For tonight anyway. Gabrielle's X-ray came back clean again. The doctors think that after a day of holding her feeds, starting her back at 20 cc's may have been too much and caused her to throw up. They started feeding her again at noon with 15 cc's and so far, she hasn't had any issues. Let's hope we don't have another incident tonight like we've had the last two!
Meanwhile, her little sister had a great day. A new attending physician is on this week and after examining Alaina she said she couldn't believe how active she is and how good she looks considering the surgery she's been through. The surgeons agree that she's making impressive progress and she may be transfered back down to where Gaby is to start feeding and fatten up before her next surgery. I'm sure Gabrielle would be very happy to have her sister with her again!
Monday, October 13, 2008
I Spoke Too Soon....
Gabrielle threw up her feed again last night. Her doctors are doing another set of X-rays now and we hope to have news around noon. I don't know how much more of this roller coaster ride we can take.
Another Scare
Every morning, we call to check on the girls. At 6:00 am, we call Alaina's nurse to make sure nothing changed over night and we check in again around 9:00 after the nurses change shifts to get her blood work results before we head up to see her. Around the same time, we call St. Vincent's to get check in on Gabrielle as well.
Yesterday morning, Alaina got two good reports which is always a huge relief, but when we called to check on Gaby, the doctor told us that after her midnight feeding, her belly started looking a little distended, which is a sign of NEC. They did an X-ray and it looked clear but they were holding her feedings just to be safe. Gabrielle contracting NEC too is our worst nightmare. Normally we would go to Columbia to spend the day with Alaina and see Gaby on our way home, but our routine went out the window and we immediately headed down to St. Vincents to talk to the doctors.
When we got there, the head neonatologist assured us that Gabrielle was fine. She showed us the X-ray of her intestines which looked nothing like Alaina's had, and said that if Gaby had been any other baby, they wouldn't have even been worried about NEC, but because of what we'd been through, they were being extra cautious. She told us that all of her blood work looked perfect and when we looked at Gabrielle's belly, it seemed fine. The doctors wanted to give her a blood transfusion because she was slightly anemic, which is normal for preemies, and after that, they were going to start her feeds again. In the end, poor Gaby missed a whole day's worth of milk because we're all so paranoid she's going to get sick like Alaina did, but at this point, I know it's better safe than sorry.
Yesterday morning, Alaina got two good reports which is always a huge relief, but when we called to check on Gaby, the doctor told us that after her midnight feeding, her belly started looking a little distended, which is a sign of NEC. They did an X-ray and it looked clear but they were holding her feedings just to be safe. Gabrielle contracting NEC too is our worst nightmare. Normally we would go to Columbia to spend the day with Alaina and see Gaby on our way home, but our routine went out the window and we immediately headed down to St. Vincents to talk to the doctors.
When we got there, the head neonatologist assured us that Gabrielle was fine. She showed us the X-ray of her intestines which looked nothing like Alaina's had, and said that if Gaby had been any other baby, they wouldn't have even been worried about NEC, but because of what we'd been through, they were being extra cautious. She told us that all of her blood work looked perfect and when we looked at Gabrielle's belly, it seemed fine. The doctors wanted to give her a blood transfusion because she was slightly anemic, which is normal for preemies, and after that, they were going to start her feeds again. In the end, poor Gaby missed a whole day's worth of milk because we're all so paranoid she's going to get sick like Alaina did, but at this point, I know it's better safe than sorry.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
28 Days Later....
The girls are four weeks old today! Gabrielle will be celebrating by moving up to 20 cc's of milk per feeding (she's getting more than 5 ounces a day now!) and hopefully Alaina will mark this milestone by having another good day.
When we went to visit Gaby last night, we found out that she's got some exciting things on the horizon. She'll be 32 weeks gestational age on Tuesday and sometime between 33 and 34 weeks, she'll be weaned off her CPAP and start bottle feeding. Around the same time, the doctors at Columbia will start feeding Alaina milk which she's so ready for judging by how much rooting she's doing. I know all parents say time flies and it's certainly true -- our little munchkins are growing up so fast!
When we went to visit Gaby last night, we found out that she's got some exciting things on the horizon. She'll be 32 weeks gestational age on Tuesday and sometime between 33 and 34 weeks, she'll be weaned off her CPAP and start bottle feeding. Around the same time, the doctors at Columbia will start feeding Alaina milk which she's so ready for judging by how much rooting she's doing. I know all parents say time flies and it's certainly true -- our little munchkins are growing up so fast!
Friday, October 10, 2008
One Week Later
Yesterday morning marked a week since we were told that Alaina had developed NEC. We were terrified to hear it but I assumed at this point she'd be through 7 days of antibiotics and on her way to feeling better. I never in my wildest dreams imagined my little girl would have undergone a surgery to remove two pieces of her intestines. But here we are and thankfully, she's doing well.
