordinated so that you don’t trip over the cords. And then to get everything into the car is an ordeal. The drive home was a bit stressful as well, but it went quick.
So now Jack is home and he is completely under our care. We were skeptical about whether we were up for the task, but now that he is here we feel more than ready. Of course there will be some difficult times. There will be a lot of appointments, a tight schedule to maintain, and all along with the regular duties of daily life. But, now that Jack is home, we are so happy that none of that matters now.
Jack is home! This is the first time that we are updating the website with Jack in clear site. It seems odd because we’re so used to coming home from the NICU and going straight to the computer. This is a totally different routine. Better get used to it, right?
Jack is resting very comfortably in his favorite position, on his belly on his mommy’s chest. He absolutely loves that. If he is crying and if you hold him close, he stops.
Wow! Getting Jack ready to come home and actually bringing him home was extremely stressful. The day didn’t really start off that stress-free either. When we tried to pick up Jack’s prescriptions, the pharmacy informed us that they lost the prescriptions and to top it off, they didn’t even bother to call. AHHH! We have that all straightened out now though.
We really didn’t waste any time at the hospital getting Jack and his things all packed up. We said our goodbyes, signed some papers and off we went. We took his stroller to the NICU, which is really nice because his car seat/carrier clicks right into it. We need that with everything we have to carry. It really is a big job to get Jack’s monitor and oxygen coordinated so that you don’t trip over the cords. And then to get everything into the car is an ordeal. The drive home was a bit stressful as well, but it went quick.
So now Jack is home and he is completely under our care. We were skeptical about whether we were up for the task, but now that he is here we feel more than ready. Of course there will be some difficult times. There will be a lot of appointments, a tight schedule to maintain, and all along with the regular duties of daily life. But, now that Jack is home, we are so happy that none of that matters now.
Tuesday, May 27, 2003
Day 83
Day 83
Wow, it’s almost here! We can hardly believe it…Jack’s day has finally come! Today was our last visit to the NICU, tomorrow we’re taking our little guy home.
We are looking forward to spending hours and hours spending time together as a little family! We will keep you updated on how he’s doing in his new surroundings.
Wow, it’s almost here! We can hardly believe it…Jack’s day has finally come! Today was our last visit to the NICU, tomorrow we’re taking our little guy home.
We are looking forward to spending hours and hours spending time together as a little family! We will keep you updated on how he’s doing in his new surroundings.
Monday, May 26, 2003
Day 82
Day 82
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
We had a very busy day today…we cleaned the entire house today top to bottom and got all last minute items in place, so now all we really need is for Jack to come home! We are starting to get so excited, it’s really time!
In a way, we’ll miss the NICU. We’ve become close with some of the other parents and NICU staff. It will be strange not hopping in the car and heading to the hospital. Of course we won’t miss it too much!!
Jack is really trying to finish his bottles! He’s getting better each day so we don’t think he’ll have to have the NG tube very long. The (not-so-little-anymore) guy is up to 5lbs, 12.8oz! He may even reach 6lbs before we take him home. WOW!
We visited Jack this evening and packed up most of his things. We told him it’s soon time to go! He just gave us wide eyes and half a grin. It will be so great to have him home at last.
Happy Memorial Day everyone!
We had a very busy day today…we cleaned the entire house today top to bottom and got all last minute items in place, so now all we really need is for Jack to come home! We are starting to get so excited, it’s really time!
In a way, we’ll miss the NICU. We’ve become close with some of the other parents and NICU staff. It will be strange not hopping in the car and heading to the hospital. Of course we won’t miss it too much!!
Jack is really trying to finish his bottles! He’s getting better each day so we don’t think he’ll have to have the NG tube very long. The (not-so-little-anymore) guy is up to 5lbs, 12.8oz! He may even reach 6lbs before we take him home. WOW!
We visited Jack this evening and packed up most of his things. We told him it’s soon time to go! He just gave us wide eyes and half a grin. It will be so great to have him home at last.
Sunday, May 25, 2003
Day 81
Day 81
Jack passed his car seat test! Good boy Jack! He also did very well rooming in with us last night.
At first it was strangely quiet. We could actually hear Jack breathing from across the room! The NICU is a very busy and noisy place so it was nice to relax in our PJ’s in a private room with our little guy! He didn’t fuss much at all, although at least one of us was tending to him each minute of the night!
