Marlee Probably Coming Home Mon Or Tues

I never count my chickens before they hatch, but it looks like we "might" be in good shape to have Marlee home by Thanksgiving. This will be great because this is the first time in 4 years I will be home for Thanksgiving and/or Christmas even. The past 3 years were spent in Iraq.

The first week of November she took all bottles for 30 hours and they removed her tube. Then..they said they had to put it back in because she was getting to tired. I always thought this was just due to some lazy nurses and still think I was partly right in that regards.

Anyways, we finally met up with the Physical Therapist to see what she was doing. Basically it was exercises that were SUPPOSED to be done with her for each feeding and the other nurses were supposed to be doing this as well. Some nurses had no problems feeding her, while some always seem to have an excuse. Well, we are VERY patient, but done with the excuses.

I left work the other day to go up there while the therapist was there. Normally Nat would hand Merrick off to me when I got home and go with Marlee.

She had taken 9 bottles in a row, then her past 2 bottles from before I got there were half tube and half bottle(by a different nurse). COme to find out, she had 2 other babies to tend to besides Marlee. Now don't get me wrong, Marlee is a chore to feed, but having 3 babies for one nurse seems a bit much, espicially if each child needs to be fed every 3 hours and it lasts over 30 minutes at times for each feeding.

Marlee was FUSSY. I had not done hardly any feedings by bottle with Marlee ever. The Therapist started, but was havig a rough time. The nurse standing by way just saying..."she's tired, she's fussy, etc.". I took her from the Therapist, got her calmed down and she drained the entire 55ml for me. The only other full bottle feeding she took was for Nat later on that evening. We were NOT pleased. Nat talked with the evening nurse and they were on the same page.

She has always done better with the Nuk nipple and after a week had passed AFTER I already said to use only that nipple(some nurses were still flip-flopping) it was STRICTLY ordered to use nothing but the Nuk(therapist agreed), and also to start each and everytime her feedings with a bottle...not say..."well, she just looked tired so I tube fed her".

She took all of her feedings last night by bottle and when Nat called this morning and did not feel comfortable with the specific nurse, booked it up there before her feeding. I guess that nurse was well warned and very helpful. Nat stayed there the majority of the day and was also able to catch our favorite doctor while he was making rounds. She laid it all out for him and he frowned and said..."Really? Well, we will fix that!" He worte on the chart to remove her tube and there would NEVER be another part of a feeding through a tube for her. Later the nurse asked if Nat wanted it removed now, or when the evening nurse was on shift...Nat said..."Uh...NOW!!!"

She did have her first car seat test and only lasted an hour(30 minutes shy) before she had a drop, but it really wasn't a drop. The evening nurse said they should not have even counted it since it did not last 20 seconds and she fixed herself. She is going to do another one tonight(maybe, but doesn't think she needs to), and told Nat to be preparred to bring her home MOnday evening if the results from her ultrasound on MOnday come back that evening.

It's a shame we have to kep tabs on certain nurses like that to ensure they are doing thier jobs. I really think Marlee could have been home a week ago, but it look like our LONG road is ending.

WOO HOO

Thank You SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much for all you guy's support and thoughts and prayers...

 

Thats heaps good that she could be home soon, good luck I hope for the best so she can be home with yous both and her brother

 

:yahoo: Great news!!! I hope she is home by Thanksgiving and all of you get to spend to a lovely Thanksgiving as a family :hug:

 

I hope she is home soon. :hug:

 

That is fantastic news about Marlee (hopefully) coming home soon! For what it's worth... we had the same problem with our Piper - some nurses could feed her and some could not. She was in the hospital for 30 days, and we finally had to tell the hospital staff that we were taking her whether or not she met the test for 48 hours of full bottle feeding. Twice she went ten bottles in a row and then missed one, and come to find out like you that the nurse was busy, or there was an inspection at the nursery, or another baby was having problems. We finally complained and said we were pulling her out. The doctor agreed, and we brought her home with no issues.

(no edits, I just hit the wrong button!)

