I wasn't able to get up to Albany today, what with the DOG getting picked up yesterday and brought to the SPCA and then us not being able to find proof of vaccination and so on and so forth. But enough of that...
This morning I called the NICU and asked about Lily and her nurse, Sue, said the urologist had been in to see her for her consultation today. Lily has an extra "connection" between her left kidney and her bladder. When she was born, the kidney was enlarged, which is what tends to happen with this sort of condition. BUT, the urologist said Lily's kidney and connections looked "good" for this type of malformation and that most times the added connection doesn't have any adverse affects. We're hoping Lily falls into that MOST category and won't have need for invasive management. We're still waiting for the orthopaedic consult where we'll find out more about the unfused vertebra. Lily isn't tolerating feeds still, but the docs rounded and thought her aspirate looked "satisfactory" and they were thinking about starting her on feeds again tonight or tomorrow. *She's been getting nutrition intravenously...*
EVE, on the other hand, likes her food. She's up to 16 mL of breast milk, some by bottle, some by nasogastric tube. *Nurse said she's a little "sloppy" with the bottle!* I'm hoping to get up there for a feeding soon. They are every four hours and I can't seem to coordinate to get up there for one!
Both girls have some apneas, where they "forget" to breathe for 20 seconds (that's when the bells and whistles go off I suppose), but the nurses said it's common and they are on caffeine for it. When it does happen, they need to be stimulated to get them to "remember" to breathe. SO, we'll see how that progresses. Some preemies come home on apnea monitors. Crossing fingers that they don't have to!
I don't have new pictures to post, obviously, but as soon as we do, I'll get them up in the photo album. My favorite in there for the moment is the one of EVE being held by Daddy and the BIG yawn on her face! That's all for now!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Double take
I don't really have much of an update. Eve is in an isolette and she has one a feeding tube in now. She actually took three feeds of 10 mL each from a bottle, but her 5 p.m. feeding tonight was only 8 by bottle and the rest by the tube. She got tired, the nurse said. We got some pictures of her sans any breathing apparatus, which was awesome and brings us to the name of this post.
Double take! Look to the right and you'll see just how the two of them look when they are next to each other. It's like looking at the same kid twice. I guess that's what HAPPENS when they're identical though ...
Lily is still not tolerating feeds, we'll have to keep praying and crossing our fingers and toes that she starts to do better there. As for her not-fused vertebra and her enlarged kidney problems, we're going to have to wait until the urology and orthopaedic specialists have finished examining the situation and talk to us about the management of them. We're desperately hoping she doesn't need any sort of procedures to correct anything, but it might come to that. She needs prayers for that too.
We found out Eve weighs about 3 pounds 10 ounces, and Lily is about 4 pounds 4 ounces. So they are both above birth weight and doing well in that respect. I just wish Lily didn't have so many problems that are keeping us in limbo. We can be thankful, however, that they are both doing as well as they are because it could have been a LOT, LOT worse, I know. We are thankful that they are as good as they are and we know it is a blessing they even survived.
Check the photo album for a bunch more Lily and Eve pics. Daddy is holding one of his girls *Eve* for the first time on camera. (He held her in the OR, but only for a SECOND.) She looks MIGHTY happy with his hand stroking her head ...
Double take! Look to the right and you'll see just how the two of them look when they are next to each other. It's like looking at the same kid twice. I guess that's what HAPPENS when they're identical though ...
Lily is still not tolerating feeds, we'll have to keep praying and crossing our fingers and toes that she starts to do better there. As for her not-fused vertebra and her enlarged kidney problems, we're going to have to wait until the urology and orthopaedic specialists have finished examining the situation and talk to us about the management of them. We're desperately hoping she doesn't need any sort of procedures to correct anything, but it might come to that. She needs prayers for that too.
We found out Eve weighs about 3 pounds 10 ounces, and Lily is about 4 pounds 4 ounces. So they are both above birth weight and doing well in that respect. I just wish Lily didn't have so many problems that are keeping us in limbo. We can be thankful, however, that they are both doing as well as they are because it could have been a LOT, LOT worse, I know. We are thankful that they are as good as they are and we know it is a blessing they even survived.
Check the photo album for a bunch more Lily and Eve pics. Daddy is holding one of his girls *Eve* for the first time on camera. (He held her in the OR, but only for a SECOND.) She looks MIGHTY happy with his hand stroking her head ...
