July 24, 2006

What a big day today was... Chuck called this morning to get a noon time update and word was they decided to do feed him. HUH?? Feed him?? What happened to the contrast study??
Well when I got to the NICU to see him, the story was, that surgery, after looking at him last night, thought it was a good idea to start small feeds. So at noon Aiden got his first cc of what looks like greyish watery milk stuff. It's not breast milk or regular formula. It's a formula they give babies who have belly problems to start there belly's movin. To get them ready for breast milk. They also use it to add calories to breast milk. So what they do is give him 1cc every 4 hrs. Before they give the next dose they suction back to see if he has digested it or if it is still sitting in the tummy. Round one was a noon, round two at 4 and round three and 8. All went great.. Nothing came back at all. Then at midnight was round four. When his nurse suctioned, a small amount came back, BUT he said that that was fine. That it wasn't a problem unless you see most of the cc come back or if it's green in color, and it was neither. It was about 1/10th or a cc. So the next dose went in and it's another 4 hr wait.
Aiden also had his eye exam today and it came back as premature, which is what you want to hear. You dont want to hear ROP, so that was another good thing for the day.
He is still puffy and it seems to be moving around some. His feet and legs are showing it and under his neck. He looks like he has a little double chin. His weight is now 1210 grams almost double his birth weight, but some of that is still the swolleness and fluid he is retaining.
So now it's another waiting game. Wait to see how these tiny feeds go, and wait and see if it passes through and he poops. All fingers are crossed!!
On another good note, Dr P was very pleased with his oxygen being at room air (21%) and so were the respitory nurses. They weened his settings twice today, he is now 20 over 6 with a rate of 32.. You go Aiden!! THe talk is now to switch him to CPAP if he keeps doing what he is doing. They don't want to switch him this week because he just started feeds and they don't want to overwhelm him. Also while on CPAP, babies tend to swallow more air at times and since he already has a ton of gas in his gut they don't want to add to that since the feeds just started. They need to take there time and do one thing at a time, which I agreed with.
I know CPAP is a great step, but I also know he is probably going to hate that thing on his face and so if they wait a bit longer I think that is good. I think it would be too much to have him finally off the meds, now attempting feeds and then on CPAP all in the same week.

I sit here and I'm still amazed. He has come so far. It is crazy how things can change from week to week, or in some cases day to day and hour by hour. On the flip side, since I have seen the changes happen, for the good and at times for the bad, it is also very scary.
All I know is I look at him and to me he is the strongest person in the world. He has been with us for 6 weeks and has gone through more in that time then some people go through in there entire life. I am so proud of him!! I truly believe that he has an angel looking out for him. That angel being his brother Chase. My two angels, one here to keep me grounded and one to watch over us. I send my love to you both.. Hugs and Kisses my little boys..