Video and Donations

I was asked by individuals if they could finically contribute to us, such an idea never really crossed my mind, so thank you to those who wish to do this. The link is available at the top of the page, follow the links to a secure donation through paypal. For those who were attempting to watch the video but were unable to, I am sorry I am re-uploading the video through youtube and then will get it embedded into the blog again. Thank You!!

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!!!

Progress Made! Day 2 Coming to a Close!

Day 2 is coming to a close. Mom and Calen both made great progress today. Holly looks 1000 times better today. Her swelling has greatly decreased, her facial redness has faded and she is feeling a lot better. She got her iv fluid's discontinued, she was allowed to eat regular solid food, and she started to pump milk for Calen and that has started off really well as she was already able to get about 3cc pumped today which isn't really a lot of fluid in actual volume but for a baby that is under 2 pounds it can be a complete feeding, and since he has a need for kilocalories, colostrum is very necessary. We progressed through the rest of the day with no real changes to Calen's regimen and they told us tonight that if things stay on tract like they are now in a couple days we can start kangaroo holding him in the room so we are very excited for that day. Holly is hard at work every hour working on the incentive spirometer to keep those lungs open and clear, and it is helping because she spent the last 24 hours on oxygen and that has been removed. Holly is up walking a little bit, sitting in the chair a whole lot more so tomorrow will be a much more active day and I think it will be a day where she actually starts to feel normal again. Susan brought Joey to the hospital tonight to see us, it was great to see him, we are both missing him so much. Holly, Susan, and Alicia went and seen Calen and I stayed with Joey, we sat out in the Rotunda for a while and watched the Grammy's and then ran around the Rotunda circle about 15 times, it was great exercise that I really needed. 

Tonight while Holly, Susan, and Alicia were in the NICU visiting Calen the nurse gave Holly the diapers and pacifier that they are using on Calen. The diaper was about as long as a credit card, it is so tiny. The pacifier they are using are dipped in sucrose solution and they use it for pain control in the babies. I saw Calen try to suck on the pacifier, it is really hard for him to hold it in his mouth but he makes a good effort to do it. 

Breaking News. As I was typing this blog entry Holly was pumping. She ended up with a lot of colostrum this evening we are all very excited that she is able to produce so well for Calen, it should work as a magic drug for him. That should be it for the night, we are winding down preparing for bed. We should be moving to a smaller post partum room tomorrow, not to excited about that but it also means we are that much closer to getting home. Goodnight!

In the NICU Day 2

This morning around 10am Holly got up out of bed for the first time and was wheeled to the NICU, this will be the first time that she gets to actually see Calen up close and touch him so she is excited. She is very tired and she is getting much more rest today than she has all week. 

Calen is spending today under a low power ultraviolet light to help with his bilirubin, he has an increase in that causing some jaundice which is completely typically in premature babies. He was moving a lot today in the incubator, he was stretching out his arms and hands. He remains on CPAP today and is doing very well. We meet with the doctor today and at this time their is no plan to change anything because he is doing well and getting along so they are going to just monitor him.

Holly got to reach in and touch him today. The nurses left the room and it was our first time actually alone with him. He experiences some apnea at times which is normal for premature babies and sometimes you have to reach in and kinda rub him so he remembers to breath. I did it one time and then he did it again so Holly reach in and aroused him up so he would breath. It was like really unusual to touch him though, it really is like nothing is there, he is so fragile and thin, I really can't wait till we get the chance to actually hold him. 

The Resuscitation Room and First Visit with Calen Day 1

This is inside the resuscitation room which is where Calen went straight out of mom. Most expected him to come out worse then he did and we are so thankful to God as to how well he did. They were able to supply him oxygen with a CPAP and he was doing very well at breathing on his own with room air, assistance with breathing is always needed at his age. He was intubated for a short period of time in order to give him surfactant into his lungs to keep the alveoli opened up, this may have to be done at a later time again, they are unsure at this point. He was placed in a plastic bag which has multiple purposes such as helping him keep temperature, hold moisture in his skin because it is so thin, protect him from infection as he travels in open areas of the hospital and doesn't have any containment. The doctor that was in the room with him said he couldn't have expected him to be doing any better than he was and was confident he was holding up very well. 

While in the resuscitation room I had the opportunity to touch his hand. It is so weird because it is like you are not even touching anything, they are so small and fragile. We did notice later than his index finger is longer than his middle finger which is funny and that his fingers seem to be proportionately large.

This is once Calen was fully settled in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). It took several hours before we were able to go in and see him. Holly was able to see him at this time too, they pushed her bed into his room beside Calen. He was continued on the CPAP that is in his nose, he has a nasogastric tube in his mouth to help relieve air in his belly associated with the CPAP blowing air down his trachea which some escapes down his esophagus, the plastic bag was still on him at this point but they were going to be taking it off within the half hour. He gets all his nutrition and iv fluids through arterial and peripheral fluids through his umbilical cord which is pretty cool, they will remove those lines in a couple of days and will get a PICC line probably in his leg. He will likely require a blood transfusion at some point too, in the all and all he is doing well. 

Delivery into the World Day 1

Calen Reed Clopp was born on Feburary 12, 2011 at 8:05pm via cesarean section. He was born prematurely at 26 weeks and 6 days gestation. Holly (his mother) was becoming very illl and their became no other option but to deliver the baby to prevent further complications to mom. He weighed 1 pound and 7 ounces on delivery and measured 11.75" long. During the c-section we were hoping Holly would have the chance to see him but she didn't get that chance as he was quickly taken back to the "resuscitation" room to start stabilizing him. I spent another 20 minutes with Holly prior to them letting me see Calen in the resuscitation room. Holly made it through the c-section very well and was out out recovery very quickly. Mother and baby were doing great at this point.