 

Yeah...I have heard that from others as well.

Now don't get me wrong. I am and have been totally patient through all of this and I am perfectly fine with her being there as long as she "needs" to be, but I have ZERO problems thinking that Nat and I could not feed her at home when we ourselves never had any problems, and that was without me really working with her much at all with her feedings. I'm sorry...are little babies supposed to be easy??? Ha

I'm glad it worked out this way though. A couple days ago, I had already told Nat that Monday I was going to see what my options were to yank her out of there if she passed her car seat test and was just left with feeding issues. Either way, she was coming home and I wasn't going to let lazy nurses continue to keep us seperated.

 

How exciting; you'll have both babies home.

I hope somebody else is cooking Thanksgiving dinner because you guys are gonna be up all night long

 

:woohoo: Awesome news!!!! I agree with taking charge over the feedings...they wanted us to keep JT in one more day and we said no....we can go get weight checks and obviously we will not let our baby starve we will take him to the hospital if we can't get enough in him!!! Good luck the real fun is about to begin!!!

 

Yeah...we are actually making Deep Fried Prime Rib for Thanksgiving. I'm the cook of the house, so we will just have work something out. If I get just a couple hours of sleep I am good. Well, we will just have to see what the Dinner turns out like...Ha

Merrick has to go back Wednesday for his Circ, because since his hernia was the size of a small planet, they couldn't do it, so I am gonna scam out of work to take him so Marlee doesn't have to be drug out as well.

Oh yeah, and I just got a teaching job here on base. It's a 3 year tour(I start Monday) and it means ZERO deployments for 3 years. When I am normally home for only 6 months, then gone for 4(not counting the little trips I take when I am home to fly with the planes), this will be a big welcomed change.

 

So sorry you are having to battle it out with certain nurses! :grr: Marlee is very lucky to have such good advocates for her and her care! I hope she gets to come home soon!!! :hug:

 

AWESOME!! :woo:

 

Sean that is great news, I hope you and Nat are able to bring Marlee home before T-day :hug:

This is great news too!!! Congrats!

 

Well, just talked with the nurses...it is 100% Official.


They did another Car Seat Test just to be sure. She passed it with flying colors as well as her hearing test.

It will be tuesday at the absolute latest. Her Head Ultrasound is Monday and the results will probably be back Monday Evening, so I would think we will get her Tues morning. Not really sure why we have to wait for the results, but could be because she now has a shunt. I am cool with that. She has already had one since her shunt was put in and it was the same as all her other Ultrasounds...never changed.

The Doctor wanted to ensure that we have plenty of help at home. I bet...

So far we are VERY lucky with Merrick and neither babies have signs of colic. Now he always sleeps in at least (1) 5 - 5 1/2 hour stretch at night without even waking, but lets see what Marlee throws into the mix.

To be honest...I couldn't care less if they cry all night long and I NEVER get any sleep. It's been a long road, but 3 1/2 and 4 months is WAY too long to have to wait to be a Family, but we came through it intact and in great spirits. Piece of Cake...LOL.

I may not be qualified, or a professional in all regards of child care, but if it's one thing I(we) are Pros at, it's the NICU and how to effectivly handle a LONG stint.

 

YEAH!!! How incredibly awesome!!! She will thrive at home. I really saw a huge difference in mine when they got home. And, Mitchell wasn't gaining at home, but nobody needed to tell me something was wrong...I knew. So I am glad it happened at home, I was able to figure out what to do to help him. So glad to hear your angels will be home. And it will be worth all the work, all the lack of sleep and everything. Those first days home with both babies are the most precious moments ever. Especially after going through a long NICU stay!!!

 

I also think it will help Merrick. I think he misses her. He fusses when we put him down if he is awake. I don't think he lokes being alone after being with sister for so long, but I can't fit in there with him. He's really not bad at all though...we are lucky

I truly believe in the whole "twin connection" thing, so it will probably help him.

