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My Fourth Month - January 1998
This month everyone predicts will be my LAST month in the hospital although the doctors wont really say it yet (but the nurses are)!! I have not had any A's & B's since December and I have stopped putting out too much. They have scheduled my reconnection surgery for Jan 6th. Exactly 3 months after I was born. Since Mommy is not working any longer she is with me all day every day and she is starting to get really nervous about my surgery. I have to be put back on the ventilator right before, during and after my surgery and it seems like it is a step backwards after all we have gone through. But mommy and daddy knows it is just procedure. The day before my surgery they have to fill my tummy with saline fluid so that I will get rid of anything I have inside since they are doing surgery on my tummy. Mommy stayed with me that night and I looked really uncomfortable, I was sooo full. On the 6th, my surgery was at 2:00pm. Mommy and Daddy were there when I was done and the surgeon said everything went fantasitc. They expected me to recover quickly and be fine. Of course I was on the ventilator and mommy HATED seeing me that way. So, they left and let me rest for a while. They left me on the ventilator for a full 24 hours while I was on pain medication and pretty much sedated. They started weaning me off and put me underneath an oxygen hood. This was the first time I had been under one of these and it was hard for mommy and daddy to visit with me, but it was better that I was breathing on my own. A couple of days past and I could not be switched to a canula..I was having problems breathing..mommy's worst nightmare. I had developed an infection in my lungs called Cellulitis from being on the ventilator. Basically I was just really congested and had to have respiratory therapy 3 times a day to loosen the mucus in my chest. After 10 days I was finally off of everything that was helping me breath, and was breathing room air for the very first time since I was born. They slowly started increasing my feeds in order to get me ready to eat from a bottle for the first time. Mommy and daddy were so excited because this was the LAST step I had to take before coming home. It was also scary because of all the problems that could arise if I didnt suck and eat correctly. The nurse insisted she do the first feeding but mommy was right there and she cried. Seeing her 3 month old baby eat from a bottle for the very first time was amazing. I did WONDERFUL!! They looked for reflux and had to make sure if I did spit up that I was still getting enough nutrition. I did vomit a few times, but that was to be expected. As far as sucking the nipple, I acted as if I had been doing it all along WWOOHHOO!!!! Mommy was there for every single feed even during the night...She had to get ready for me being home and waking up during the night you know. Things started moving quickly. I knew it was time when they scheduled my homecoming pictures. I got to get all dressed up in a dress and hat and take my first REAL pictures. I was finally on my way home. I was released from Texas Womens Hosiptal in Houston, Tx on January 27, 1999. At the time of Discharge I weighed 4lbs 6.0oz. I went home on an Apnea Monitor, Caffiene, Synthroid and Multivitamins. Mommy and Daddy didnt care what all they had to do...I was finally at home with my family!!!!!!! :)
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