We arrived in New Orleans safely this evening. We are looking forward to relaxing and enjoying ourselves for a couple of days. We look forward to seeing all that New Orleans has to offer. We have been calling the NICU to check up on the girls probably every four to six hours, They are doing well. They are one month old today! How fast the month has gone by. Today they have all been weaned down on their oxygen percentages. This is great news as this means their lungs are healing and growing stronger. Ashlyn had to go back on the dopamine medicine to help her blood pressure. When dopamine is being given they stop the feeds because the blood flow is decreased to the gut. It is important to have a good blood flow to the gut when being fed. The doctors stop the feeds to help prevent problems like NEC (Necrotizing enterocolitis). Haley on the other hand is being weaned off the dopamine and will get to start feeds when she is off of it. She is still on the oscillator, because it seems likes she likes it so much better than the traditional vent, plus her ABG's (Arterial Blood Gas's) look much better on it. Rachel is doing really well today, we are so excited about that. They have been able to wean her O2 to the best settings yet for her. Over all they all seem like they are getting some what stronger as the days go by. We love these little precious girls. They have truly touched and blessed our lives already. We look forward to spending many days ahead with them. Ashlyn, Rachel, and Haley are so amazingly strong. We are so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has permitted them to remain with us thus far. We feel so blessed to have them in our family.
Yay! Sounds like a pretty good day for everyone, including you guys. We just left our sweet preemie (now 14.5 months) at home with grandma and have flown to London for a friend's wedding, so we are missing our princess, too, but it is good to get away...but still hard! I'm so glad you're able to get good, regular updates while you are gone. Have a great time!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you made it safely to New Orleans. Sounds like the girls are doing well. Thats great. Have a fun vacation.
ReplyDeleteI just read Sarah Cotton's comment and she is right "each to their own" I am the mother of 4 grown girls, we are on our way out to Idaho to drop our last 2 off at BYUI. Two of our girls had medical issues when they were born and I know how difficult and up and down life is right now for you. One thing I have learned through out my life is that you have to be smart about what you do and taking time for yourself as a couple or individual to regroup and regenerate is smart. Enjoy your time together my prayers are with you!
ReplyDeleteAmanda and Thomas, I am very happy you are in New Orleans enjoying some relaxing time! You did the right thing, and you are excellent parents! You need time for yourself in order to regroup and provide the best for your children. New Orleans has lots to offer and you shouls make the best of these days you're there. Try Bourbon St, and check on the jazz bands that play all day long. You can enjoy great jazz any time of the day. The best jazz band I've ever seen was playing there 11:00 am!!! Keep checking on the girls over the phone (just for your own peace of mind), but they are in great hands! Enjoy your weekend!!!
ReplyDeletePS - Sarah Cotton, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all! Keep your nasty comments to yourself.
While it is true these are precious moments you have with your girls, I believe that you also deserve and need occasional breaks for yourselves. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about needing a recharge! I think that you are doing every single thing for them that you can be right now. You love them so much and pray for them each day, the rest is up to the medical staff and ultimatly, the Lord. Anyone who wants to speak ill of you for that has absolutly no respect for what you're going through. Emotional rollercoasters are no fun and every now and then you have to hop off and try to regain some normalcy!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your time together and come home safely!
As always, your family will be in my prayers!
Christina McKinney
Thank God for a little breather to "relax" and spend a little time with family. I hope you guys have a great time on your mini-vacation. I'm with the others, you guys need time for yourself too. You will not do the girls any good if you two aren't fresh and relaxed. My daughter had surgery when she was two (9 months ago). We were only in the hospital for four days yet it felt like a month. On the rare occasion I could go to the cafeteria when mom came to take over me, it was wonderful. And that was ONLY FOUR DAYS. You guys have been doing this for months (before and after babies). You desperately need to get away and take some time for yourself. Your little girls are safely in the hands of the nurses, doctors, and most of all God.
ReplyDeleteI actually came on to ask about the girls length now. Do you know how much they may have grown? I guess by this point if they were still in the womb they wouldn't be growing much so they might be close to their birth size. When Nathan's little girl came early he bought a little stuffed dog and took pictures of her next to it once a week for at least three months. He slowly watched his little girl outgrow the puppy. It was a cute idea I thought. A way to show her later how small she really was.
Amanda and Thomas have you held the three girls yet? I know you must of held the other three babies but I was wondering if it has happened with your girls yet. Does anyone know if they have? I am a big advocater that babies will get better faster when they are in the arms of their mother/father, as long as it is medically safe for them to do so. Our 25 week preemie was born August 19th. The first time he was held on his dad's birthday on September 15 and he was just a month old. What a great present for my husband to get to hold his son on his birthday. Your girls are at the one month mark and maybe it will being happening soon if it hasn't happened already.
ReplyDeleteThey cannot be held if they are on oscillators (heart/lung bypass machines!!) Right now technology and medicine is keeping them alive. They will get held when they aren't so critical. They maybe one month, but they are only 27 weekers! They wouldn't be born for 13 more weeks! Let time heal- along with all the medical technology help they are receiving. Looking at their birth weights and only being one month with no feedings really yet, they are still teeny tiny.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your weekend. You are not that far if something were to change. You are doing the right thing!
When my daughter was in NICU, I thought I should be spending every waking moment with her. But the NICU Supervisor pulled me aside and told me that my daughter had 24 hour nursing care and it was time to look after me. She banned me from visiting for a few days at one point so I could heal physically from the exhaustion of being up pumping milk every few hours and the emotional trauma of what had been a very rough pregnancy.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your break while you can. You are very smart to look after yourselves as well as your girls. Once the girls are home, you won't get a chance to have a getaway for a long time.
God Bless you all.
Enjoy your break. I was unable to give myself a break with my 24 weeker in the NICU and spent all day (and many late evenings) by his bedside for four months. The only 4 days I missed were when I was sick and was not allowed to come in (of course). Although I certainly do not regret having done it the way I did, I do think it is very healthy for the parents to have a little break. Life is very hard in the NICU and with three at home it will not be extremely easy either.
ReplyDeleteI hope you do get to hold the ladies sometime soon. We were able to hold our boy when he was three weeks (27 weeks gestation) but still on the vent. It is actually shown that babies who are offered kangaroo care (skin to skin contact with parents) frequently, once they are strong enough, grow stronger, healthier lungs and have calmer and healthier breathing and heart rate. In general they tend to thrive better. I hope your hospital supports you in doing this. It feels very special!
Take very good care of yourselves.
Kelsey,
ReplyDeleteAn oscillator is a high frequency ventilator---it is NOT a heart/lung bypass. That would be ECMO. Just correcting the misinformation for others following the blog.
It's good that the parents get away for a while. There is nothing wrong with that.
Glad you there and that your girls are doing well. Don't forget to keep pumping while away, even if you have to dump!!! Have fun!
ReplyDeleteLike others I am very glad you and your husband were able to get away! My niece has 6 month old quads (garrettquads.blogspot.com) and I know how her life has changed so much since they came into this world. In fact...they have changed all of our lives...for the better. But, it takes many dedicated hours each day just for the daily chores for each tiny one. Now is the perfect time to take a little breather and visit your family. The girls are in excellent hands in the hospital. We are all praying for you and your girls and we appreciate the updates!
ReplyDeletei hope you are having a marvelous time! the babies are being well taken care of, and lovingly too! enjoy yourselves. love Erma
ReplyDelete