Well, it's been a pretty roller coastery week. The good news is I'm a Grandfather again as of 2 PM on the 21st. The even better news is that Mom and Daughter are doing well. The downside is she was born early and is VERY tiny.
However, the Doctors are very happy with LJD's** progress. In fact, I just got a text from Mom and Dad, who are at the hospital visiting saying that they actually got to touch her knee. She curled her hand in response. Stimulus and Response is good!
The NICU***, was an interesting place to visit. They only allowed two people at a time to visit a given baby. So, I waited my turn. The first picture was taken when Little Juvat and I got in there. The plastic bags in the picture were to 1) keep her warm and 2) minimize contact with anything bad that might be in the air. The Blue Light is a preventative action to protect her from Jaundice. That was started later that evening. As a further preventative measure, I had to scrub down pretty hard and wear a sterilized surgery frock in order to be allowed to enter. I was good with all that.
Given her progress over the last three days, they've decided to take her off of "small baby protocol". Not knowing what that meant, I googled it and read this article. Talk about dodging a bullet. Dad and Mom were told that the staff will check on her every 3 hours instead of every 6, and touch her to stimulate her, and they're putting her on breast milk. Which I take it is a good sign.
She'll be in the NICU for an, as yet, undetermined amount of time and no, they won't give me a "guess". I'm assuming it will be based on catching up to the capabilities of a full term baby. She's not there yet, but she responded to a touch from her Mom. I'm good with that.
Still a long way to go, but Thank You Lord! And thank all y'all for your thoughts and prayers.
*Beautiful Baby Girl
** Little Juvat's Daughter, Beans. I know you and acronyms!😉 GD2 just didn't ring my bell.
***Beans told me last week that NICU stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
I worked with a gal whose daughter was born frighteningly early, but now, via the miracle of our medical care and a kid's natural ability to recover, you'd never know it. The girl is hale and hearty and full of energy and life.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your new grandchild and congratulations! They're the gift that God gives us to brighten our lives and remind us why all those labors earlier in life were well worth it.
CW,
DeleteThanks for the good news about your daughter. As I mentioned the NICU Docs are very happy with her status now, so hopefully that'll continue.
You're right, both granddaughters are gifts.
HUZZAH!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteStB,
DeleteZackly!
WSF,
DeleteThanks
Echoing Scott juvat, prayers out for the family...........:)
ReplyDeleteNylon,
DeleteThanks
She's beautiful.
ReplyDeletePrayers for her continued growth and health.
Sarge,
DeleteYes she is. :-)
Thanks
I am glad that health is good and improving. Positive Waves that she gets to go home on time!
ReplyDeleteGlenn,
DeleteThanks, That going home thing is teaching me patience.
Never one of my strong suits.
What a miracle. Babies are such wonders. I remember our first had a bit of time under the lights, and we put her in sunlight when we could. It was a cold January in '85 and we lived in a drafty house. Congratulations to the clan! Your tribe is increasing! And thank God for medical know how.
ReplyDeleteSTxAR,
DeleteThey are at that. I think I got a bit overconfident with our first Granddaughter. The hospital LJD is in is supposed to be one of the top NICU's in the country. Hopefully they won't need to prove that reputation.
Borrowing a line from the movie Free Guy, that's not good news, it's great news.
ReplyDeleteI had a bit of ACS (Acronym Confusion Syndrome) but I'm good now.
As STxAR said, it is a miracle.
Best wishes to all.
JiP,
DeleteAcronyms are US! Got to keep the readership (and Beans) on their toes. It's in my contract.
Yes, great news and miracles. Thanks
Juvat, Great News and Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCletus
Thanks, Cletus.
DeleteThank goodness LJD and Mom were able to get home to the USofA before she made her grand entrance!! Makes it easier for grandparents to visit often that way, doncha know.
ReplyDeleteContinuing prayers up for continued improving health for both Mom and kiddo. Been thinking a lot about all of you folks this past week.
NICU nurses are pretty awesome, at least the ones I have been privileged to meet in the line of duty. Very good at answering questions, and believe me, when it was my kiddo in there, I had a bunch. Even with my medical background.
Congrats on being a Grandpa for a second time!!
Suz
Suz,
DeleteI agree about the NICU personnel. Everyone I met went out of their way to be helpful and answer questions with understandable answers even the questions that can't be answered.
Thanks,
Congrats, and I'm happy for you and LJ and LJW. Sorry the prayers didn't keep her inside for longer, but they will continue. Scary for everyone, but these NICU (knee-Q, or NickU) workers are wonderful and the knowledge/tech they have these days is light years from even 10 years ago, much less 26 when my son was born 10 weeks early. He got out around the time of his expected birthdate. My daughter was 5 weeks early and got kicked out after only a week.
ReplyDeleteTuna,
DeleteThanks for the info. As best we can figure, she was born at 27 point something weeks. Just short of the 28 week mark that means something, but we were told to try for.
As I mentioned above to Suz, the Nurses, Doctors and other NICU people are awesome. Glad they're there, Wish they hadn't been needed.
"Nick-U" is how it's pronounced.
