Thursday, December 31, 2009

Adios 2009






Happy New Year's Eve everyone. Jack is still doing well, he is still gaining weight and kicking back in his isolette. He gained 20 grams yesterday now up to 1330 or 2 lbs 15 oz. We are hoping that he can gain that extra ounce today and start the New Year at 3 lbs. His eyes were kind of funky again. They had some crustiness near the corners and he had some trouble opening one eye because of it. They are going to give him some eye drops and watch it for the next few days, but the doctor said his eyeballs looked fine. He also had another big poo blow out this morning and he's been moved up a diaper size. They are slightly big on him but the smaller size is just not enough.

Mary did some more kangaroo time with Jack. He made it about 55 minutes and was nice and comfy. He does get a little too comfy and has some bradycardia episodes, but pulls himself back up. So long people for 2009, can't wait to give you the first update of 2010.

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

30 weeks.





Hello everyone interested. Jack, had he stayed inside Mary, would have been 30 weeks along today. He gained about 20 grams yesterday, he's up to 1210. Still considered 2 lbs 14 oz, but still gaining the weight. Mary talked to his doctor and she said that the blood/fluid around his ventricles and brain had stabilized and was decreasing. We were so relieved to hear that news. It was like a weight that had been riding around on us for 2 to 3 weeks, now it's gone. That's not to say that everything is going to be smooth from here on out, but it's one less thing to worry about.

Mary did some kangaroo time this afternoon. He did pretty good for the most part, but as usual he got a little figgety and wanted to go back to bed about 30-40 minutes into it. After that he seemed to have a very good day just relaxing and eating his food. He got a couple visits from Aunt Bev and Cousin's Wife Lori.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

50 grams and a massive blow out!!






Jack is 3 weeks and 3 days old (29 weeks 6 days gestational age). He gained 50 grams yesterday weighing in today at 2 lbs 14 oz (1290 g). We were quite happy that he continues to gain the pounds, errr ounces. He got an entire new isolette complete with a Thomas the Train cover, I'm sure he was thrilled. The doctor came in and told us that all was going well, still keeping an eye on his head to make sure nothing develops and that all liquid/blood drains. They gave him another ultra-sound, but we won't have any results on that until tomorrow. But, the doctor did use the word "fantastic" when describing his progress. He is still high risk being so small and susceptible to everything.

I got to do some kangaroo time today. Jack did very well and tolerated it without incident for at least 30 minutes. He also got to wear his big hat that Mary crocheted for him. He also still loves to pull on my chest hair, ouch! During the last care time we were at, Jack started crying/screaming and his heart rate jumped (actually I came in just after this all went down). Evidently he had a huge poo blowout that destroyed all his bedding. After 3 diaper changes and some new bedding he was nice and calm.

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Monday, December 28, 2009

Getting Stronger






Jack had another great day. He keeps eating his food and gaining his weight. Today he was up to 2 lbs 12 oz (1270 g). He has been pretty good about remembering to breath. He has an occasional episode, but brings himself back fairly quickly. It's nice when we go in we get to see him developing a personality. He opens his eyes and looks around more ofter, and is still very squirmy during his care times. The doctors reduced his oxygen flow to 4 lpm down from 5. That means he is doing more breathing for himself.

Mary got to do some kangaroo time this afternoon. He was very good for the most part of it. He seems to be tolerating his time out of his isolette better each day. Jack got to put on the hat that Mary crocheted him. It looks very handsome on him, it might be slightly big though. We are hoping that this positive trend continues, hoping he can make it to 3 lbs by the end of the week.

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Sunday, December 27, 2009

1200 Grams






Jack is still doing well. The overnight nurse said he had a few bradycardia episodes, but he brought himself back each time without being stimulated. Today he weighed in at 2 lbs 10 oz (1200 g). We're very glad that he is continuing to gain weight and get healthy. The doctors again increased his feeding up to 25 ml, and he is digesting all the food he gets.

I got to do some kangaroo care for about 40 minutes at his 11:30 care time. He did very well. Mary found it rather amusing that he spent the first few minutes grabbing and pulling my chest hair. After a while he started getting squirmy and grumpy so we put him back in his isolette to rest up. He also got a visit from Grandma Patti, Grandpa Dennis, Aunt DeAnna and Uncle John. At Jack's last care time he got three diaper changes. As soon as Mary or I changed one he pooped it was quite funny.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

3 Weeks Old

Jack has had a very nice string of good days now. Today he weighed in at 2 lbs 9 oz (1170 g) it was a nice increase from yesterday's weight. He is still breathing on his own, but all his oxygen is coming through a Vapotherm machine that heats and adds a little moisture to his air. He had a couple bradycardia episodes today, but he recovered from them all on his own. The nurses say when he does that there is good chance that he is trying to poop.