 

So glad to hear she passed the Car Seat test!! :clapping: It has most definitely been a long road for you guys, and I am so happy that your family will finally all be together under one roof!! :woo:

Have you talked to your pedi about letting him sleep for that long? My girls were 28 weekers, and both almost 5lbs when they came home and it was MONTHS before we got the go ahead to go more than 4 hours between feedings. That meant that we had to wake them up, even if they were sleeping peacefully. Even if they are gaining weight, they still have a lot of ground to make up to get on the growth curve for their actual age. That happened around 6 months adjusted for us, and it was then that we were able to let them sleep longer. I know its hard, but even though they are gaining weight, its still super important to make sure they are getting fed no less than every 4 hours. They need those calories!

Keep us posted on the Homecoming!!

 

Yeah, we talked to him about it on the 2nd visit, which was right after his surgery. It didn't really happen until after he was home for a week. We have the Itzbeen to go off every 4 hours, but at times he is just still knocked out. Maybe 4 or 5 times out of the week he sleeps for bout 4.5 to 5.5 hours without waking.

The doc. was pleased with the fact that he put on over 3 ounces in just under 3 days from being discharged, must less the fact that he didn't even lose anything because of his surgery. He ended up putting on 7 ounces in like 11 days. In fact, at first, the doc wanted to see him every week for a bit, but after the 2nd visit, he said (with all smiles) that no need to see him every week, maybe just every 2 weeks if that. He still was amazed he was born at 24 weeks has doesn't have ANY health issues. Of course he did have ther hernia, but that is common since it doesn't seal up until the last few weeks of gestation...but anyways...

Yes, we were wondering that. We have been so used to feeding them at certain times, but he said since he is gaining and doing so well, to just feed him ad-lib and that it was fine if he went that during the night.

He came home with being told to feed him 60-70mL each feeding. He has steadily gone up in the short time he has been home. In 18 days, he has gone from 60-70mL each feeding to 100mL starting yesterday. He is a disposal...and he took that in 17 Min 5 seconds(yes, my dorky self timed it). He now takes 100mL every time with no problem.

Now...the Doc did say that if he slept for say 5 hours or so without waking that the feeding after that one might only be 3 hours later. I fig'd as much, and that's exactly what happens. He will go 5 hours, eat, then at 3 1/3 hours on the dot he wants to eat again. During the day, it's every 4 to 4 1/2 hours, but never longer til he is ready to eat.

He goes back Wed to get circ'd and I am curious to see how big he is now. I know he is over 6lbs, just how much is the question. It will be 24 days since his discharge when he weighed 5Lbs 4 ounces. My guess is that he will tip the scales right over 6lbs 4 ounces. Nat and I try to make a game on how much he's gonna weigh.

 

...oh...and if the doc wanted me to wake him and feed him every 4 hours, you can bet I would. It's just not fair. The Itzbeen wakes me up every 4 hours, but he gets to sleep through it...no fair!!!

 

That's great that you can be home with the kiddies and not be worried about being sent over seas. You definitely need to stick around and share your experience with other NICU parents.

 

I know...how perfect timing was that?

I was on my 3rd deployment on less than 3 years when I had to come back because they were born early.

It was honestly going to start looking like 4 months gone, 4 months at home for me(as you guys watch the news as well). With that, I am usually gone at least 4-5 days every 2 weeks if I have to fly on a plane on local trips in the US as the only mechanic. So pretty much I am gone all the time, or a lot of the time, even when I am home.

I love my job and I have never complained or argued not to go somewhere. I'm told...I go. It was my choice to keep re-enlisting.

It's just crazy that my 3 years teaching job starts the day(monday) or day before Marlee comes home. Someone is keeping an eye out for us. And when I say no deployments, it also means no trips throughout the US for 3 whole years. I've been in 14 years. I think I have done my fair share for now.

 

I think you have done more then your fair share, you and Nat enjoy having those babies home and having a wonderful holiday and family time together.

 

Yayyyy!! The best news I've read all day. I'm so happy for you and Nat.

 

What a wonderful thanksgiving you will all have :hug: