Russell & Charlotte's NICU days
(12/30/08 &ndash 2/17/09)
Click on the headings for pictures and more info.
NICU days
Russell has been taken off the ventilator. Yay! He also started some little
feedings today.
Charlotte has developed a
pneumothorax (air collecting in the chest cavity). It
doesn't seem to be causing trouble, so they are just waiting to see if it
resolves itself. They are holding off starting feedings on her to keep from
stressing her more.
More pictures coming soon for some of these dates. I wanted to get the info
up so
you can see how well they are both doing.
1/2/2009
Russell
Russell is at an even 3 lbs today (1370 g). (It is apparently standard for
babies to drop a little weight initially.)
He is getting some of the standard things for premature newborns: a blood
transfusion, caffeine, lasix (a diuretic), and some
UV light treatment for elevated bilirubin levels (hence the sunglasses in the
pictures).
He is feeding at 6 ccs (5 ccs = 1 teaspoon) every three hours (through an NG
tube since he is too little to know how to eat)
Charlotte
Charlotte still weighs 2 lbs 11 ozs (1220 g).
She is also getting the standard things for premature newborns: a blood
transfusion, caffeine,
lasix (a diuretic), and
some
UV light treatment for elevated bilirubin levels (cool shades for her, too)
The pneumothorax wasn't resolving on it's own and she really looked like she
was working hard at breathing. So they put in a chest tube to try to clear the
air out of her chest cavity and get her lung back in order and put her on a
ventilator. Between that and the UV shades, you can't see much of her cute
little face now.
Cindy got to go home from the hospital today!
Russell
- We got to hold Russell today! Vicki got the first chance - he's too little
to pass back an forth. It was quite an event with all of his wires and
stuff. But it was also really nice.
- Still an even 3 lbs
- Still on caffeine and lasix
- He finished his UV treatment (no more cool shades)
- Feedings up to 10 ccs
- Also still getting some extra nutrients through his umbilical IV
Charlotte
- Still at 2 lbs 11 ozs
- Still on all the same treatments and got a little more blood today
- They are holding off starting her on feedings to keep from stressing
her. She's getting nutrients through an umbilical IV
1/4/2009
Russell
Charlotte
Kevin's folks flew in today to meet the babies. (Pictures coming from them
soon, too.)
Kevin got his first chance to hold Russell today!
Russell
- Up to 3 lbs 5 ozs!
- His feedings are up to 20 ccs (every 3 hours)
Charlotte
- Up to 2 lbs 14 ozs!
- Did and echocardiogram because the heard an heart murmur. Everything looked
OK>
1/7/2009
Russell
- Holding at 3 lbs 5 ozs
- His feedings will go up to 28 ccs at midnight tonight
- They removed his umbilical IV. He looks much more comfortable now! He just
has the nasal canula for a little extra O2, heart monitor and oxygen monitor
(pulseox)
Charlotte
- Her weight is down slightly to 2 lbs 13 ozs
- Her lungs are looking good according to the nurses (and x-rays). They may
remove her chest tube soon!
- She was extubated today, so no more breathing tube!! She also finished her
UV treatment, so she doesn't have the little shades anymore. We can finally see
her little face again! She looks really happy to have all of that stuff off of
her face!
- They also removed her umbilical IV today. She still needs the IV since she
isn't feeding yet. She has one in her hand now.
Russell
- Up to 3 lbs 6 ozs (1535 g; up 35 grams)
- Getting 28 ccs at his feedings.
- He's getting a little reflux. His O2 is a little higher (2
liters O2) to
take off a little stress.
Charlotte
- Her weight is up again to 2 lbs 14 ozs! (1300 g (up 20 grams))
- They started little feedings on her! She's getting 2 ccs.
- Her lungs are getting better! They have clamped off the chest tube. They
won't remove it until they are sure everything is better. Wouldn't want to have
to put it in again!
- She's breathing well after the ventilator was removed. She's just on 1
liter O2
through a nasal canula.
1/9/2009
Russell
- His weight is up to 3 lbs 8 ozs!
Charlotte
- Her weight is up to 2 lbs 15 ozs!
