NICU Diary Day 50

Saturday, November 25, 2000

Everyone came back to visit me this morning, but Grandma & Grandpa didn't stay long. My room is busy, and I now have bunkmates on both sides. Grandma stayed long enough to finish her roll of “Pete Pictures.” Boy, does she ever flash that camera at me!

Ventilator Update

The doctors decided not to work me quite as hard off the ventilator today and set me up for three six hour trials. I did OK on my first six-hour trial, but I didn’t do so well at 4:00 p.m. when they took me off the vent for the second one. Mommy and Daddy stayed to see how I was doing. My heart rate was creeping up again, and I was taking very shallow breaths.

They asked my nurse if I should be put back on the ventilator because I was also looking a little pale. She talked to one of my docs, and they decided to put me back on the ventilator and try another wean this evening after my bath. The nurse was also going to draw blood to see if I need a higher dosage of the medicine that helps me breathe on my own and to also check my iron levels.

Mommy and Daddy were pretty exhausted and a little bummed out that I was going backwards on my ventilator weans. They decided to go home before the nurse drew blood. They're planning to call several times this evening to check on me though!

I have been very lucky to get my favorite nurses so far in the NICU overflow. Tracy had me for twelve hours last night, and Wendy had me all day today. She's back at 3:30 a.m., and I hope she gets me again!

I had some other visitors today too. Mommy and Daddy’s friends Mark and Peggy came to see me. Peggy’s daughter has been in the hospital since Thursday in premature labor. She's about as far along as Mommy was when I was born, but her baby is deciding to wait a while longer. I probably should have waited too, but I’m kind of impatient like my Mommy! By the way, today is my seven-week birthday!!!