Medical Update:

I go home today!!!!! It is a day of pretty heavy mixed emotions for me. I am so excited, after 6 weeks in the hospital to be going home to sleep in my own bed, take relaxing comfortable showers, and spend time with the most supportive and loving husband ever. But I have to go home, 25 miles from where my two little boys are.
I am feeling pretty darn good all things considered, recovering very well and grateful every minute that I did not have to have surgery even though I was more or less begging for them to knock me out and cut me open during the delivery process.

Both boys are showing signs of jaundice which is very common in newborns, especially premies. They will get the blue-light special treatment.

Pictures update!

Brendan has weirdo feet like his mom, we just hope that he gets his dad’s knees!

Little B’s foot in big B’s hand

A few shots under the blue lamps for jaundice

Holding hands with Dad

Poor little guy and all of his connections

The oscillatory ventilator leaves and a traditional one takes its place! Progress!

Trevor is sleeping soundly but it is time for “touch time” – cleaning, changing, testing, holding, feeding etc – every 3hrs

Hey nurse! You’re squishing me!!

Getting comforted by Dad

This is the first time we have seen him start to open his eyes and look around

Peek-a-boo!

This picture tells me that I need 3 things desperately – a haircut, some sleep, and some color in my skin! Trevor his so red due to the jaundice.

Could a baby be any more relaxed than this?

Trevor made huge strides again. The nurse attempted to give him some breast milk in a bottle and he grabbed that thing and guzzled it down like he has been waiting a week for the opportunity. Then I got to hold him for the first time.

We went back again 3 hrs later to see him get his first bath. He was not one bit happy about bath time and protested vigorously until he was red like a lobster. We tried another feeding and he had a hard time staying awake after the bath tantrum. Once he realized he had a chance to eat, he took down the 5ml of milk like a champ. They will be feeding every 3hrs and trying to ramp him up to a full meal so that his umbilical line can come out. Once he is eating the proper quantity, they will want him to try to breastfeed.

Bill put aside his fear of the tinyness and held him too and I think he has been cured.

Brendan is making improvements in baby steps. The cardiologist stopped in tonight and says that he wants to see the lungs heal up and then evaluate his heart again so we will know better what is in his future. He is still bundled up tight with lots of wires and monitors and a nurse at his side 100% of the time. They are hoping to move him to a less severe ventilator and they will put in a PICC line for his medications that will be more stable than the umbilical line. He had pretty blue toes when we were there this morning and tonight they were looking much better.

Pictures Update!
I love this photo of Bill and Trevor

Getting to hold him made my day!

He can show all the babies how it is done

Oh the torture of being touched with a wet wipe!

Medical Update

Trevor had all of his ventilators all removed and he is breathing on his own and doing well. He might have to spend some time under the blue lights today, but he is strong and active and making all kinds of cute squeaks and trying to open his eyes. They are going to start trying to give him breast milk in a few days, probably with a tube straight to his belly. We are able to interact with him now, and should be able to hold him soon!.

Brendan is still pretty heavily sedated and on pain meds for his special respirator. They are managing his blood pressure with medication and trying to get his oxygen profusion up. His toes are pretty dark blue. We don’t get to spend too much time with him right now, he has lots of people working on him, and he is in a tough spot for pictures now.

I almost feel a little guilty that we can see Trevor so much and he is being very photogenic , but I know that in time, we have all the same love and attention that we can pour on both of them.

I am still very sleepy, trying to rest, feeling a bit sore but otherwise doing very well.

Bill and I with Brendan

Brendan and all his connections

Bill’s hand in the picture for scale

Brendan is in an open end of the pod where he is accessed more easily by the teams of doctors. He often gets drapes and shades to reduce the light and give him a bit of privacy to sleep with all the people going by. So he can be hard to see.

Trevor yawns with no machine in the way

Tiny tiny little feet and toes

Seriously, enough with the camera already!

Trevor is a grabby baby, he has long fingers and wants to get ahold of everything he can. Rumor has it he even grabbed on to the clamp as they tried to cut his umbilical cord.

Mom’s hand and a tiny baby

Dad gets to change his first diaper! Right now, it is exciting to get to participate in their care. The novelty of the tiny diaper will wear out soon.

He thinks nobody knows he is looking