Our journey started with Tyler's birth and ended 17 days later when he was finally released.
Tyler was basically fine at birth, even though he was a little young. He was breathing on his own and had good APGAR scores. He did spend about 6 minutes in an oxygen tent but that's it. He also had an IV put in to keep him hydrated and supplement his feeding (since his stomach was little). After about 2 days he decided he didn't want to have an IV so he pulled it out. The nurses had trouble starting a new IV (but finally got one in his head). That IV lasted only a few hours before he pulled it out too. They decided not to try to start a new one (since he obviously wouldn't leave it alone). They began upping the amount he got at each feeding a little quicker to make sure he was getting enough nutrients. He made it all the way to 27 ml (about an ounce) before he started to use more energy than he was getting. So they put in a feeding tube (he still got as much as he could suck and then we would top him off with the tube. After a few days he no longer needed this either.
Tyler was basically fine at birth, even though he was a little young. He was breathing on his own and had good APGAR scores. He did spend about 6 minutes in an oxygen tent but that's it. He also had an IV put in to keep him hydrated and supplement his feeding (since his stomach was little). After about 2 days he decided he didn't want to have an IV so he pulled it out. The nurses had trouble starting a new IV (but finally got one in his head). That IV lasted only a few hours before he pulled it out too. They decided not to try to start a new one (since he obviously wouldn't leave it alone). They began upping the amount he got at each feeding a little quicker to make sure he was getting enough nutrients. He made it all the way to 27 ml (about an ounce) before he started to use more energy than he was getting. So they put in a feeding tube (he still got as much as he could suck and then we would top him off with the tube. After a few days he no longer needed this either.
The majority of my time (after I was finally released) was spent getting the house ready for our little man (since I though I still had 2 months not much was ready) and having Jess drive me to the hospital (since I wasn't allowed to drive).
The nurses that we worked with, and who cared for Tyler, were wonderful. They were friendly and taught us all sorts of things (like how to swaddle a squirmy little boy). They also made sure that we understood everything that was going on with Tyler. They made sure we understood so that we could be comfortable with the wires, tubes and whatever else, and could focus on Tyler and not on the medical stuff. They were supportive and caring.
On January first we were sent home with our little man in tow. What a wonderful, terrifying day!
The nurses that we worked with, and who cared for Tyler, were wonderful. They were friendly and taught us all sorts of things (like how to swaddle a squirmy little boy). They also made sure that we understood everything that was going on with Tyler. They made sure we understood so that we could be comfortable with the wires, tubes and whatever else, and could focus on Tyler and not on the medical stuff. They were supportive and caring.
On January first we were sent home with our little man in tow. What a wonderful, terrifying day!
Yay for sweet little man coming home!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion; there is a Once Upon a Child in Reading and one in Harrisburg. I'll have to check one of them out.
I wouldn't want to see you part with your stuff, unless you know you're done. I've decided I'm just going to start raiding Shaun's side of the closet for oversized stuff that will camoflage the funky waistband. He never wears his sweaters anyway.