One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

That's the life of a preemie.

I tried to get there by the 8 a.m. cares but due to traffic was a tiny bit late.  I came in to quite the hub-bub being there was another bed in the area, our nurse for the day and a therapist.  Alissa had been moved from the crib to another bed, essentially quarantined, as the night nurse thought she looked sick and was lethargic.  I had noticed runny poos but thankfully throughout today, she seemed just fine to us.  Alissa's formula was backed down to 22 from the 24 they are on.  If she does okay tonight and her blood tests are fine, she'll get to co-bed with her siblings again.

The therapist had gotten Genevieve to nipple 30 of her 40 ml feeding.  Alissa took some as well but Vince was still having some saturation issues.  In fact, when Clint and I returned from lunch, the nurse had him on oxygen to keep him breathing.  Scare #2 of the day!  He did it a couple more times during the afternoon, we think all due to reflux.  The girls gevage (food through tube) over an hour and Vince was moved to two hours to hopefully not reflux.  Most babies in the NICU get fed over 30 minutes but I'm trying not to compare.  I'd heard preemie boys are the lazy ones, taking the longest to learn their skills and get busted from the NICU, and Mr. Vince is no different.  He'll learn it all soon enough.

It was so wonderful to have Clint with me all day.  I've been very emotional over the last couple days, feeling very overwhelmed with the NICU cycle, the kids' setbacks and wondering how long we'll be there.  I couldn't help but tear up when Clint went back home this evening.  But I know that the kids will catch up soon and we'll all be home together again.