Alaina spent most of yesterday sleeping peacefully and it was so quiet in her room (no alarms going off!) that her daddy and I actually napped with her. You'd never know by looking at her that she's had major gastrointestinal surgery and the doctors and surgeons are very happy with her progress. We're hoping that they'll start feeding her milk soon (she's on TPN now) and Alaina is obviously ready for it - she's constantly rooting, which means she's making sucking motions with her mouth looking for a nipple. Feeding her milk will get her stomach and intestines working again and help her gain weight. The surgeon wants her to be double the weight she is now before the second surgery to reconnect her intestines. We're thinking that will happen in 8 weeks or so. By then, the girls will be full gestation so, God willing, Gabrielle will already be home. We're hoping Alaina will be home for Christmas but I think that may be optimistic.
We're getting into a routine now that Alaina seems to be stabilizing. We spend the day with her and if her last blood work comes back looking good, we go to visit Gabrielle. Last night, we got to St. Vincent's in time to see her being weighed. The nurse stripped her down and took her CPAP off so DH and I got to see Gaby's face for the first time since I can remember. She's so adorable! The little diva wasn't happy about being naked and moved around and let everyone know it with some angry screams and we couldn't help but laugh. It looks like Gabrielle's ritual of spending the day napping is paying off -- she's up to 2 pound 6 ounces! Since she doesn't burn many calories during the day, this little one should keep gaining weight at a good pace. We asked the doctor when she'd be off the CPAP and she said it could happen when she reaches 33 weeks gestational age which is less than two weeks from now. Gabrielle will be very happy once that comes off!
So that makes three good days in a row. I have a feeling the doctors are starting to think DH and I are nuts because we keep asking questions looking for the bad that no one's telling us but it seems like Gabrielle and Alaina are doing everything they should be. The last week has been the most draining we've ever had but I'm hoping the really bad days are finally behind us.
Alaina spent most of yesterday sleeping peacefully and it was so quiet in her room (no alarms going off!) that her daddy and I actually napped with her. You'd never know by looking at her that she's had major gastrointestinal surgery and the doctors and surgeons are very happy with her progress. We're hoping that they'll start feeding her milk soon (she's on TPN now) and Alaina is obviously ready for it - she's constantly rooting, which means she's making sucking motions with her mouth looking for a nipple. Feeding her milk will get her stomach and intestines working again and help her gain weight. The surgeon wants her to be double the weight she is now before the second surgery to reconnect her intestines. We're thinking that will happen in 8 weeks or so. By then, the girls will be full gestation so, God willing, Gabrielle will already be home. We're hoping Alaina will be home for Christmas but I think that may be optimistic.
We're getting into a routine now that Alaina seems to be stabilizing. We spend the day with her and if her last blood work comes back looking good, we go to visit Gabrielle. Last night, we got to St. Vincent's in time to see her being weighed. The nurse stripped her down and took her CPAP off so DH and I got to see Gaby's face for the first time since I can remember. She's so adorable! The little diva wasn't happy about being naked and moved around and let everyone know it with some angry screams and we couldn't help but laugh. It looks like Gabrielle's ritual of spending the day napping is paying off -- she's up to 2 pound 6 ounces! Since she doesn't burn many calories during the day, this little one should keep gaining weight at a good pace. We asked the doctor when she'd be off the CPAP and she said it could happen when she reaches 33 weeks gestational age which is less than two weeks from now. Gabrielle will be very happy once that comes off!
So that makes three good days in a row. I have a feeling the doctors are starting to think DH and I are nuts because we keep asking questions looking for the bad that no one's telling us but it seems like Gabrielle and Alaina are doing everything they should be. The last week has been the most draining we've ever had but I'm hoping the really bad days are finally behind us.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Another Good Day
Wow. This is the earliest we've been home in I don't know how long. I'm almost afraid to write about the day in fear of jinxing it.
I'll start with Gabrielle since she's been getting short shrift lately. She had lots of visitors today. Grandma and Bubbe spent time with her this morning and DH and I went to see her before we came home. I may be crazy but I swear she's grown in the two days since we last saw her! She had her eyes open and checked her mommy and daddy out. I used to think Gaby and Alaina looked exactly alike but they're starting to develop looks of their own now. They both have their daddy's nose but their face shapes and eyes are changing. I can't wait until we see them with their CPAPs off so we can get a full view of their sweet little faces!
So our little Gabrielle is turning into a bit of a diva. She really likes to spend the day on her tummy with her head facing left. When the nurses try to turn her head the other way to prevent her from getting a flat spot on one side, she gets upset. She cries when she has to lay on her back and swats at the nurses' hands when they do something she doesn't like (taking her temperature, for example). I guess we shouldn't be surprised -- this is the same baby who forced her way out of the womb at 27 weeks. When she wants something, she makes sure she gets it!
Meanwhile, Alaina had another good day. Like I said, I don't want to jinx anything but I can't remember the last time we went 24 hours without any sort of scare. So here we are, home at a decent hour, looking forward to eating a meal that doesn't start with the question "For here or to go?" and hoping to get a good night's sleep. I'm praying that when we call to check in on the girls, our good luck will continue....
