Starting to Feel Like Home Day 3

Above this text is about a 1 minute long video. I recorded it today of Calen moving his legs around. I think I will make some more videos of other days, they are just as nice as pictures. 

When we came into Calen's room this morning his Nurse and Respiratory Therapist were in there and they were giving him his 2nd round of surfactant that will help keep his lungs opened up. They said that about day 3 that he should be starting to make it on his own but they felt it would benefit him if they supplied him with an extra dose. The only real disadvantage to giving him the surfactant is that they have intubate him in order to supply the alveoli with the medication.

They extubated him after all the surfactant was down in his lungs. They worked to clean all the mucus out of his mouth before placing him back on CPAP.

I had a sparing second to take a picture of him without the large CPAP attached. They quickly replaced it after the extubatation and Calen was a little on the stubborn side as he didn't pick back up on breathing and his heart rate was quickly dropping. On the up side is that Holly and I were both in there while it happened but we remained completely calm as the Nurse and Respiratory Therapist got his breathing and heart rate back up quickly and had no problems after they left. Everyday is a roller coaster ride and the doctor said a lot of times that babies this small get tired of breathing and they end on a ventilator about the 2nd day but Calen continues to do very well on his own. Thank God for such a strong baby!!!

This was the nurse pushing in Calen's last dose of IV antibiotics. I have no idea if this is the last he will ever receive during this stay (most likely not) but for now this will be the end of it. They had planned for a PICC line to be placed today but it was decided he had been through enough stress today with the surfactant that they would be holding off for right now. Tomorrow though we can expect the PICC to be placed and an echocardiogram to be preformed to make sure that he does not have a patent ductus arteriosis. 

Calen's foot. 

Alright so I was suggested to take a picture of Calen wearing our wedding rings to put in perspective how small Calen is. I made the attempt today with my wedding band but with little success. Although he is very tiny, I also have small fingers, so I have a size 8 ring and I attempted to place it on his arm but I couldn't easily get it past his fingers and then the same here with his foot, I couldn't easily get it past his heel and ankle. So this is the shot I took, I think it still reflects the size of Calen. I was really scared that I was going to be the idiot who would have to go find the nurse cause I got my ring stuck on my child's body.

Holly reaching in to touch Calen. He was so into thrashing his feet around. His alarm were going off multiple times because he was cold so they ended up having to tie his feet and hands down to his body so that he would be more comfortable in a bundle and hold onto his body heat better.

At 8pm this evening we went back to NICU to be there for his assessment, Holly got to check his temperature and change his diaper tonight. Still having a little bit of issues keeping his temp up so we have to try and keep him as enclosed as possible. They only been able to wash his left arm so far because he gets to cold to fast. 

As of right now we are planning to be going home on Wednesday. We are out of the PICU and they have moved us to a regular post partum room. The rooms are not nearly as nice but the upside is that the nurses don't bug you nearly as much, so that is pretty cool. Holly is up moving around now, walking a whole lot more, took her first shower in several days, and put on clothes from home so this is making her much happier. She has some pain, which is obviously normal and they are treating her with oral medications as needed and they are helping. As for me, I am just plain tired. I slept pretty well last night and I think that was bad, cause now i am really tired, my body wasn't used to that. 

It really isn't getting to feel like home but everyday is getting longer and it is weird cause stuff that happened this morning I feel like happened 5 days ago, think I am getting ICU psychosis :-).  Long post today. Sorry for the non readers out their. Goodnight!!!