DeleteThat's how I heard it...from the Staff. But that could be the Texas pronunciation. Elsewhere might be different.
DeleteNick-You. The 28 week mark is where they can possibly breathe on their own, generally. There's a steroid they can give early to stimulate the lungs to develop, but there's no guarantee. If they're out and breathing, even with a cpap or canula, good. Weaning from a ventilator is not good, the machine doing the work for them is detrimental to them doing it on their own. Nursing is likewise a problem, when they're too small to nurse they get used to a bottle, which is easier, and won't want to expend the effort for real nursing. Which means Mom has to pump and store and freeze and having grown up on a farm it was rather akin to watching My Good Wife take on the role of a milk cow complete with the non-stop schedule, and believe me MGW was immune to humor about the whole thing. But, given the formula shortage today, yours may very well get some satisfaction in striving to, ummm... produce as much as possible and donate or sell to those who need it. There are charities for same that the hospital will be happy to refer her to. It's a long road to 4lbs, and a long way home, but you'll all make it I am sure. She seems a fighter, and if one but gives life a chance it tends to be tenacious.
DeleteCongratulations! Prayers are sent! ⚘️
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mary, much appreciated.
DeleteJoyful tears! Congrats to all.
ReplyDeleteHtom,
DeleteMuch appreciated. Thanks
Congratulations grandpa! Hang in there....
ReplyDeleteRob,
DeleteThanks. Doing my best to...
40 years ago being a premie was real bad news, 20 years ago it was not bad, not good mind you but not like it was.
DeleteI'm hoping that today it's just a complication that requires a longer hospital stay ...
I'm praying...
Rob,
DeleteLess than a week into it, but (fingers and toes crossed) been good so far.
Re:Praying. No surprise, but so are we!
There's no emotion to match that of the first sight of a grandchild. Prayers are continuing for this wee one. So thankful for the great care. Is she In Austin or where? I missed that somehow.
ReplyDeleteOh, and congratulations!!
Lt Fuzz,
DeleteIt even beats the feeling you get in a clean Eagle doing an AB takeoff and unrestricted climb.
By a long shot!
She's in San Antonio. The University Hospital there has a Level 4 NICU, which I've been told isn't so common. Fortunately, Little J has good insurance.
Thanks
Congrats! If you said how early she was, I missed it.
ReplyDeleteIt's damn-near miraculous what they can do these days. It wasn't really all that long ago that any baby more than six weeks premature was pretty much doomed.
CM,
DeleteAs best we can figure, she was right on the border of not being premie which occurs at 28 weeks, So, 27 plus or minus?
One of the attributes I greatly appreciated about the staff was their optimism, can do spirit and confidence in themselves and their team. That greatly reduced the worry level, not eliminated, but reduced quite a bit.
Thanks.
Well, not exactly. Full term is 40 weeks. 27 weeks is very preemie. If you want to read up on it, here's an article about the history of preemie care.
DeleteCM,
DeleteI'm sure you're right. I know that 28 weeks was a cut off point for some required treatment and it might have been automatic NICU. Lot of stuff running around in my brain at the time.
Prayers for her! Thankfully she was in the states when the baby was born!
ReplyDeleteYeah, that would have been "complicated" on a whole bunch of fronts. Thanks
Deletejuvat.
Congrats, Grandpa! Both of our DIL's boys were early, about 10 weeks. The first one wound up being "We gotta get him out NOW!", while her second one was monitored much more closely, and they let the little guy stay in Mom as long as they could, but no ER delivery like #1. They both were kept in the NICU until their due date, but #2 is doing far better than his older brother. We know the worry and concern you're facing, so just hang tough. She'll be out of there and bouncing on your knee before you know it!
ReplyDeleteDrJim,
DeleteI appreciate the info. NICU until delivery date seems logical to me. LJD wasn't an ER delivery, but it was a do it now decision. LJW/DIL was having Blood Pressure and a couple of other symptoms that were the proverbial straw
Juvat, overall such wonderful news (it has been a week). Congratulations and so happy everyone is doing well. As always, prayers up.
ReplyDeleteTHBB, Thanks. I appreciate it.
DeleteCongratulations!!! Glad to hear Mom and Baby are well. My Great Niece was a preemie. She spent 6 weeks in the NICU. They wanted someone from the family to be there as much as possible. Her Mother was down with issues from the Caesarian and her Grandparents were busy with their Son who had Spina Bifida. So much of the visitation fell to me. I'm there holding her one evening, reading a book. A nurse came in and said "Are you holding her with only one hand?" I moved my fingers, her little legs and butt were in my shirt pocket. That got a laugh out of the nurse. I mention this because a few weeks ago I was at her 14th Birthday Party. She's 5'2 about 90 lbs. and a house of fire. Give your munchkin a little bit and you will see how fast she sprouts up.
ReplyDeleteJim,
DeleteThanks for a good story and the encouraging words. I appreciate it. Glad your niece is doing well.
Oh my, oh my...!!! Such a tiny miracle somebody! Tears just pop up automatically. Prayers pop up automatically too.
ReplyDeleteHow precious!
BBC,
DeleteThanks, yeah, they do.