 |
My First Month - October 1998
I was born on Tuesday, October 6, 1998 at 9:16P.M. My Official weight was 1 lb 2.1 oz and I was born not breathing on my own, so I was put on a respirator. I was rushed to NICU after my mommy and Daddy caught a glimpse of me. Although mommy doesn't remember because she
had just woke up from her surgery. I was put on a lot of different machines including, apnea monitors, blood pressure, heart rate and blood oxygen level. I was on several different medications that controled my blood pressure, blood sugar and I was also on steriods to help my lungs develop a little faster. I was under an ultraviolet light because my billiruben levels were too high and I had patches over my eyes because they were still fused shut. I had an IV in my belly button that gave me nutrition, which were called TPN and Lipids. I was also being sedated so that I wouldn't move around and hurt myself because my bones and skin were so fragile. I was under what mommy and daddy called plastic wrap to keep what heat I did produce inside. The harder I had to work to keep warm the less weight I would gain, but worse...the more I would lose. In addition to the wrap, I was also laid on top of a heating pad and sheep skin with TONS of blankets around me. My skin was as thin as tissue paper, so mommy and daddy couldn't even touch me for the first few days! Mommy and Daddy came to see me everyday, but before they could they had to scrub their hands up to their elbows and put on ugly yellow sterile gowns. They had to do this to keep all of the germs out of the NICU so us tiny babies wouldn't get more sick. I did pretty well for the first few days, my oxygen and respirator levels continuously went down, along with most of my medications. When I was 5 days old they did an echocardiogram (ultrasound of the heart) to see if a valve called the Ductus Arteriousus had closed on it's own. When it doesn't close (as it does in most term babies) it is then called a Patent Ductus Arteriousus,
which is what they found. They first attempted to close it with a medication called Indocin. They waited 24 hours and did another Echo, but the medication didn't work so surgery was scheduled. They planned to go in through my tiny ribs and put a clamp, which will stay forever on that valve to make it just like it should be. The surgery was very scary for my parents, but it was sucessful and they say my heart is as good as new now! I am out from under the ultaviolet lights now, but they still have the patches on my eyes because they are still fused. After a few good days, I started needing more oxygen to help me breath and I also needed a transfusion because my platelet count was low. The doctors told us it probably wasn't anything serious, but they started doing some tests to see if they could find out why I was getting sicker. One morning one of the Neonatologists called my mommy and had to get consent for a Spinal Tap. At the time this was really scary to my mommy and daddy, but it became just a part of the routine as time went on. With this test, they had to wait 5 days and each day they checked with the lab to see if a bacteria was growing..so it was a long waiting process. In the meantime I turned 10 days old and on this day it is routine to do an ultrasound of the head to see if there were any Intraventricular Hemorrhages, "Brain Bleeds". These are common in Preemies, because our heads are so fragile and soft and a lot of damage can happen from just moving us around, but especially during delivery. There are different levels of IVH's and the degree is what determines the effects it has on the baby. Some severe affects include, Mental Retardation,Cerebral Palsy, not being able to walk, talk or use of one or all limbs. Then yet, some IVH's even go away on their own if they are not severe. Well, it is the BIG day...everyone is really nervous, even mommy's doctor that delivered me was there. Well, can we all say it together.....NO BLEEDS whatsoever. I got really lucky everyone told my mommy and daddy and from there a lot of people including the Doctors said, the road may be just a little bit easier. The next couple of days were stable and they never found anything in the cultures from my Spinal Tap. So they decided to see how I would do off the respirator and onto CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This was less pressure than the respirator and I was actually breathing on my own, just with a little extra help when I inhaled. There were two tiny prongs that fit in my nostrils connected to two tubes which were hooked to the oxygen, and that was set at 100% for the first day. For the first 12 hours I was fine, then we went downhill. My mommy got a call saying that I had been put back on the respirator and that they suspected NEC Necrotizing Enterocolitis.
This is a disease which affects the bowels when a small part of the bowel has been obstructed. Sometimes if not caught soon enough it results in surgery where they remove part of the small or large intestine and for a period of time the baby has an Ostomy. Well, remember when I had started getting sick? It has been almost 6 days...so guess what, they didn't catch it in time. Time for another surgery, this one was scary because they didn't know until they opened my little tummy how much of my intestine or even which one would have to be removed. Luckily it was just a very small % and at the end I had what was called an Ileostomy because it affected my small intestine. So now I had a small bag on the outside of my tummy which collected my stools. The Doctors told my mommy and daddy they expected a full recovery and that I would have my Ostomy reversed before I went home from the hospital. Mommy found out later that some babies aren't so lucky :( During this time my mommy is pumping and storing milk for me when I am ready to eat it. But as for now, they just keep increasing my IV fluids and I am too sick to be weighed again. Four days after my surgery I am doing great and already off the respirator and back on CPAP. Also, on this same day I opened my eyes for my mommy for the first time, 3 wks before they predicted. I don't keep them open for long of course, because things are still really bright to me..even when it is dark in the NICU. The next few days were good. My oxygen levels slowly went down, all of my meds were on minimal levels and I had a whole bed full of stuffed animals. When I was 20 days old, I was finally weighed for a second time since birth and I had gained .6oz - 1 lb 2.7oz. Still not officially measured yet. After this they started me on Sugar Water to get me ready to start a small amount of milk and I am handling it fine. FINALLY, I am 22 days old and mommy got to hold me for the first time. She said it took longer to untangle all of the cords and keep me wrapped in 4 blankets than the length of time she got to hold me (about 5 min). But she said it was the happiest moment of her life. There is a picture of us below! Things were beginning to move quickly, they started me on Sterile water and the day after that I got the REAL thing .3cc's of my mommy's milk. (There are 30 cc's in 1 ounce) The last day of this month I was stable, my oxygen was down to 33% and I weighed 1 lb 4.4 oz. Guess my mommy's milk was really working huh?? Oh yeah, they finally measured me for the very first time, 11 3/4 inches long.
SECOND MONTH
THIRD MONTH
FOURTH MONTH
|
