Day 55 of Life - August 12th

Well, several things have happened to the little one today. First of all, he is back on the Aladdin. He got "tired" this morning and they put him back on...so, "box face" is back. This is really not all that surprising and hopefully he'll be able to go back on HFO soon.

Also, Ma got to weigh him tonight, and she had to do it twice because the number was so unbelievable. However, she was able to confirm that the little Turkey now weighs in at 1600 g (3.527 lbs)! Now, the last time he was weighed, he was at 1460 g, which means that he has gained 140 g in two days!!! Even for him, this seems quite extreme. Ma and I suspect that he is retaining water again and we won't be surprised if he gets a dose of Lasix tomorrow.

Now, for the fun part. Ma and Pa got to give Sha his first bath tonight and were able to take many embarassing pictures of him! (Those will come in handy in the future!!!) It's nice because Ma and Pa are finally able to help with some of his care, which really helps in family bonding. Stayed tuned for the pics...although I will "alter" them until they can be rated "G"!!!

No More "Box Face" (Hopefully for good!!!)

Day 54 of Life - August 11th

It was a big day for the little one today. First off, he now weighs 1460 g (3.219 lbs) and is still enjoying every second of each feed. They have also decided to stop his Aldactazide (the gentle diuretic they have been giving him) and are going to increase his sodium again.

And now for the big news... Little Sha is off the Aladdin! He is now on high flow oxygen (HFO), which they switched him to this morning, and he seems to be tolerating it well. I asked Meow Mix to explain to me...using his last analogy of driving with your head out the window. He told me that the Aladdin is like driving 90 km/h down the highway with your head out the window...and HFO is like driving 90 km/h with the window down, but your head in the car! So, Sha is receiving 75% oxygen, but it is being delivered at a slower rate than before (2 L/min). This is a brillant move on his part and overall, he seems to be enjoying it...although he is still trying to rip the tape off once in awhile!

If he's good, Ma and Pa will get to give him his first bath tomorrow and then Ma is hoping to hold him. And...if he continues to be good, then next week, they may be able to start him on oral feeds!

So, to celebrate this accomplishment, I (of course) had to take some pictures, with the help of his nurse, Super Aras! I think the poor kid is going to start associating me with a bright light!!!

Just a Couple More...Thanks Sharpie!

In Strong Arms...Waiting for the Next Meal!

Day 53 of Life - August 10th

Meow Mix (formerly known as Dr. C)...who is in charge of Sha this week

I know that I say this almost every day (which is really a good thing), but today, when I say, "It's been a slow news day"...I really mean it! There is absolutely nothing to report about the little one today. His oxygen saturation and requirements are around the same and they haven't weighed him or anything and most importantly, his feeds haven't changed!

So, when Uncle Kabooblah came to hold him today, I had to zip down to the NICU to take a few pictures because I know that if there's no news to report, everyone will be just as happy...if not happier, with some new pictures and a "new" video (although it is a couple of weeks old...it's still enjoyable). So, enjoy...and hopefully, day 54 of life is just as boring!!!

Wear Sunscreen

Ma has asked me to post this (it is too long for the comments section). This was definitely a one hit wonder, but is very touching, with lots of good advice to follow...

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.

Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blind side you at 4 pm on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.

Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't know.

Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.

Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.

Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good.

Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard.

Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble, and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders

. Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.

Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen.

Day 52 of Life - August 9th

The babe now weighs 1420 g (3.13 lbs), which is exactly double his birth weight. Go, Piggy, go!!! The staff was worried again today that Sha would have to come off the Aladdin, but they wrapped him up like a burrito and he started to behave. Little Turkey!

When I stopped into the NICU, Ma was kangarooing the little one and I've never seen anything so adorable. He was nestled against her chest and kept reaching towards her necklace. He looked very relaxed and content.

Pa also held him for a couple of hours today. While being held in Pa's arms, little Sha opened his mouth as wide as Pa has ever seen and he had to regretfullly inform the poor kid that he didn't have any milk!!! So it was a good day, especially for family bonding.

Day 51 of Life - August 8th

Well, the little man had a bit of a rough night last night. His oxygen requirements suddenly spiked to 100% oxygen and they were worried that they might have to re-intubate him. However, they gave him some packed red blood cells and his oxygen requirements gradually dropped...and are now sitting around 30%.

Today is Ma's birthday, her first as a mama, and to celebrate, she arrived at the hospital early and held the boy for awhile. Sha must enjoy being close to his mama, because his blood oxygen saturation was at 100% while being held. Human contact, especially with Ma and Pa, is so important to the little one's growth and development.







Happy Birthday, Ma!
(Picture courtesy of Sharpie!)

Day 50 of Life - August 7th

Another slow news day today, for which we can be thankful!!!

However, if our aim is to have a fat little Turkey for Thanksgiving, then we're on our way. The little one now weighs 1400 g (or 3.086 lbs)... only 20 g more and he'll have doubled his birth weight! He has also outgrown his snugglies and has to move up a size. To top it all off, the little piglet is now receiving 18 cc of breastmilk every 2 hours! The little man is on a mission and is obviously enjoying his new digs!

Day 49 of Life - August 6th

The NICU is divided into sections. The back room is where the sickest babies are and then there's the middle section and the front side room. Each baby usually makes the progression from the back room to the front side room and then over to the Neonatal Progressive Care Unit (NPCU), which is one of the last stops before going home.

Ma is at the hospital still, kangarooing the little one, so Pa just called with my update. Sha has been moved out of the back room and into the middle section! Yeah!!! One step closer to going home.

He is doing very well and is receiving 17 cc of breastmilk every 2 hours. They have increased his sodium, as he is still on the Aldactazide (the mild diurectic) and he is maintaining his saturation in approximately 50% oxygen. So, overall, another slow news day...but some exciting news as well. Keep up the good work, Turkey!!!