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Beautiful face
I meant to post yesterday, but was unable to get around to it. BUT, we have some AWESOME news. Lily came off her CPAP at 6:10 a.m. Monday and she was STILL off it as of 7 p.m. tonight! She was breathing ENTIRELY on her own and boy is her little face beautiful. It is the first time we have seen her with virtuely nothing on but the monitors, PICC line and feeding tube. She still isn't really tolerating feeds, but she has held down some of them. Eve was on 21 percent oxygen, which is what everyone breathes and as of last night they thought she would be off the CPAP maybe today, Tuesday. She just WOULDN'T wake up when we were there, she squirmed when you annoyed her! But she is still a cutie. She weighs 3 pounds 10 ounces, she's fluctuating, but still above birth weight. I haven't heard what Lily is yet. But I'm hoping Eve gets an isolette soon. She would look so much better in clothing and that is the only way she is going to be put in clothing, as far as I know. I was just so happy to see that they both look good, especially Lily. Eric said I would be surprised when I saw Lily yesterday and boy was I! But it was a great, awesome surprise. Not much else to say right now. We'll just hope they work on digesting those feeds. There is a picture of Lily without her CPAP at the top right of the page now. I figured we'd redo those as the girls looked more and more like themselves! We'll get up a picture of Eve's beautiful face as soon as we get to see it!!!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Holding High
Yep, I'm still on a holding babies high! We just got back from NICU where I was able to hold both Lily AND Eve! We got to the unit and saw Eve first. She was sleeping rather soundly. Her nurse, Lee, told us to go see Lily and find out what her schedule was and he would come and get us when Eve was ready to hold. So we did just that. Lily was JUST about to get her five o'clock feed. The nurse let me change her pee-pee diaper, which was awesome. *I say that now of course...* The Pampers they use in NICU are SOOOOO tiny. But I was surprised, Lily was SO very cooperative. She just LAID there really. This was the first time she was in an isolette and the first time she had CLOTHES on. The nurse said we could bring in clothing and blankets for the girls! So we are hoping to do that maybe tomorrow. Lily was awake the whole time I held her and she was SO attentive, it was amazing. She has a little weight to her, though not much at just over 4 pounds.
Her sister, on the other hand, was a heck of a squirmer! She just did NOT want to be bothered with when Lee was unhooked/readjusting monitors to give her to me to hold. She squirmed, turned herself red and whined, and it was so cute. As soon as she was in my arms and I wrapped her up, she calmed down and sort of fell asleep. Eric eventually managed to get her first cry video. But he had to wait until Lee put her back on the bed. We got some CUTE video of her there. But we didn't get anymore Lily video and all her pictures when I'm holding her are of her face scrunched, eyes closed etc. She was really very cute most of the time I was holding her, the pictures don't do her justice! But I think we will be posting them nonetheless. I have to set up a photo slideshow page or something off of this one. I'm going to work on that a little tonight while I allow my VERY swollen ankles to try to rest and go down a bit!
Both girls are still on CPAP. Lily's is VERY low. Eve is set on like 33 or 30 and we normally breath 21 percent oxygen. So she is getting there. I'm hoping she gets closer and closer each day! Lee said her lung scan looked like her lungs were definitely improving. He is an awesome nurse. He said he would answer anything we had questions about, even if he had to answer it hypothetically if it concerned Lily. And Lily's nurse, I can't for the life of me remember her name, said next time I come in I can do "kangaroo care" with Lily. They undress her, put her in my shirt *a button up something* and then pull the shirt over her. My body temperature helps her maintain hers and it is supposed to be an excellent thing for preemies especially to have that skin-to-skin contact.
Well, I'm about to run to eat, but I'll try to update tomorrow when we go see the girls again. And I think we are going to go through the clothes and find the SMALLEST outfits we have and bring them to the NICU for the girls. Lily can probably be put into it right away. Eve probably not until they find an isolette available for her. And we can bring our own blankets too. We have Winnie the Pooh receiving blankets! And onsies! I hate leaving the girls, but I know I need the rest and really can't be overdoing it otherwise I am going to be setting myself back. And Eric has to hold the girls too! Maybe tomorrow.
Now I'm off to try to get the pictures and video up.
Her sister, on the other hand, was a heck of a squirmer! She just did NOT want to be bothered with when Lee was unhooked/readjusting monitors to give her to me to hold. She squirmed, turned herself red and whined, and it was so cute. As soon as she was in my arms and I wrapped her up, she calmed down and sort of fell asleep. Eric eventually managed to get her first cry video. But he had to wait until Lee put her back on the bed. We got some CUTE video of her there. But we didn't get anymore Lily video and all her pictures when I'm holding her are of her face scrunched, eyes closed etc. She was really very cute most of the time I was holding her, the pictures don't do her justice! But I think we will be posting them nonetheless. I have to set up a photo slideshow page or something off of this one. I'm going to work on that a little tonight while I allow my VERY swollen ankles to try to rest and go down a bit!
Both girls are still on CPAP. Lily's is VERY low. Eve is set on like 33 or 30 and we normally breath 21 percent oxygen. So she is getting there. I'm hoping she gets closer and closer each day! Lee said her lung scan looked like her lungs were definitely improving. He is an awesome nurse. He said he would answer anything we had questions about, even if he had to answer it hypothetically if it concerned Lily. And Lily's nurse, I can't for the life of me remember her name, said next time I come in I can do "kangaroo care" with Lily. They undress her, put her in my shirt *a button up something* and then pull the shirt over her. My body temperature helps her maintain hers and it is supposed to be an excellent thing for preemies especially to have that skin-to-skin contact.
