This last 24 hours has been quite a ride for me! First, my Daddy was here with Mommy all day yesterday, and I was so happy to see him! I love hearing his deep voice and he knows just how to hold me. While he and mommy were here, one of my nurse practitioners came in and they talked for a long time all about me! Mommy said I’m the kind of kid you have to just push into the deep end and tell them to swim! I’m not sure what exactly that means, but it sounds kind of scary! Then, Daddy AGREED with her! He told stories of me being in the NICU about how I get to a point then don’t get past it until they push me pretty hard – like they had to to with the fentanyl and the ventilator. While I’m not sure what all that means, I do know that after they all talked about that for a while, and they talked about me being past the 37 week mark, the NNP turned the flow down on my machine to 3.0L and 100% oxygen. Mommy and Daddy were so excited! Didn’t make me much difference at all! They stayed with me till mid-afternoon, and I was sad to see them go, since they know just how to feed me my bottles! I’m getting really good at it!
Not too long after they left, the nurses came in and started gathering up all my things – they told me I was MOVING! Where? To the A QUAD!!!! While I am still looking for the other 2 “quads,” I hear they call this new place the “high school” of the NICU. Even though I am a freshman on the hall, I have a lot of friends who came over this week, too, so I’m not too worried about it. My new room is smaller, but I am the only baby in here, and there is more storage for all the clothes, gifts, and stuff my Mommy keeps here for us. It was fun to take a little ride in my crib down the hall and around the corner! My nurses told me all about my new digs while we walked. I hear it’s kind of a big deal to be here, so I am excited! Plus, I got the best room in the place – first one as you walk into the unit, so I get to greet everyone!
I had a good first night in the new room. I have a window right above my bed! It’s nice to see the daylight streaming in. My Mom and Dad, as well as my sisters and brother showed up late this morning. Mommy and Daddy were surprised when they got here that my Vapotherm was at 3.0 liters and 83% - they thought they would leave the oxygen at 100% and just wean the flow. They asked the nurse about this, but I was doing great with my numbers either way. Mommy fed me a bottle (with a little help from Jake), and then I heard them talking to another of my nurse practitioners. She explained that there are a few schools of thought on the Vapotherm settings, and she likes to do it this way. She told them she would turn it down to 2.5 liters of flow tomorrow. Again, no idea what that means, but Mom and Dad seem excited as it is one step closer to home. The NNP also said I had completed 82% of my bottles by mouth in the last 24 hours. Mommy said that’s a “B” and she’ll take it!
The next time I needed a diaper change and a bottle, Mommy was off pumping more milk for me, so for the first time, Daddy did my whole hands on by himself and fed me my bottle! I love it when Mommy does it, but is sure is special when Daddy’s here! Emma, Lara and Jake all took turns holding me, singing to me, and reading books to me all day long. Mommy fed me one last bottle (after figuring out that the first nipple we tried didn’t have a hole in the end) before they had to go home for the night.
MAN! What a great day today was. One nurse even said I might still make it home for Christmas. Mommy said she’s fine if I don’t, but I am going to keep working hard! I’d sure like to be home for when Santa comes! I hear that’s pretty cool! But for now, I am happy to be here in the “Big Boy Nursery” working hard on my breathing and eating. I’ll be home soon enough.