1/10/2009
- Charlotte got her chest tube taken out last night! Yay!
- Russell wasn't digesting his formula so well recently. So he has been
switched to a soy-based formula and seems to be doing great on that.
- They are also starting to wean both babies off of the extra oxygen. I
believe both are down to a 1 liter O2 setting.
- Cindy and Aunt Phyllis met us to see the babies today. Some nice
pics here of Cindy, Aunt Phyllis, and Vicki holding babies (Kevin is
taking the pictures).
- Charlotte hit 3 pounds!
She is getting 30 ccs in her feedings
She got her RSV immune system boost shot today (she really did not
like that)
I got to hold her for the first time! It was just a few minutes
while her bedding was changed, but it was wonderful.
- Russell is 3 lbs 8 ozs (1575 g) today
1/12/2009
- Russell is at 3 lbs 7 ozs today (apparently they will fluctuate
some).
- Charlotte is down a little today too, to 2 lbs 15 ozs.
She isn't tolerating the feedings real well, so they have reduced hers
to 10 ccs again and switched her to a soy-based formula like her
brother.
1/13/2009
- Russell is at 3 lbs 7 ozs
- Charlotte is at 2 lbs 15 ozs
- Got to hold them both today! Russ was eating his blanket during
the hold. Later, Charlie looked like she was an old-time radio
announcer with one hand on her pacifier and the other gripping her
ear. Very cute.
Kevin and Vicki had to be in Lubbock for a couple of days for work.
Cindy & family dropped in a little extra on the little ones for us.
Kevin got back to Amarillo yesterday and Vicki made it back tonight.
Charlotte made it up over 3 pounds!
- Russell is at 3 lbs 11.26 ozs (1680 g)
- Charlotte is at 3 lbs 1.7 ozs (1410 g)
- We got to hold them both today! Kevin held Russ and Vicki held
Charlotte. See pics of Kevin with Russell.
- Charlotte is down slightly to 3 lbs 1.4 ozs (1402 g)
- Russell is weighing 3 lbs 11.4 ozs (1684 g)
1/18/2009
- We held them both today. This time Kevin had Charlotte and Vicki
had Russell.
- We read them their first book today (Dr. Seuss's Sleep
Book)!
- Russell is at 3 lbs 13.4 ozs today
- Charlotte is at 3 lbs 1.1 ozs
Russell made it up over 4 pounds today!
- Russell weighs 4 lbs 1.7 ozs today (1864 g)
- Charlotte weighs 3 lbs 5.6 ozs today (1520 g)
1/21/2009
- Russell weighs 4 lbs 3.3 ozs today (1909 g)
- Charlotte weighs 3 lbs 6.2 ozs today (1539 g)
1/22/2009
- Russell weighs 4 lbs 3.8 ozs today (1920 g)
- Charlotte weighs 3 lbs 6.2 ozs today (1539 g)
- Charlotte and Russell bottle fed today for the first time! They will
now gradually work up to taking more of their feedings by bottle. But they are
off to a great start! They have to finish a bottle within 30 minutes
(otherwise, they are burning too many calories while eating to be worth
it). Charlotte finished hers in 20 minutes and Russ finished his in 15 minutes.
- Charlotte weighs 3 lbs 7 ozs today
- Russell weighs 4 lbs 4.8 ozs today
Vicki got to help feed Russell today and got to hold both babies (see pics).
- Charlotte weighs 3 lbs 8.1 ozs today (1591 g)
- Russell weighs 4 lbs 4.8 ozs today (2009 g)
2/3/2009
I guess it has gotten busy, because I haven't kept up with the web
page!
-
Russell weighed in at 5 pounds 1.6 ounces (2315 g) today. Charlotte
is 4 pounds 3 ounces (1902 g).
2/9/2009
- Russell weighs 5 pounds 10 ounces (2565 g)
- Charlotte weighs 4 pounds 10 ounces (2111 g)
Rooming In, Part I
Rooming In, Part II: 2/15 &ndash 2/16
This time Kevin and I roomed in with both Russell and Charlotte. Wow -
that was tiring! Just when both babies would be asleep at the same
time, it would be time for a nurse to come in and do an assessment!