Well, I'm about to run to eat, but I'll try to update tomorrow when we go see the girls again. And I think we are going to go through the clothes and find the SMALLEST outfits we have and bring them to the NICU for the girls. Lily can probably be put into it right away. Eve probably not until they find an isolette available for her. And we can bring our own blankets too. We have Winnie the Pooh receiving blankets! And onsies! I hate leaving the girls, but I know I need the rest and really can't be overdoing it otherwise I am going to be setting myself back. And Eric has to hold the girls too! Maybe tomorrow.
Now I'm off to try to get the pictures and video up.
Welcome to the Lily and Eve page!
In the interim, until our Web site is completed, Eric and I have decided to keep friends and family updated on the condition of our babies -- Lillian Page Mostaccio and Evelyn Michaela Mostaccio -- through this blog! We will try to update the page with the girls conditions in NICU, with pictures, and with how Mommy and Daddy are doing at home. And what better way to start than to give an update on how the girls are doing today?
May 27, 2007: Around 10 a.m.
A call to the NICU revealed that Lily has been moved from an open warming bed to an isolette. The nurse said babies are moved to the isolette when they are more stable, breathing better and ready for a little less intervention. Lily is still on CPAP, but I believe I heard the nurse say something like one percent. Here's hoping she moves to a nasal canula soon so we can see her whole beautiful face! She is having some feed intolerance. They were feeding her about every 3 hours, but skipping some feeds because of digestion problems. She was getting 1-2 mL of breast milk. I hope she will tolerate it better in the coming days. She is getting suppositories to make her move her bowels, but the nurse said she is doing well. Lily has a PIC line in now, so they don have to keep sticking her for blood and whatnot. She has gained "quite a bit of weight" the nurse said, but she isn't sure if it is going to please the doctors or not. She has been getting fluids, so some of that weight could be fluid weight.
Eve is still on a warming bed, but she too is off the ventilator and on CPAP as of 1 p.m. yesterday. Eve is tolerating food a little better it seems, taking 3 mL or so and only skipping a few feeds. She lost some weight overnight, but is still over her birth weight at 3 pounds 11 ounces. She too has a PIC line and it doesn't sound like she is contending with jaundice again just now. Eve is doing well too the doctor said.
The most EXCITING News. Lily's nurse said we could HOLD HER when we come in today to see her. I haven't been able to hold either baby yet and I have been anxiously awaiting the day I could. I can NOT wait to go up there and hold those girls. I am going to ask Eve's nurse as well. Hopefully both girls will tolerate the holding. It will be the first time nad they are still rather young gestationally. So they might not be too happy with that much skin interaction. We shall see. If the docs say it's better not to, I won't.
Well, I'm going to see about including pictures in this thing. I'm still working it out and figuring out how to use Blogspot.com. Hopefully it won't take me too long to decipher!
-Kate
May 27, 2007: Around 10 a.m.
A call to the NICU revealed that Lily has been moved from an open warming bed to an isolette. The nurse said babies are moved to the isolette when they are more stable, breathing better and ready for a little less intervention. Lily is still on CPAP, but I believe I heard the nurse say something like one percent. Here's hoping she moves to a nasal canula soon so we can see her whole beautiful face! She is having some feed intolerance. They were feeding her about every 3 hours, but skipping some feeds because of digestion problems. She was getting 1-2 mL of breast milk. I hope she will tolerate it better in the coming days. She is getting suppositories to make her move her bowels, but the nurse said she is doing well. Lily has a PIC line in now, so they don have to keep sticking her for blood and whatnot. She has gained "quite a bit of weight" the nurse said, but she isn't sure if it is going to please the doctors or not. She has been getting fluids, so some of that weight could be fluid weight.
Eve is still on a warming bed, but she too is off the ventilator and on CPAP as of 1 p.m. yesterday. Eve is tolerating food a little better it seems, taking 3 mL or so and only skipping a few feeds. She lost some weight overnight, but is still over her birth weight at 3 pounds 11 ounces. She too has a PIC line and it doesn't sound like she is contending with jaundice again just now. Eve is doing well too the doctor said.
The most EXCITING News. Lily's nurse said we could HOLD HER when we come in today to see her. I haven't been able to hold either baby yet and I have been anxiously awaiting the day I could. I can NOT wait to go up there and hold those girls. I am going to ask Eve's nurse as well. Hopefully both girls will tolerate the holding. It will be the first time nad they are still rather young gestationally. So they might not be too happy with that much skin interaction. We shall see. If the docs say it's better not to, I won't.
Well, I'm going to see about including pictures in this thing. I'm still working it out and figuring out how to use Blogspot.com. Hopefully it won't take me too long to decipher!
-Kate
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