He definitely lets us know when it’s time to eat! He either cries or just stares at us while sucking on his hands or arms or clothing or pacifier…it’s the cutest thing. He took about half of all of his feedings by bottle last night. He’s also got a new feeding schedule. He’s getting right under 2oz (56ccs) every 4 hours. He was used to smaller amounts every three hours. He did well for his first trial run on the new schedule. We are getting better and better at feeding him with the tube. It’s really not that big of a deal. Like most things you just want to make sure you have everything you need right next to you before you start! Either that or pick up an extra pair of hands somewhere…
His monitor alarm did go off a few times last night. They were all false alarms. The apnea alarm is very sensitive and won’t always pick up shallow breathing. There’s also an alarm if either of the leads falls off or gets loose so we discovered that as well. And this thing is so loud it could probably wake our next door neighbors! So it does its job, and that’s exactly what we want it to do!
All in all, it’s a great idea to room in before coming home. We feel much more comfortable caring for Jack now. It’s not as scary as we thought it would be. So after nearly three months, home is only days away. It will be the happiest day of our lives
Jack passed his car seat test! Good boy Jack! He also did very well rooming in with us last night.
At first it was strangely quiet. We could actually hear Jack breathing from across the room! The NICU is a very busy and noisy place so it was nice to relax in our PJ’s in a private room with our little guy! He didn’t fuss much at all, although at least one of us was tending to him each minute of the night!
He definitely lets us know when it’s time to eat! He either cries or just stares at us while sucking on his hands or arms or clothing or pacifier…it’s the cutest thing. He took about half of all of his feedings by bottle last night. He’s also got a new feeding schedule. He’s getting right under 2oz (56ccs) every 4 hours. He was used to smaller amounts every three hours. He did well for his first trial run on the new schedule. We are getting better and better at feeding him with the tube. It’s really not that big of a deal. Like most things you just want to make sure you have everything you need right next to you before you start! Either that or pick up an extra pair of hands somewhere…
His monitor alarm did go off a few times last night. They were all false alarms. The apnea alarm is very sensitive and won’t always pick up shallow breathing. There’s also an alarm if either of the leads falls off or gets loose so we discovered that as well. And this thing is so loud it could probably wake our next door neighbors! So it does its job, and that’s exactly what we want it to do!
All in all, it’s a great idea to room in before coming home. We feel much more comfortable caring for Jack now. It’s not as scary as we thought it would be. So after nearly three months, home is only days away. It will be the happiest day of our lives
Friday, May 23, 2003
Day 79
Day 79
We had a very busy day with Jack today. We met with the company that supplies the oxygen and monitors. The representative gave us training on both. It felt a little overwhelming at the time, but now that we practiced everything a few times it isn’t so bad.
Jack had his official baby picture taken today. He was a very good boy and even opened his eyes for the camera! We can’t wait to see them – though it may be a few weeks.
We are preparing even more at home. We have a drawer for all of Jack’s medical supplies like feeding tubes, oxygen tubes, tape, stethoscope, and some other things. Even though we never pictured those items would be a part of our lives, it feels better now that we’re all ready to go.
Tomorrow night we are rooming in at the hospital. We are VERY excited for this. It’s kind of a practice run of how it’ll be to care for Jack all by ourselves. We will let you know how it went on Sunday! Wish us luck!
We had a very busy day with Jack today. We met with the company that supplies the oxygen and monitors. The representative gave us training on both. It felt a little overwhelming at the time, but now that we practiced everything a few times it isn’t so bad.
Jack had his official baby picture taken today. He was a very good boy and even opened his eyes for the camera! We can’t wait to see them – though it may be a few weeks.
We are preparing even more at home. We have a drawer for all of Jack’s medical supplies like feeding tubes, oxygen tubes, tape, stethoscope, and some other things. Even though we never pictured those items would be a part of our lives, it feels better now that we’re all ready to go.
Tomorrow night we are rooming in at the hospital. We are VERY excited for this. It’s kind of a practice run of how it’ll be to care for Jack all by ourselves. We will let you know how it went on Sunday! Wish us luck!
Thursday, May 22, 2003
Day 78
Day 78
We heard great news today. Jack is scheduled to come home this coming Wednesday! He weighs 5lbs 8oz already, which is more than enough weight. He still has not mastered eating completely from a bottle, so we have to learn how to place his feeding tube. He will have to continue to be fed at least partially through the tube at home. Hopefully he will get better at eating this week so he can get rid of the tube, but right now it looks like that won’t be the case. Placing the feeding tube sounds a lot scarier than what it actually is. We both placed it today and did just fine. When he is at home he’ll only have to have it changed once a week, unless of course he manages to pull it out or dislodge it himself.
