So Much Changing! It's actually day 32! I Apparently Lost Count!

2lbs 3ounces

We are back on line everybody. Wow it feels like it has been forever since I have been able to post. Lots of news to bring to you guys so be ready for a long read. The weight chart, is an issue of it's own. I never realized that my graph was going to be problematic till Calen hit 2 pounds. We then noticed that the graph was not interpreting my data as pounds and ounces and therefore didn't deal well with the number 2 being plugged in there. I worked a couple days on the best solution to this and above is my solution. His weight will now be written in the graph in ounces only. This way the line graph actually trends right. I will place in bold right below the chart (as shown) his weight in pounds and ounces for simple viewing.

Calen remains on the SiPAP for his breathing. He has been on this for well over a week now and has tolerated it very well. There has been no talk recently about changing his oxygen supply but I am really hoping that soon they will. I would love to see him down to just the CPAP again till 32 weeks, and the CPAP is much quieter than the SiPAP (it's a pretty noisy machine). 

Once a week starting yesterday a ophthalmologist comes in and see's Calen. They dilate his eye's and they examine his retina to check for the extent of a known problem called Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). It is staged in 4 categories, 1-2 meaning no intervention required 3-4 intervention such as laser surgery to stop the swelling of the retina may be needed. He ranked a 2 on his first check. They will come back every week until his eye's have matured or he goes home. ROP normally presents no long term problems, blindness is extremely rare. He may have to have corrective lenses or do eye exercises later on to correct abnormalities that have occurred due to prematurity. 

Calen is still experiencing some generalized edema. The doctors are all aware that he is swelling up some but at this time are preferring to not treat it and see if it will decrease on it's own. Since last week when he had his last blood transfusion he did have some lasix then to help pull fluid off but none since then. In the all in all it really isn't to bad and it should be fine. 

This is Calen's IV pump that has been supplying him with his TPN and Lipids. These have been essential since birth in order to provide him with enough fat and nutrients to live off of. He has been on a amazing increase on his breast milk feedings. Today we are giving him 13.8ml of breast milk every 3 hours. This is a lot, he is well over 100cc in a 24 hour period and therefore the goal for the day will be to ensure that he is tolerating and absorbing all of it and then it will be time to stop his TPN and Lipids. Once the TPN and Lipids are stopped they can remove his PICC line from his ankle. This is such amazing progress and it has all happened so quickly. 

Look at all that breast milk he is getting. It does mean one other big thing and that is mommy has a lot of work to do to make sure he has enough milk to meet this demand. 

Calen is growing so much. We can see it in him everyday. He is starting to look more like a baby (he looks just like Joey did as an infant), his skin is becoming opaque and he moves around  a lot. He was sucking on his thumb when mom was holding him here. His skin color is improving, it is becoming much less red as it was before. He is also becoming noisier, we hear him cry out a lot more, so he is growing and moving towards the life of a normal newborn. He is still being held every single day by mom. She has been holding him up to 4 hours lately. It's definitely the highlight of her day and I am sure his as well.

As seen on facebook, Joey has made the transition to a toddler bed. We have had the bed since last summer, picked it up off Craig's list. He has a fire truck themed room and so this was of course needed. We were truly dreading this because we didn't think that he would sleep at all for a while, but the very first night he slept without a problems, and the next night still no problems. It was instant success, we couldn't believe it but were very happy that he took to it so easily. Joey is still on antibiotics that he has been taking for the strep throat that once again we are thankful that he has had no symptoms associated with being sick. 

I have been working the last couple nights putting up the wall in the extra room that will be Calen's when he comes home. Be glad to get that done as soon as possible. Tonight there will be dry wall up and the door will be in so just have to get the dry wall mudded and pained, trim it all around and then start painting the inside of the room, and putting the crib back together. Fun stuff. 

We covered Calen up today with a blanket that was given to us by Aunt Jan. He might like the soft blanket versus the hospital blankets which are kinda rough. Be preparted for more blog downtime. I go back to work Thursday and Friday and have to work on the wall when I get home at 8pm. Then gone Saturday and Sunday to Army stuff, then back to Work the next Monday and Tuesday.