Report

Lungs: Charlotte is at a CPAP pressure of 6. The doctors and nurses tried to move her to a 5 today, but she made it quite clear that she was none too pleased with that move. So 6 it stays for another week, or until she shows clear evidence that she's ready to be moved down a notch. She's still on nasal cannula while we hold her, for an hour a day, as long as she tolerates it well enough. Once we hit a CPAP pressure of 5, they will start trying to "sprint" her to high flow nasal cannula FOR REALS. Awesome, eh?

Feedings: Charlotte Amalie is still rocking the ND tube. Rocking it so much that they were able to decrease her rocket fuel to plane ol' jet engine fuel. Normal breastmilk/formula is 20 calories/ounce and for the past 2 months or so, CA has been on 28 calories/ounce (they add "formula" to my breastmilk to fortify it). Yesterday, they moved her down to 26 cal/ounce. We're hoping she'll be on 24 or 22 cal/ounce by the time she comes home. CA is currently eating continuously (reason 48 why the NICU isn't such a bad place-- continuous feeds... all day, everyday. Yum, yum!) and she's taking in 18 mL/hour, which adds up to 14.6 ounces a day.

Weight: I didn't get the exact amount, but CA is weighing in at 6 pounds, 8 ounces these days (another reason to cut back on her calories-- she's getting huge!). She measured 18.5 inches this past Sunday. It's like having a baby!

Eyes: As of last Friday, CA looks as though she will not need any more surgery on her eyes. Her left eye is regressing to a point where it will definitely (I hate that word-- nothing is definite in the NICU) not need surgery. Her right eye is "stable" and the doctor thinks it will regress all on its own. We should have another update in a day or two, and he will continue to watch CA until she is discharged.

Other: Currently, CA is on track to be home at the end of July/beginning of August. But please, don't tell her. She doesn't like to know that she's getting better. :)

Happy 4th

Happy 4 month birthday little one.

Currently you are:

* Getting better at having regular wake/sleep cycles
* Very, very chunky
* Being weaned off of CPAP
* Loving your chupi
* Wrapping Daddy around your little finger
* Tracking things with your eyes
* Tolerating noise
* Rocking your daily Physical Therapy
(which includes range of motion exercises and stretching routines)
* A champ at paci dips
* Successful with 1 hour/day on nasal cannula

But most importantly,
you're our little girl.

Our little fighter.

You Know Us, Always With the Favors

The NICU brings so many bittersweet relationships. Love the nurses for taking care of our child, hate that they are the ones putting your angel to bed at night. Love the machines for keeping your child alive, hate that your child needs them.

Love the people you meet in the NICU, hate that you had to meet in such a nasty, ugly way.

Tonight, we need some prayers for a family-- a wonderful, beautiful, new family. Their son, Bobby, is a little over 1 month old. He was born at 26 weeks, and weighed just a little bit more than Charlotte at birth. He's been a real fighter-- but this weekend, he's facing one of those infamous "NICU Roller Coaster Set Backs."

Bobby's mom celebrated her birthday yesterday as her son went back on the ventilator. Charlotte did that to me on Mother's Day, and let me tell you, there's no other way to put it, it just sucks. Plain, ol', sucks.

So tonight, tomorrow, the day after, and all the days after that, say a prayer, think a positive thought, whisper their name to the universe. Mom, Dad, and Bobby can all use a bit of a lift this week.

Thank you so much for being the angels that lift us all.

6'ers

Charlotte is currently:

*6 pounds .75 ounces (2743 grams). That's 4.89 times larger than she was at birth.

*On a CPAP peep of 6

*Still on the ND tube, but getting 16 mL/hr every hour. (I think I need an ND tube of chocolate.)

*Nasal Cannuling (made that word up) everyday for 30-60 minutes, as tolerated. Last night she did a full 60 minutes AND she didn't desat once AND she went to breast (still non-nutritive suck).

There's still a lot to do to get ready to come home, but this past week has at least felt like we're again moving in that direction. July 28th will be 150 days in the NICU, a milestone we'd really rather not reach, but one that we're probably going to see. Despite her long stay, we know she's getting stronger and stronger and she is fighting hard to make her way home. The next big thing will probably be a move to high-flow nasal cannula, and from there, we're hoping her lungs will be strong enough so she won't aspirate any feeds. When her lungs look strong enough, they'll move the ND tube to an NG tube (just goes straight into her belly) and see how she does for a bit. Once she proves she can handle food in her belly, then they'll start with oral feeds.

Phew. Lots to do. Plenty of time to do it.

Thanks for checkin in!

Nasal What?

Nasal Cannula. Charlotte Amalie gets to spend 30 minutes a day on nasal cannula while we are holding her. Her oxygen requirements cannot increase more than 10% while we're holding her before she has to go back on CPAP.

Last night was the first trial run of this. Peter was able to hold her, since I have the lovely fortune of having a cold.

In June.

Seriously.

The gods are laughing at me.





I never thought a baby on oxygen would look so good.

Pre-Op

The night before Charlotte's eye surgery we were able to go in and give her a bath before holding her. I know, I know, five months from now, I'll be willing to let anyone, ANYONE, give her a bath, but for right now, it's really exciting to "do" something. We were able to get some pictures after the bath, before they had re-assembled the CPAP mask and such. Check out her fuzzy hair.

6/20/10
Charlotte's chupi is about as big as she is.

6/20/10
Look, Mom, no mask!

On a random note, Charlotte sneezes like crazy when you take the CPAP off. It must feel so good to be able to sneeze and not have it blown right back in your face. Ahhh, the simple things in life.

6/20/10
Do.You.See.Those.Legs?!?!

6/20/10
Naked baby shots= totally inappropriate,
but the only way to show you her chunkiness

6/17/10
Caleb picked out this outfit in the store.
"Aww, mommy, for baby Charlotte. She look so cute! She so tiny!"
You think he hears that a lot?

Sadly, her pink nightgown bit the dust the next morning. It had to be cut off of her before surgery, since it couldn't fit around the IV in her arm. Oh well, not a huge deal because, believe it or not, she's getting too big for some preemie clothes! Carters preemies are getting a tad small on her. Most other brands still fit, but Carters is on its way out.

Yay for getting to be a big girl!

PS--

The blanket on her bed was made for her by Aunt Amanda.

All Better

Charlotte's surgery went well yesterday. They only had to laser her right eye, as her left eye is showing signs of regression on its own.

The eye doctor will continue to f0llow her, to make sure the ROP is regressing properly in both eyes, and we're hoping that she won't need a follow up surgery.

Her next eye exam is scheduled for Friday.

In other news, Charlotte is weighing in at 2609 grams, or 5 pounds, 12 ounces. She's almost 17 inches long now, and is taking in 12 ounces a day of breastmilk + fortifier.

She is still on CPAP. Her settings had to be increased after the surgery, so we're hoping that she will be back on a pressure of 7 today, but we know, yadda yadda yadda, "it's all up to her."

Currently, she's on track to be home in the next 5-7 weeks (end of July, early August).

At this point, as long as she's home by Halloween, we'll be happy :)