He’ll also be coming home on oxygen. Although we were hoping that Jack wouldn’t need it, it’s not really a shock for us. In addition to his oxygen, he’ll also come home on an apnea monitor. This is actually a relief for us because it provides a small sense of security.
Tomorrow we will get our monitor & oxygen training and Jack will also have his car seat test. It is a big learning day for all of us. And, he’ll also get his official hospital picture taken. Say cheese Jack!
We heard great news today. Jack is scheduled to come home this coming Wednesday! He weighs 5lbs 8oz already, which is more than enough weight. He still has not mastered eating completely from a bottle, so we have to learn how to place his feeding tube. He will have to continue to be fed at least partially through the tube at home. Hopefully he will get better at eating this week so he can get rid of the tube, but right now it looks like that won’t be the case. Placing the feeding tube sounds a lot scarier than what it actually is. We both placed it today and did just fine. When he is at home he’ll only have to have it changed once a week, unless of course he manages to pull it out or dislodge it himself.
He’ll also be coming home on oxygen. Although we were hoping that Jack wouldn’t need it, it’s not really a shock for us. In addition to his oxygen, he’ll also come home on an apnea monitor. This is actually a relief for us because it provides a small sense of security.
Tomorrow we will get our monitor & oxygen training and Jack will also have his car seat test. It is a big learning day for all of us. And, he’ll also get his official hospital picture taken. Say cheese Jack!
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
Day 77
Day 77
Jack is still working on his bottle skills! He has taken more today than yesterday so he’s improving. He’ll be home in no time! He’s up to 5lbs 5.9 oz. All of his nurses can’t believe how big he is especially because they don’t see him every day so it’s neat to hear.
He had another head ultrasound this week and it shows that his shunt is really working well. He’ll be seeing his neurologist every so often to track his progress. It’s good to know that his shunt is doing its job.
Tonight we put together Jack’s stroller, after that we only have his high chair to assemble! We are so happy with everything and can’t wait for Jack to use it all.
Jack is still working on his bottle skills! He has taken more today than yesterday so he’s improving. He’ll be home in no time! He’s up to 5lbs 5.9 oz. All of his nurses can’t believe how big he is especially because they don’t see him every day so it’s neat to hear.
He had another head ultrasound this week and it shows that his shunt is really working well. He’ll be seeing his neurologist every so often to track his progress. It’s good to know that his shunt is doing its job.
Tonight we put together Jack’s stroller, after that we only have his high chair to assemble! We are so happy with everything and can’t wait for Jack to use it all.
Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Day 76
Day 76
Jack is doing great! He is up to 40ccs of food every three hours and he’s up to 5lbs, 4.7oz! He’s such a big boy now! One of Jack’s neighbors is going home on Friday. We will miss him and his parents and we wish them the best! Soon it will be Jack’s turn.
Mommy spends her days taking care of Jack, feeding, bathing, changing and holding him. Dad comes every evening and does the same. We keep picturing Jack at home in his own bed, his own bathtub and his own rocker. It will be very soon. We won’t know which day for sure until two or three days before they plan on discharging him.
He still isn’t taking all of his feedings by the bottle. He’s getting better each day, and one of our favorite nurses says it will just click one day and Jack will finally get it. He’s such a trooper! He’s been through an awful lot at his young age, but we know this will only shape him into a strong-willed and secure person!
Jack is doing great! He is up to 40ccs of food every three hours and he’s up to 5lbs, 4.7oz! He’s such a big boy now! One of Jack’s neighbors is going home on Friday. We will miss him and his parents and we wish them the best! Soon it will be Jack’s turn.
Mommy spends her days taking care of Jack, feeding, bathing, changing and holding him. Dad comes every evening and does the same. We keep picturing Jack at home in his own bed, his own bathtub and his own rocker. It will be very soon. We won’t know which day for sure until two or three days before they plan on discharging him.
He still isn’t taking all of his feedings by the bottle. He’s getting better each day, and one of our favorite nurses says it will just click one day and Jack will finally get it. He’s such a trooper! He’s been through an awful lot at his young age, but we know this will only shape him into a strong-willed and secure person!
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