When Mary went in for his care time this morning he had wiggled free of all his bedding and was laying all sprawled out in his isolette. He also had a couple times when he tried to pull his feeding tube out. He is continuing to develop his own personality and we love that he is slowly filling out and getting better. Sorry I didn't get any new pictures today, but promise I will take a few tomorrow.

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Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas to all.....






This was obviously Jack's first Christmas. Sadly he didn't get to spend it opening presents or watching them being opened. He did, however, receive many wonderful gifts from friends and family. He will get to see them when he comes home. Jack did well overnight. Well enough that they took him off of the CPAP machine and he is now on high flow oxygen through a nasal canula. The doctors increased his feeding again, now up to 23 ml of fortified milk. It must be paying off because he gained another 10 g overnight (now 2 lbs 7 oz). He still doesn't care much for laying on his back, but he is starting to tolerate it more which is good because we don't want him to have what the nurses call toaster head (a skinny narrow head from only laying on the sides of his head).

Mary got to do about another 30 minutes of kangaroo time before I sang some silly Christmas song, made Mary laugh and startle Jack. So he went back inside his isolette to sleep. Also, this fortified milk is making Jack have big smelly poops. We are happy with, as the doctor put it, slow and steady improvement.

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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve






Another day and Jack is making slow but steady progress. Yesterday he gained 50 grams, he now weighs 1120 g, 2 lbs 7 oz. He's had a few bradycardia episodes, most of them around his care times. He recovers from a majority of on his own. Again they have increased his feeding amounts. He is up from 19ml to 21ml of the fortified milk. Since he isn't getting IV fluids they also removed Jack's PICC line. He also had his oxygen pressure on his CPAP lowered. They are thinking about moving him over to a nasal canula with low flow oxygen.

He is still feisty as ever and we think he is getting stronger. We also took a trip up to Cousin Penny's house for Christmas Eve dinner. It was delicious! We are staying the night at the trailer, watching classic Christmas movies.

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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Just a Little Tired



The weight that Jack gained the day before has gone back down. He is still considered 2 lbs 6 oz, but went from 1090 g down to 1070 g. The doctor upped his feeding from 15 ml to 19 ml of Mary's fortified milk (fortified with a few extra calories to help with weight). Jack continues to be more and more of a wiggle worm during his care times. He really does not like his diaper to be changed. He kicks and swings his arms, but we always seem to prevail. We had a talk with the doctor after his head ultrasound today. He said that some of the blood near his brain (IHV) had drained and that his head circumference has stayed good. We breathed a sigh of relief with that, but they still needed to keep an eye on it week to week.

Mary tried to do some kangaroo time again today. After about 10 minutes of fussing and a few bradycardia episodes we had to put him back in his isolette. We think that Jack might be tired from all the activity he had the day before. With being switch over from SiPAP to CPAP and his lengthy kangaroo time it was a bit much. After that care time Jack had a very good day, without any episodes. Hope he keeps up the good work.

Not too many pics today. We tried to keep his isolette lid down for the most part to keep him warm and resting.

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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Another Good Day






Jack is now two weeks and two days old. He gained 20 grams yesterday, not enough to move him up an ounce (but close). For anybody wondering 1 gram equals 0.035 ounces, so 20 grams is about .705 ounces. Today is his first official day off of his IV fluids. He is now on Mary's milk that has been fortified with a few extra calories to help him grow faster. Mary and Jack got to do some more kangaroo care. Jack really seems to calm down and relax when he gets to lay on Mary's chest. They got to spend about an hour together, during which Mary almost fell asleep.

He has been very stable these past few days. Stable enough that they took him off of the SiPAP machine and put him on a CPAP mahcine. So now Jack is doing all the breathing for himself. During his last care time he was very active, with his eyes wide open and wiggling all around. We gave him a little drop of milk on his pacifier again and he went right at it. We also learned that some of his nurses are clamoring over who gets to care for him. What can we say, he's a popular guy.

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Monday, December 21, 2009

Status Quo






Not much new to report to the World today. Jack maintained 2 lbs 6 oz (1070 g) throughout the day. He got his first sponge bath early this morning. His nurse said he tolerated it fairly well, but we know he was probably a little fussy. His oxygen saturation has been pretty good with the SiPAP set at 21% oxygen, but that setting goes up from time to time to about 26% (we take it a little higher during his care time also). The doctors have increased his feeding to 15 ml, which he's digesting all of (no surprise us Passalaqua's know how to eat). They are taking him off of his IV nutrients and from now on will be on strictly Mary's milk.

We also learned that Jack loves his new found pacifier. The nurse put a couple drops of milk on his pacifier and in his mouth, and he went to town on that thing. I don't think he even noticed us changing his diaper! Mary also had a some down time and crocheted him a nice hat.

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