After surgery RT has been fairly stable. His oxygen percent needs have remained between 46-55%. We have they have been raising his feed amount about every 3 Feedings sincr the morning after his surgery at 8. He is now to full Feedings of 28cc fortified with prolactin rather than HMF.

Today he had another follow up echo cardiohram and an xray. Everything looks ok so our hospital contacted Swedish. At night rounds when the doctor came around we  we found out she spoke to the neonatologist working tonight up at sweedish

Continue reading “Sept 7 and 8 2016” →

After a long day, he is stable at 47 percent oxygen. They decided to lower his peep due to blood gas readings. From 9 down to 7.

After 2000 cares he is exhausted. Time to hopefully get some sleep for ourselves.

We love you little guy! So proud of you for doing so well through surgery! Everyone is rooting for you!

0700 We wake up. Horrible night of “sleep”. Head up to the NICU.

1580 grams on the board.

We enter RT’s room,  two nurses.  One trying to get an IV in the other helping keep him calm.  One attempt already done on a scalp, blwe on the flush a 2nd attempt in process. His head is already a little bloody. 2nd attempt blows on the flush too.

They will let the anesthesiologist put in an IV, they say he has one good spot left in his leg.

Ultrasound is back for another echo cardiogram, Cardiologist is present this time to ensure the pictures he needs are taken.

Dr. Stops by,  surgeon stops by, and anesthesiologist  stops by. They all answer any questions we have,  seem like good people. Continue reading “PDA Surgery September 6th 2016” →

Woke up packed, grabbed car and went to NICU we were told the transfer team would leave Tacoma at 0900, arrive at our NICU around 0930, it would take a long time to pass all the information and do their own set of labs everything can take up to 3 hours.

Continue reading “Sept 5th 2016” →

1700 skin to skin time is up.  Mom puts him back gracefully.  He is not as frustrated this time.  Then we do cares.  Some more pee! Not 116 grams but still a good weight. 

Slowly wean his oxygen percent back down.  

Time for dinner.  Then back to the NICU, 

1900 passdown to a nurse that has not had him yet,  she has been in the same room with him though and is familiar with him.  RT’s heart rate hits 200 bpm something is making him mad.  I open his incubator,  and he is trying to kick his swaddle off of him frantically. I ask if it’s OK to check his temperature,  he feels warm. 

 Sure we can start cares a little early.  His temp is 37.3 a fine temp. Then I check his diaper,  another big poop! No wonder he is upset,  he has a dirty butt. I runout of wipes mid way through, the nurse kindly grabs me more.  We change him and his heart rate goes down to his normal range. 

Thanks for telling us something was wrong RT! He doesn’t like wet diapers or a dirty butt. 

Respiratory therapist suctions him out,  not much comes out. They reposition him and we swaddle him up,  he settles down. I talk to him and he opens his eyes.  He really likes it when we talk to him.  

2130 We decide we should head out and attempt some rest before a big day tomorrow.  We tell him good night and encourage him to get some good rest for his big move tomorrow.

Tomorrow will be RT’s first adventure outside of Sweedish hospital. 

His first ride in an ambulance.

We will be mooving down to Tacoma general/Mary bridge tomorrow for his heart surgery on tuesday.

We are anxious, nervous, and scared. 
Our little boy has to have surgery on his heart. 

 This surgery needs to be the leverage RT needs to get himself mooving forward. 

RT the fight inside of you is strong, you give me hope. I pray we will make it through this and on to the next hurdle. One step at a time. 

I am proud to be your father.

Rest well my little boy.

Wife woke up and started laundry this morning after pumping. After laundry is done, up to the NICU we go.RT is on 38% oxygen, same vent settings, stable blood gas at 0400. 1610 grams on the board! One of his primary nurses today! It was a good night, stable throughout mid 40% for the majority of the night.

Then a quick lunch, back up to NICU.

Pump, show the nurse the video of RT smiling after his milk sponge on a stick, we laugh. Too cute! Continue reading “September 4th 2016” →

It probably feels weird trying to smile under all that tape.

RT had a good stable night last night.  One very small poo. We need him to do more! His blood transfusion went smoothly!  His feeds we restarted at 0800, they are fortifying the milk with extra calories now!

Nurse on today is the first time she has had RT, she got a excellent passdown and is familiar with his needs. She seems to be accommodating him excellently. He is at 35% oxygen!  She had him down to 32% for about 45 minutes earlier.  No changes to vent settings,  his blood gas numbers have been stable.
Then we went and exchanged the rental car.  It went fairly smooth.

Lunch and then up to NICU, I drink less water in hopes of skin to skin later. Continue reading “Sept 3 2016” →

After 3 hours of “sleep” we are back up. Time to pump, wash pump supplies and get the day started. We go grab the car and head to DEERS, we are early so we call the hospital and talk to our nurse RT had a stable night. Some extremely thick secretions throughout the night. Cranial ultrasound scheduled for today. His hematocrit is down to 29. Likely blood transfusion in the next few days before surgery. Mostly 40’s %oxygen through the night. He had a small poop not nearly what we want.

We are still early so we go into the CG chaplains office and have a good talk, it’s good too see him. He’s going to come be with us during RT’s heart surgery.

Continue reading “Sept 2 2016” →

1700 shift change,  the primary nurse he had last night is back.

Sounds like the nurse we had today and yesterday should be back tomorrow!

He does well with passdown only gets one extra percent as a bribe.  He only has a couple brief desats to 87 spo2.

Time for cares, temp check,  he is slightly warm now 37.4 we overshot his temp slightly.  That’s OK he will cool off during cares slightly.

Some pee in his diaper.  We a apply an ointment Nystatin (anti fungal)to his bits to combat any possible yeast infections. Continue reading “Night of Sept 1 2016” →