Sarah gained another 15 grams last night, and is now up to 1445 grams. She was, again, a little fussy early on, but settled in around 1 or 2 a.m. and slept most of the night. She was sleeping peacefully when I came in (a little late) this morning, so I decided to let her continue resting, rather the disturbing her so we could snuggle.
And there's a possibility that Nurse Richelle may get reassigned back to Sarah. If you're reading this, Richelle, we'd love to have you back!
Sarah turned 11 weeks old yesterday (happy birthday!) and today she is 37 weeks gestation. That's full term, for those keeping score at home. If she had been born today, she wouldn't technically be considered premature, even though she wouldn't be much bigger than she is now (but would probably be a little bigger). Three more weeks until her due date!
Most of baby Sarah's furniture came yesterday, so dad will get to spend the day tomorrow putting everything together. It's good, too. I needed something to take my mind off the Patriots game, which doesn't air until Saturday night. This should be a good distraction; hopefully the day will fly by.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Thursday morning
I wanted to remind everyone that the birthmark on Sarah's little forehead will go away. People have been asking about it. Don't worry! The nurses tell us that these marks are common and always go away by the time the babies turn two, usually much sooner.
Sarah had a very rough day yesterday, poor little girl. She was doing fine all day until early afternoon, and she started having some minor troubles breathing. Dr. Banks ordered an x-ray, which showed that Sarah had a little cloudiness in one of her lungs. This is VERY COMMON among preemies, so please, stop worrying before you start. When her little tummy gets full, some of the milk comes back up and goes into the lungs. They have started an IV to continue to give her nutrition, and stopped feeding her through the tube. But, she still gained 20 grams last night, and is up to 1430 grams. They also stopped bottle-feeding her, but she may start nippling again today or tomorrow, if everything goes well.
Sarah has switched back from the nasal cannula to the vapotherm machine, but it should be very temporary. She should be off the vapotherm within a day or so. She is also on some antibiotics just to be safe.
After her rough day yesterday, Sarah had a great night, with no alarms, bradys, or apnias. She was a little fuzzy early on, but settled down and slept peacefully from about 1 a.m. on. Her feedings resumed through the feeding tube at 10 mL at 2 a.m., which Sarah was happy to accept.
Nurse Richelle (not Rochelle as I previously misspelled it) has been assigned as the primary nurse on another tiny baby, which means she won't get Sarah anymore. That makes Sarah sad, because Richelle took such good care of Sarah when she had her broken leg. But the other baby needs Richelle's expertise more than Sarah does, which, in the grand scheme, is a good thing!
Sarah had a very rough day yesterday, poor little girl. She was doing fine all day until early afternoon, and she started having some minor troubles breathing. Dr. Banks ordered an x-ray, which showed that Sarah had a little cloudiness in one of her lungs. This is VERY COMMON among preemies, so please, stop worrying before you start. When her little tummy gets full, some of the milk comes back up and goes into the lungs. They have started an IV to continue to give her nutrition, and stopped feeding her through the tube. But, she still gained 20 grams last night, and is up to 1430 grams. They also stopped bottle-feeding her, but she may start nippling again today or tomorrow, if everything goes well.
Sarah has switched back from the nasal cannula to the vapotherm machine, but it should be very temporary. She should be off the vapotherm within a day or so. She is also on some antibiotics just to be safe.
After her rough day yesterday, Sarah had a great night, with no alarms, bradys, or apnias. She was a little fuzzy early on, but settled down and slept peacefully from about 1 a.m. on. Her feedings resumed through the feeding tube at 10 mL at 2 a.m., which Sarah was happy to accept.
Nurse Richelle (not Rochelle as I previously misspelled it) has been assigned as the primary nurse on another tiny baby, which means she won't get Sarah anymore. That makes Sarah sad, because Richelle took such good care of Sarah when she had her broken leg. But the other baby needs Richelle's expertise more than Sarah does, which, in the grand scheme, is a good thing!
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Wednesday morning
Sarah maintained her weight last night at 1410 grams. I can only hope that I maintained my weight after last night's dinner!
Big news over the weekend, Sarah is now taking a full ounce over one hour at each feeding. It seems like so much milk, when she started at just one or two mL at a time. But it's just two tablespoons!
Sarah was wide awake this morning when I got in, and she stayed awake most of the time I was holding her. After about twenty minutes she started to get fussy, and she was in need of a diaper change. They keep saying that she's going to be so easy to potty train, but who do I complain to if she isn't?
Big news over the weekend, Sarah is now taking a full ounce over one hour at each feeding. It seems like so much milk, when she started at just one or two mL at a time. But it's just two tablespoons!
Sarah was wide awake this morning when I got in, and she stayed awake most of the time I was holding her. After about twenty minutes she started to get fussy, and she was in need of a diaper change. They keep saying that she's going to be so easy to potty train, but who do I complain to if she isn't?
Monday, December 24, 2007
Another inspiring story (just in time for Christmas!)
