NICU Diary - Day 11

Tuesday, October 17, 2000

I spent the morning with Mommy. She talked to me a lot and tried to help me relax so that the nurse wouldn’t have to give me any more morphine. I was kind of cranky a few times and was really squirmy. I even opened my eyes just a sliver a couple of times. I am getting really tired of lying on my back. My head is getting sore, and the neonatalogists are concerned that I am getting skin sores on the back of my head from being in the same position for so long. Mommy was asking all the doctors to call about my ortho board but nobody seemed to know for sure where it was.

I had to have another suppository today because I hadn’t pooped since Sunday. Once I got that suppository though, my system reacted pretty quickly! Mommy helped the nurse change my diaper. I am still getting a little less than a teaspoonful of milk every hour. It’s great to finally get some real food!

About 5:30 this afternoon, my orthopedic doctor brought my special backboard. They took an X-ray to make sure that the board has me in proper alignment, and this time it was a good fit. When Mommy and Daddy came to see me this afternoon, I was already lounging in it. It looks kind of like a custom baby bathtub. It is very soft and forms perfectly to my body. Daddy thinks I need a TV remote to go with my “special recliner.”

Since I'm now secure in the board, the nurses can roll me from side-to-side to get some of the pressure off the back of my head. They are going to take me out of the board every four hours to check for sores and to give me a little bit of a break. When they take me out of the board, they will weigh me to see how much I have grown. The orthopedic team that made the board were quite impressed with themselves. They had never designed a board as small as this one and wanted to take lots of pictures of me in it. Mommy and Daddy had to consent that they could take pictures of me to use for “University Research.” I am a very popular guy in this hospital!

ENT stopped by and told Mommy that my custom trach will be delivered tomorrow. The company that made it promised that it would be shipped out today for overnight delivery. So, tomorrow the ENT will be able to change my trach and see how much I have healed since my surgery last Wednesday. Mommy had her first hands on experience with my trach today. She suctioned me for the first time. She was pretty nervous, but I know that she will be comfortable with it by the time I come home. Daddy gets to practice on me tomorrow!

I was weaned a little more off the ventilator today and am doing great. If everything continues to go well, I should be off the ventilator completely in about a week or less.

I was a little tired this evening when Mommy and Daddy came to visit. All that moving around to get in my new “seat” wore me out. I did open my right eye just a little for Daddy. I didn’t want him to get too jealous since I winked at Mom earlier today. I got more presents too. My Aunt Sandy, Uncle David, and cousins sent a really soft baby blanket that is monogrammed with my name. It will feel great when I finally get to come home. I also got a huge gift basket with lots of preemie outfits and rattles from one of Daddy’s customers, Kern Manufacturing.