end of November catch-up

Well, I've been busy this week but apparently Dad has been as well and didn't get around to uploading my pictures till today which is why I've been holding off posting until now (since who wants to read boring old text with no pictures?).  So now I've got a few days to catch up on.

Monday, Nov 28

Up to 4 lb. 1 oz. - now that I've broken the 4 pound barrier I'm not turning back!

Mom and Dad came to visit in the morning, which is generally when I'm the most awake.  So that was a nice change - got to actually visit while I was alert instead of our usual drill, where I half-wake-up to say hi and then fall right back asleep.  In fact, I was already awake and looking around when they showed up:

They took advantage of my alertness to try bottle feeding me again, and I did pretty well - took just about my whole bottle!

So that was nice - I'm really enjoying getting the chance to taste my food!  Unfortunately, the day went downhill from there, with the eye doctor coming in the afternoon, which meant I had to have my eyes dilated, which is NOT fun in the first place, then they come and check your eyes which is equally unamusing.

In fact, the whole eye doctor process stressed me out so much that even though I've been breathing perfectly fine on my own the past couple days, I kept desating afterwards until they put me back on nasal cannula.  Not that I'm complaining about having the extra help breathing, but I was feeling pretty independent until the stupid eye doctor had to set me back.  Look at these eyes, isn't it pretty obvious there's nothing wrong with them other than their striking beauty?

I know, right?  Anyway, I think this next one sums up my feelings about the eye exam:

In fact, Mom came back later in the day to try breastfeeding me but I was still so distraught (and still desating so often) that they didn't want to take me out of my incubator.  So in summary, a day that started auspiciously but ended on a down note.

Tuesday, Nov 29

Up to 4 lb. 3 oz, another 2 oz. since Monday!

Mom and Dad came in the morning again, and though they were a little disappointed I had had to go back on the NC, they were glad I had stabilized and was doing well again.  I was even able to wave when they showed up!

Unlike the night before, Mom was able to take me out to try feeding me this time after I woke up a bit.

 

Since I had done bottle feeding yesterday, this time she tried breastfeeding me.

I know my life experience thus far is limited to what happens in the NICU, but I get what everyone says about people being in too much of a rush and not stopping to smell the roses - I was taking a long time to get started eating, just enjoying being held, no rush, right?  And then they said since I had been there 15 minutes (!) I must not be interested in eating, so Mom should put me back and try breastfeeding Ben instead.  Well, you can imagine I wanted no part of that plan, so that was my cue to actually start eating.  I did pretty well, took about 20 ml (more than half my scheduled feeding) there, but really would it have been a crime to just let me sit with Mom a little more without everything having to be about "you have to eat at this time, do this at that time, etc."?  I swear, if it's not some complaint about how fast I'm eating it's about not beating my heart enough, or not taking breaths, or some other trivial thing - this place is so demanding!  Lucky I'm a tough girl!


Wednesday, Nov 30

So after everyone being all about "keeping things on schedule" yesterday, this morning they confused the schedule and had Mom feed Ben before me instead of our usual schedule which is him being a half hour after me.  The nerve!  And haven't they ever heard of ladies first?

At any rate, by the time Mom actually sat down to give me my bottle, it was 45 minutes late and I was pretty upset.  I scarfed down the whole bottle - all 36 ml of it - superfast!

Nurse Lynda also noticed that my incubator was no longer any warmer than the room air (they've been gradually lowering the temperature in it to get me ready to come out), so she moved me to a crib!

And so far so good with the crib - Dad came by this afternoon and I had kept my temperature up nicely, and was sleeping soundly despite all the new noises now that there's not a plastic box around me all the time.

He took me out and held me for about an hour; I had a few desats and one somewhat serious brady but managed to recover with a little help from some extra oxygen (temporarily turned me up from 21% to 30%).

I think we're caught up now, hope you enjoyed hearing about my last few days.  I'll try to get Dad to do better in the future so we don't have these awkward gaps.  For now, it's off to bed for me...