From Grandma, not from Castine:
Erika gave me permission to share this story. My dear friend, Danielle, wrote about her daughter, Erryn, and new granddaughter, in her Christmas letter. It is amazingly similar to Sarah's story. I have been trying to say how I feel since Sarah was born, but have never found the words. Danielle is so poetic and eloquent in her writing. I am sharing her story with everyone involved in Sarah's life in an effort to say how deeply moved I am, not just by Sarah, but especially by Roger and Erika, and everyone caring (and praying) for them.
These are parts of Danielle's note:
On September 11th, at 28 weeks, 2 days, Erryn had a beautiful baby girl.. very small (19 ounces, 11 3/4 inch). There have been few moments of elation quite like hers. And a new journey began. Miss Winnifred Mae was named for her two grandmothers, and nicknamed Mini Winnie. For 87 days, my darling girl sat with her, reading to her, taking notes, reading and tabbing her huge book on Preemies. I would sit, knit and watch, all the time wondering about the outcome. Winnie is a fighter. Never has so large a persona been asked to inhabit such a small suit. But she did. Through pneumonia, and having a fragile leg broken, heart rate drops, apnea and transfusions, Winnie perservered. She was the darling of the NICU with nurses battling to care for her, and equally loving her ever-vigilant mother. This story is one of the tireless mother who stands bedside with a sick child and wills them to live. During the roughest of times I would watch Erryn stroke the tiny head of her daughter and say, "Be strong, Winnie, it's not forever, it's just for now." .... Miracles do happen.
"A child was born; a child lived and will thrive, a simple story. But, for all of us, it was filled with angels and heroic gestures so small as to nearly be missed except with the vision of a waiting heart. There is no love greater than that of a mother; a hero quite as grand as a doctor and a nurse; a father whose love builds a support. And I think it sounds like the first Christmas... at least for me." Danielle
And may I say, my feelings exactly! Thank you for taking a moment to allow me to say how deeply moved I am by Erika and Roger's courage and strength, for the flawless symphony of care performed by the NICU staff, and for the unending prayers of family and friends.
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and Happy New Year to all!
Grandma Carol
Erika gave me permission to share this story. My dear friend, Danielle, wrote about her daughter, Erryn, and new granddaughter, in her Christmas letter. It is amazingly similar to Sarah's story. I have been trying to say how I feel since Sarah was born, but have never found the words. Danielle is so poetic and eloquent in her writing. I am sharing her story with everyone involved in Sarah's life in an effort to say how deeply moved I am, not just by Sarah, but especially by Roger and Erika, and everyone caring (and praying) for them.
These are parts of Danielle's note:
On September 11th, at 28 weeks, 2 days, Erryn had a beautiful baby girl.. very small (19 ounces, 11 3/4 inch). There have been few moments of elation quite like hers. And a new journey began. Miss Winnifred Mae was named for her two grandmothers, and nicknamed Mini Winnie. For 87 days, my darling girl sat with her, reading to her, taking notes, reading and tabbing her huge book on Preemies. I would sit, knit and watch, all the time wondering about the outcome. Winnie is a fighter. Never has so large a persona been asked to inhabit such a small suit. But she did. Through pneumonia, and having a fragile leg broken, heart rate drops, apnea and transfusions, Winnie perservered. She was the darling of the NICU with nurses battling to care for her, and equally loving her ever-vigilant mother. This story is one of the tireless mother who stands bedside with a sick child and wills them to live. During the roughest of times I would watch Erryn stroke the tiny head of her daughter and say, "Be strong, Winnie, it's not forever, it's just for now." .... Miracles do happen.
"A child was born; a child lived and will thrive, a simple story. But, for all of us, it was filled with angels and heroic gestures so small as to nearly be missed except with the vision of a waiting heart. There is no love greater than that of a mother; a hero quite as grand as a doctor and a nurse; a father whose love builds a support. And I think it sounds like the first Christmas... at least for me." Danielle
And may I say, my feelings exactly! Thank you for taking a moment to allow me to say how deeply moved I am by Erika and Roger's courage and strength, for the flawless symphony of care performed by the NICU staff, and for the unending prayers of family and friends.
Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and Happy New Year to all!
Grandma Carol
Monday Morning Report
Well, Sarah had a very busy weekend. She weighed in last night at 1380 grams, nearly 3 lbs 1 ounce! Whatever it is they they are putting in her milk to add calories, it's working! I finally felt well enough (and comfortable that I wouldn't give my cold to anyone else) on Saturday. It had been 5 days since I had seen my sweet baby girl and she was a completely different baby. She was so big, I hardly recognized her! I couldn't put her down all weekend. And she is getting so big that we are much more comfortable handling her alone, which is a good thing cuz I think she is gonna be home in no time. Sarah is up to taking 2 bottles a day and while not yet eating the entire amount in the bottle, she is still gaining good suck/swallow/breathe skills.
We want to wish everyone out there who isn't Jewish, (which is many) a Merry Christmas.
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