Baby Eagan - NICU Day 75 - Tummy Time!

On his tummy for the first time in almost two months.

Being in the NICU is different than being in any other part of a hospital. The patient has never gone home and in some situations, never will. The mother is frequently recovering from a c-section but never gets the chance to rest. I think the hardest part is that family and friends have NO idea how to relate to the situation. When healthy babies are born, you get congratulated and have lots of well wishes. On the other hand, what do you say to a parent when their baby might not make it through the night. Honestly, it doesn't matter what you say, it matters that you did say something. While I was still inpatient after Eagan's delivery, we received an awesome gift basket with a teddy bear. This bear stays in Eagan's bed all day, every day. We received flowers and cards that let us know we had people thinking of us. It isn't the money that is spent that matters, it was truly that someone was thinking of little Eagan and let me know. A very special nurse from Eagan's birth hospital visits Eagan and I once a week. It really means the world to me to have a NICU nurse be so hopeful about the prognosis of my sweet boy. I have my family that take me out to lunch on a regular basis. This is great! Let me tell you, hospital cafeteria food is horrible, really horrible. It is also I nice break from the constant beeps and chaos of this NICU. We also have some amazing nurses at Egleston that make the day easier. We can joke about Eagan "spitting" out his lines and "throwing parties" in his room so he can hang out with lots of women. I have family and friends that check on Eagan on a regular basis and an awesome support system of moms of Facebook from both my daughter's due date group and Eagan's. All of these things combined make the NICU adventure a tad easier. If you ever come across another mom with a preemie, congratulate her on her new baby. Ask her how you can help. Stick around when things get tough and don't downplay the situation. It seems easy to some. I don't have a crying baby to wake me up at night. Instead, I have to pump and be terrified that my cell phone will ring. I get to wake up in the middle of the night thinking my phone has rang and checking for missed calls. I got more sleep with a newborn at home. I don't know when my baby is coming home. I can't even give you a month. Of course other moms have had early babies or babies with health conditions, but just because they have doesn't make it any easier for me. My older children barely get to see me. My labor wasn't any easier than that of a normal sized baby and my c-section was more complicated than a normal, scheduled section. I would have loved to have been huge and uncomfortable. Instead, I got to be small and on a magnesium sulfate drip that makes you feel horrible. I would have given anything to carry sweet Eagan to term but since I couldn't, I will just do everything for him and more now. This little boy is going to be spoiled rotten. If anyone has a problem with it, they can be poked with countless needles and instruments for months. He deserves everything my little family can do for him. As much as I haven't been able to hold him now, once I can hold him, he is never going to be sat down. I'm sure he will be okay with that too.

Laying all the way on his side, preparing for tummy time!

Getting his bedding changed.

  His sodium levels have not gone down, so some changes were made to his fluids again. He is still not able to eat because of this. His blood gases have been within parameters but not good enough to wean on the ventilator.

Weight
4 lb 7 oz

Breathing
Eagan is on the conventional ventilator. His settings are at 40 breaths per minute. His oxygen rate is around 23%. The pressure that the ventilator puts in his lungs is at 21. Also, he has fluid in his lungs so he is getting Atrovent breathing treatments every six hours.

Vein and Artery Access 
Eagan has a femoral line in his upper thigh.

Medications

An antibiotic, Oxicillin is being given every six hours.

Hydrocortisone, for blood pressure and stress response, is down to once every 48 hours.

He is now only on Morphine every 6 hours as needed. Right now he is only getting it about once per 12 hour shift. This is terrific!!

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

He is also on Diflucan as a preventative measure.

He is also on Zantac to help calm his tummy's acid levels.

Lasix, a diuretic, will be given every 4 hours along with Albumen, a protein that makes up the majority of our blood.

He is back on Synthroid for low thyroid.

Nutrition

 Feedings have been stopped. He is getting TPN, D15 clear fluid with potassium, and lipids.

Transfusions 

June 23 - Transfusion #29
 

Upcoming Tests

Another eye exam to check on the severity of his retinopathy of prematurity will be Thursday.

Cranial ultrasound at 36 weeks gestation.