Today's four o'clock visit - note the yellow tube in his nose which is attached to a large syringe full of white stuff? Yup, they're feeding him, finally - five whole ccs an hour. Put that in perspective: 5 ccs is 0.169 of an ounce. Multiply that times 24, that's 4.056 ounces per day. Before the surgery, he was taking 32 ounces per day. Each bottle was about the same as what he gets all day now. Poor guy!
The feeding is the only real change today, except that his heart rate and blood pressure are pretty much the same now as any other 3 month old (he'll be three months old TOMORROW!) and by god, for the first time in 3 months, his feet and hands are warm. :)
They moved one of his IV lines from his femoral artery to an artery in his chest, I watched them stitch it to his little shoulder today. Weird, he put in three stitches, not one drop of blood. Interesting.
He's still zooted out of his mind, and he basically keeps his eyes open most of the time. So much that I tend to close them for him every once in a while because I feel like they must be drying out. I know I know, they put in drops, but still, it's weird because he doesn't even blink. Guess it's a weird "mom" thing, lol.
Oh, I was up at the hospital by myself today. I just knew I was going to get lost. I didn't! *pats self on back*. The little girl next to Nova had her chest closed this morning. She's doing SO well, they're talking about moving her to her own room by Friday! The baby is adorable, the parents, especially the mom, are sweet sweet sweet, and I'm thrilled for them that she's doing so well. I just want to hug that baby, and I did hug the mom.
If I haven't already said this (yes, I know I have) the nurses up there are amazing human beings! Candy and Sharon are just wonderful.
The empath is back:)
ReplyDeleteNo, lets see, that's someone else, isn't it?
He's doing great, no supprise there. Get some rest, veg out.
Erin, he looks so incredibly better! I know he's still got a long way to go and all, but he's out of the woods, and compared to those swollen pictures this is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could reach through this computer and kiss his beautiful little head. What a fighter he is, and so are you.
Happy 3 month birthday, Nova!
PS, when you're ready for them I'll send along the next size of clothes. :)
vegging out sounds like an amazing thing to do right now. This is tapping us physically, emotionally, and financially. I wish we'd have bought a moped instead of a van, lol, the damn thing EATS gas, and I'm worn out.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, assuming there are no complications (and quite frankly I've been warned that there probably WILL be complications) he's pretty well out of the woods. Our biggest worries now are pnuemonia, any sort of infection, complications from the lymphatic systems injury, and teaching him to breath and eat on his own. They figure about another 4 - 5 weeks in the hospital.
Anyway, love you both!
~E
4-5 weeks sounds relatively short, in my opinion, considering the severity of his surgery.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought, but does your hospital have a Ronald McDonald house, or other sort of arrangement where you might be able to stay? I'm sure that Mom could hold it together at home for a little while, and it'd save you money in gas, for sure. Maybe stay for a couple of days at a time. In the off-time that you can't visit, you'd be forced to rest, too.
A friend I used to live with had a son who had encephalitis and had to be transferred to Orlando. That's what she did. I stayed with the other kids, she stayed there. It was a really nice set-up.