Saturday, August 14, 2010

Let the countdown begin!

How exciting! I am sitting in Lochlan's care-by-parent room here at the hospital typing this. We are gearing up to bring him home on Monday. Care-by-parent means we do everything - as if we're at home, and still have the support of the nurses/doctors if we need them. (They don't come in to assess him, give him meds,etc. We do it all)

How exciting! Oh wait, I already said that!

Lochlan is doing so great. He now off of his monitors following his car seat test.(He aced it!)

"Please mom, no pictures! I'm not quite sure what this thing is all about! Quite frankly, I'm a little freaked out!"

"Whoah! Hang on..."



He was sat'ing very well and he is now on .1 litre of oxygen. He was doing great on .05 litres but rather than having to adjust anything when we get home, he'll be on a set rate. Generally, they double it. Medigas, the company that will be supplying the oxygen is coming on Monday morning to set us up with the portable oxygen tank so we can take him home and be a bit mobile. Then they'll follow us when we leave to set up his permanent (at least for a few months) oxygen. Approx. every week, he'll be checked to see how he's sat'ing and if it's 100%, they'll decrease his O2 accordingly until eventually, he won't require any oxygen!

My mysterious "bed bug" bites ended up being nothing. The Infectious Disease people at the hospital sent me to see a dermatologist who basically laughed and wondered why I was even there. She said it was nothing and unspecific. NOT bedbugs! THANK GOD! At least now I can sleep in my bed without getting a little freaked out!

Guess we'll never know what it actually was.

As we gear up for Lochlan to come home, there's so much to remember. A bit overwhelming really. Lots of follow up appointments, and medications to administer. (Iron, vitamins, lasix, his 3 different puffers, and I feel like I'm missing one!) Yikes!

His potassium, caffeine, and sodium was discontinued yesterday. As was his human milk fortifier since I am now exclusively breastfeeding! woo-hoo!

He now weighs (as of yesterday) 5 pounds! (and .72 ounces!) Grow baby grow! And he's 43cm long (as of August 1st) which is 17 inches. He's too long for his preemie sleepers but the onesies still fit. Yet his newborn outfits he swims in. I bought these teeny tiny socks the other day and thought, gee I don't know if these will fit him, they look too small. Nope! They fit perfectly! I should take a picture comparing them to my socks!

I'm trying to remember if there has been anything else this week. I've been spending A LOT of time at the hospital. Thanks to Nana & Poppa, Granny & Grampa for taking great care of Abby. We're so lucky to have wonderful parents and that Abby loves spending time with them. Yesterday when I was getting ready to go back to the hospital, I said goodbye to Ab and she says "I just wanna snuggle for a minute!" So cute! How can you say no to that!! She definitely has been feeling the effects of my absence and the changes that are taking place and that are coming. She's lost a bit of her appetite and been a tad tempermental. But overall, she's adjusting really well. I pray when Lochlan comes home she will embrace it, rather than get overly jealous. We're going to try to involve her as much as possible and of course get in some just Abby and mommy time/Abby and daddy time. It will be an adjustment for all of us.

Daddy changing Lochlan's diaper for the first time!

Thank you to Mary Elaine for dropping off supper the other night. It was greatly appreciated. And ended up stretching out to a few lunches too!

I will try to blog as much as I can in the next little while. (and beyond with Lochlan's progress) But I think you'll understand if it takes a few days once we get him home.

Thank you for following my blog, and all your support and most definitely, all your prayers! They have worked! We are bringing our miracle baby home on Monday!!!!

Lochlan hanging out in his new room!

3 comments:

  1. Jen I am sooooo happy to hear Lochlan is coming home! What wonderful news! Take care!

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  2. well you can get abby involved by getting her to get the diaper the towel the powder etc. it makes them feel needed,with three kids you have to. i am happy for you both and break down with happy tears each time i read your letters.love you guys. terri might have some smaller stuff that was boys stuff i will look and see what i have that i kept back ok. mel

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  3. Sooo happy for you! And a little jealous! I feel like you guys got off easy, coming home days after us when we went in weeks before, but I honestly wouldn't wish what we've been through on anyone and, quite frankly, you've been through enough. My nephew came home on oxygen and I know even that was a task, especially hauling him around to appointments.

    It does seem like there is still so much more to do for these little guys. So many more appointments yet to be had, but so glad that you are going to be able to have your little guy home with you now too. (Honestly, I haven't missed the nightly trips to the NICU at all!) So relieved that the breastfeeding has worked out for you as well. I feel like it has been one of our tender mercies. Soooo much nicer than having to mix bottles. I feel like it's one way to help make up for the time I couldn't be with him in the hospital because now feeding times are all Timmy and me.

    Definitely know what you mean on taking time out from blogging the first few days. Still working on getting the discharge post up and pics with the other kids.

    Many, many congrats!

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