Roller Coaster...Of Love

Roller Coaster, Ah - Ooh - Ooh - Ooh...  Yup, you're welcome for getting THAT song stuck in your head!!!  It seems like I've had it stuck in my head too this week.  It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride.

I'm a little behind Teagan's two week mark.  It seems like we've been figuring out a new schedule that works every day lately. Oh well, better late than never!

Over the week, Teagan made consistent progress.  First, the doctors kept increasing her milk intake and she handled each increase well.  She's obviously in the right family!  She was up to 8 mL every 3 hours and they were starting to add some supplement to get her weight up.  She currently weighs 510 grams.  Each day we would visit she would have fewer and fewer IV's until they finally took those away.  Both IV's she had running through her navel were removed, which is an important step towards Ian and I being able to hold her.

The medication that the doctors gave her for the murmur (PDA) seems to have worked.  They will continue to check to see if they hear signs that it has re-opened, but they can no longer hear the heart murmur, which is a really good sign.  They also xrayed her head, which showed no inter-cranial-bleeds which is great considering they are common in infants Teagan's age.

On Sunday we had a bit of a scare.  When we came to visit at the hospital, Dr. Lawson was working on Teagan with a couple of nurses.  Usually when we visit, there is only the nurse on duty and the doctor or a lactation consultant comes by to check in.  The nurses had discovered an inflammation of the large intestine, most likely caused by bacteria.  The solution was to stop her food for the next 7-10 days and give her antibiotics and IV fluids.  If the antibiotics do not work, in order to avoid the intestine perforating, surgery at Children's or Swedish Hospital in Seattle may be necessary.

Ian and I are concerned about Teagan being moved for treatment for a couple of reasons.  First, it is a lot of stress to put on a preemie.  Second, it may be difficult for us to get her moved back to Evergreen Hospital.  It was also vitally important for the doctor to get a central IV line in so that they can administer meds more easily, and they were finally able to do that on Sunday. 

 With stopping her feeding, her weight has dropped, which is a concern, but the inflammation is a larger concern right now.  After two days on the antibiotics, she has improved and we hope to be able to start her food again this weekend. She's also had a couple of transfusions, which are completely normal for preemies and have helped her anemia.

Teagan in her nest

Daddy holding Teagan

The nurses have started swaddling Teagan, which keeps her from moving too much and all around she seems calmer.  Ian and I have been placing our hands over her legs and head in the isolette, and she has been opening her eyes to look at us and gripping our fingertip with her hand.  She also has been crying periodically - the tiniest little voice you have heard.

WHY'S everybody always pickin' on me?

 Teagan also has been having a few breathing episodes since coming off the CPAP.  They took her off the CPAP machine because the mask was wearing little sores on her nose and upper lip.  She has been getting the equivalent of a preemie quad-shot of caffeine occasionally to help her breathing.

Mama holding Teagan

 

Ian in the comfy chair

We continue to make daily visits to the hospital.  The nurses are beginning to recognize us.  One nurse pulled me aside the other night to tell me how much they all loved our baby.  We've started to add things to her hospital room to make it feel less like a hospital.  I brought Teagan her very first Glassybaby, which is a great company that makes little collectable candle holders here in Seattle.  I picked a color called "Happiness" which I will later decorate to make look like a ladybug.  I have a ladybug theme in mind for Teagan's nursery.

I'm continuing to get better as well, although I have difficulty with the phrase "don't push yourself".  I did start back at work this week, although it's just been half days from home.  I should be able to start driving again tomorrow so I'll try half days in the office next week.  Luckily my office is just a few miles from the hospital in Kirkland.  Ian has been back at work full time and going to the hospital nights.  We're trying to conserve as much of our work leave as possible for when Teagan comes home. 

Thank you again to all our friends, family and colleagues who have been our rock of support.  We appreciate all your help and can't wait to share this amazing little girl with you!