I'll start with Gabrielle since she's been getting short shrift lately. She had lots of visitors today. Grandma and Bubbe spent time with her this morning and DH and I went to see her before we came home. I may be crazy but I swear she's grown in the two days since we last saw her! She had her eyes open and checked her mommy and daddy out. I used to think Gaby and Alaina looked exactly alike but they're starting to develop looks of their own now. They both have their daddy's nose but their face shapes and eyes are changing. I can't wait until we see them with their CPAPs off so we can get a full view of their sweet little faces!
So our little Gabrielle is turning into a bit of a diva. She really likes to spend the day on her tummy with her head facing left. When the nurses try to turn her head the other way to prevent her from getting a flat spot on one side, she gets upset. She cries when she has to lay on her back and swats at the nurses' hands when they do something she doesn't like (taking her temperature, for example). I guess we shouldn't be surprised -- this is the same baby who forced her way out of the womb at 27 weeks. When she wants something, she makes sure she gets it!
Meanwhile, Alaina had another good day. Like I said, I don't want to jinx anything but I can't remember the last time we went 24 hours without any sort of scare. So here we are, home at a decent hour, looking forward to eating a meal that doesn't start with the question "For here or to go?" and hoping to get a good night's sleep. I'm praying that when we call to check in on the girls, our good luck will continue....
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
What a Difference a Day Makes
Alaina had what we thought was a good day yesterday -- her glucose and platelet levels were up and she was awake and alert -- but last night turned out to be hell. We left the hospital confident that she was doing well but when we got home and called to check on her, she'd done a 180. Her glucose levels were frighteningly low and her platelets had dropped again. In the course of one hour, we went from ecstatic over her progress to terrified about this setback. We've used the roller coaster analogy a lot but there's no better way to describe the super highs and extreme lows we've been going through.
Thankfully, today was a great day. When we called to check on Alaina early this morning, she had stabilized again. When we got to the hospital, we saw that the doctors had gotten a PICC line in which was a huge relief (ironic considering how excited we were to have her original one come out last week!). Alaina had 3 IV lines in when we left the night before which were used to give her everything she needed -- nutrition, medicine, blood transfusions, fluids and more. The problem with IV's is that they sometimes need to be moved and she was running out of places for them to go. With the PICC line in, the IV's are less important. Her new PICC line goes from the right side of her head down to her heart via a vein. In order to put it in, the doctors had to shave the right side of her head. They had already shaved the left side of her head to for an IV so she now has a baby mohawk. It's very cute and quite punk rock!
We spoke to the neonatalogist this morning and she's very happy with Alaina's progress. She assured us that the fluctuating platelet and glucose levels are normal considering what she's been through which made us feel much better. She's been breathing so well that the doctor took her off the ventilator and put her back on CPAP. Alaina's surgeon also came to check on her and said she's doing beautifully. His goal now is to fatten her up so they can do the second surgery to reattach the pieces of her small intestine that are left. So while she's still in critical condition, little Alaina is doing remarkably well considering what she went through just 72 hours ago.
And we can't forget about Gabrielle. Grandma spent the morning with her and said that she had a lazy day lounging on her tummy. She had to have her ears cleaned, which she didn't enjoy, but she's eating like a champ and her doctors say she's doing great.
We know the roller coaster ride isn't anywhere near over and there will be probably be plenty more lows along the way, but we'll take this high while we can.
Thankfully, today was a great day. When we called to check on Alaina early this morning, she had stabilized again. When we got to the hospital, we saw that the doctors had gotten a PICC line in which was a huge relief (ironic considering how excited we were to have her original one come out last week!). Alaina had 3 IV lines in when we left the night before which were used to give her everything she needed -- nutrition, medicine, blood transfusions, fluids and more. The problem with IV's is that they sometimes need to be moved and she was running out of places for them to go. With the PICC line in, the IV's are less important. Her new PICC line goes from the right side of her head down to her heart via a vein. In order to put it in, the doctors had to shave the right side of her head. They had already shaved the left side of her head to for an IV so she now has a baby mohawk. It's very cute and quite punk rock!
We spoke to the neonatalogist this morning and she's very happy with Alaina's progress. She assured us that the fluctuating platelet and glucose levels are normal considering what she's been through which made us feel much better. She's been breathing so well that the doctor took her off the ventilator and put her back on CPAP. Alaina's surgeon also came to check on her and said she's doing beautifully. His goal now is to fatten her up so they can do the second surgery to reattach the pieces of her small intestine that are left. So while she's still in critical condition, little Alaina is doing remarkably well considering what she went through just 72 hours ago.
And we can't forget about Gabrielle. Grandma spent the morning with her and said that she had a lazy day lounging on her tummy. She had to have her ears cleaned, which she didn't enjoy, but she's eating like a champ and her doctors say she's doing great.
We know the roller coaster ride isn't anywhere near over and there will be probably be plenty more lows along the way, but we'll take this high while we can.
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