Baby Eagan - NICU Day 54 - Observations in the NICU

Observations in the NICU - Sounds

When I first moved from Eagan's first bed space to his second bed space on the right-hand side of the NICU, I kept hearing this noise over and over again. Initially, I thought it was a vending machine. I was a little sleep-deprived when I had this thought obviously, because that would have been a very large, heavy coke bottle. Actually, the noise comes from the tube system. I didn't really figure this out until we moved from the second bed space to the third location, the isolation room. Now, I can literally see the tube system from my seat next to Eagan. It is loud and frequently used. The tube system is used by the nurses to send and receive bloodwork, labs, and medications.

"Whrr-woosh, whrr-woosh," goes the ventilator. I quite like this noise. It is quiet and means Eagan is breathing. Also, this means that the room around me is quiet and that means Eagan is doing well. No one is working on him or trying to figure out the plan.

Bing, bing, bing. Not a fan of this sound. This is the alarm on his monitor and could mean multiple things. His heart-rate, blood pressure, or oxygen could be too high, or too low. This alarm sounds if the numbers are just a little out of the norm. If the numbers get worse, the alarm gets much louder and much faster and when I say loud, I mean really loud. BING, BING, BING. You really don't want to hear this alarm. I have heard it far too many times. It sounds for extreme bradycardias, dangerously low or high blood pressure, and really, really low oxygen.

Beep, beep, beep, bah-beep. Again, the ventilator makes this noise. It has a bit of a rhythm to it and reminds me of a cell phone. It sounds for a few million reasons, specifically pressure issues. I don't understand why it alarms always. It can even be because Eagan has hiccups. Because I do not know why or how it works, I do not like this noise at all.

Buh-bum, buh-bum. One of his pumps off of his "Christmas tree" of pumps. This means the pump has finished infusing the medication or is occluded. Eagan has 12 pumps in his room. This sound is hear a lot!

This doesn't include the crying! Right now there are so many babies that cry. Eagan can't cry right now because he is intubated. When we first got here, no babies cried on our side of the unit. Now, there are crying babies all over. You can even listen and tell which ones just got rid of their endo-tracheal tube because they sound very hoarse. It is a little bittersweet to hear these babies cry. It is hard for me, because my baby can't cry and I would give anything to hear him cry and be able to pick him up to calm him down. It is awesome that those babies are doing so well that they can cry and are here to cry. Many of them fought just like Eagan and they are winning! It is sad that parents can't always be with their babies to hold them and keep them calm, or in a few cases are in the hospital, but chose not to be with their baby for whatever reason. It just sucks. Babies should be happy, healthy and at home, not making an orchestra of cries in the NICU.

This list doesn't even include the constant phone ringing and chatter of nurses and doctors. All of the machines from the other babies can be heard in Eagan's room also. It is a little scary to hear an alarm go off on another babies monitor, especially the really loud one that means the baby is having an especially hard time with one of his vitals. I will be very glad to go home with Eagan where I can hear the sounds of my babies playing, laughing and being happy, healthy children.

Weight
3 lbs 14 oz - Up a little, most likely due to more fluid in his lungs.

Length
16" 

Breathing
Eagan is on the conventional ventilator. His settings are at 20 breaths per minute. His oxygen rate has been around 25%. The pressure that the ventilator puts in his lungs is at 24. Also, he has more fluid in his lungs so he is getting Atrovent breathing treatments every six hours. 

Vitals
Eagan's blood pressure was perfect today!

Vein and Artery Access
Eagan has an internal jugular line that was placed in surgery. Only one of the two lumens is usable now.

The arterial line is in his head.

Eagan has an IV in his head.

Medications 

An antibiotic, Ancef, is given once a day.

Hydrocortisone, for blood pressure and stress response, is up to 3 mg.
 

His Morphine drip is up to .15 mg per hour.

Caffeine has been started as a diuretic to try to speed up his kidney function.

He is also on Diflucan as a preventative measure.

Eagan also is back on the Synthroid for low thyroid.  

 

Nutrition
Eagan's only sources of nutrition right now are his TPN fluids and lipis

Output

Lots of pee and a little poop today.

Transfusions 

June 2 - Transfusion #25

Upcoming Tests

Upper GI study on Monday to determine if the duodenum tear is closed and if feedings can be started. Eagan has not had any milk about a month. I am sure he will appreciate a full belly!

Another eye exam to check on the severity of his retinopathy of prematurity will be in a bit less than two weeks.