Dr. Ted Thompson came into our room early this morning while Anna was still sleeping and in his Vicini-from-The-Princess-Bride-manner asked if we wanted to go home today. I was shocked. Dr. Thompson said that since he was gaining weight again, back up to 8 lbs, and everything else was clear, he could go early. First of all, there is no comparison. But the closest thing it sort of felt like was in elementary school when you knew a snow storm was blowing in and you were probably not having school the next day, but then because the front sped up or because of jittery administrators, you got out a day early.
The whole process felt like it was happening to someone else. I have overheard the discharge procedure so many times in the last 48 days that it felt like once again our nurse, Lizzy, was talking to other parents.
(For the first time ever, my post about my baby was interrupted by my baby. It's good to have him out.)
We plan on staying here until Monday. We must return to the hospital to get Anders weighed and pick up some other medication that has not arrived yet.
Before I get sidetracked again, I wanted to mention the Mt. Rushmore of Good during our 96 days in the hospital (48 at the Riverside NICU and 48 at the Southdale Special Care Nursery).
The George Washington of this crew would have to be Dr. Ted Thompson. This might be a good week to bet with the Pack over the Vikings. Guys in the Upper Midwest named Ted Thompson are having a good week.
The Abraham Lincoln, Anders' Great Emancipator, would have to be Deb, one of his primary nurses at the NICU. She kept on the case to get him to Southdale and rode with him for his first trip outside the 4th floor of Fairview Riverside. She calmed our nerves many times.
The Thomas Jefferson would have to be Mike the Respiratory Therapist who worked with Anders to keep him extubated when it seemed like he would once again be reintubated.
The Theodore Roosevelt would probably be Lizzy, his nurse today. She took a special interest in Anders. She talked to him when she fed him and took him around the nursery off his leads in teh evening. She gave us all this extra stuff for Anders feedings, beyond regulation. She was the nurse who fought New Kathleen in front of us. I didn't know what to think of this very un-Minnesotan bluster she displayed, but she was correct. Her determination to get Anders off the slow flow nipple and onto the regular flow one sped up his discharge.
I would give honorable mention to Sarah V., his other primary nurse at the NICU and to Amy, who was almost like another primary nurse at the NICU, plus she coined the nickname "Mr. Anders" in her thick MN accent. Anna and I still call Anders "Mr. Anders," or I have taken to calling him "Mr. A." The kindly older cross-eyed nurse who helped deliver Anders was also top knotch. I am forgetting a lot of good nurses at both places.
It is a relief. Thank God. Now the work begins anew.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A Room with a View....of Edina Plastic Surgery and JC Penny
We are rooming with Anders tonight and tomorrow night here at Fairview Southdale. Anders weighed 7 lbs 15 oz this morning. He gained 4 oz overnight.
He received word from Dr. Thompson that Anders will be allowed to leave the hospital on Friday.
We are still concerned about his eating. He fell well below his feeding goal at 3 pm. He is more on track tonight, his mother has made sure of that!
It's sort of surreal that the three of us are together, alone. It felt surreal 3 months ago to be in the hospital in Minneapolis, and to a lesser extent to be on the recovery floor without a baby! At some point this will stop being bizarre, but I don't know when.
Dr. Thompson expressed much confidence in Columbus Children's Hospital. He said that we could make our wishes known that Anders would be admitted there if he has any problems. Dr. Thompson said that there is about a 1 in 3 chance that Anders will wind up back in the hospital some time in the next six months considering his lack of immunity and his chronic lung disease. We can't really think about that now, but I suppose it's good to know. It might take a bit of the edge off the freak-out should that eventuality occur.
On a lighter note, the people picking up Anna's breast pump tomorrow morning thought Southdale was a combo Mall-Hospital. Not yet, my friends, not yet. Edina Plastic Surgery, however, could revitalize Southdale Center.
He received word from Dr. Thompson that Anders will be allowed to leave the hospital on Friday.
We are still concerned about his eating. He fell well below his feeding goal at 3 pm. He is more on track tonight, his mother has made sure of that!
It's sort of surreal that the three of us are together, alone. It felt surreal 3 months ago to be in the hospital in Minneapolis, and to a lesser extent to be on the recovery floor without a baby! At some point this will stop being bizarre, but I don't know when.
Dr. Thompson expressed much confidence in Columbus Children's Hospital. He said that we could make our wishes known that Anders would be admitted there if he has any problems. Dr. Thompson said that there is about a 1 in 3 chance that Anders will wind up back in the hospital some time in the next six months considering his lack of immunity and his chronic lung disease. We can't really think about that now, but I suppose it's good to know. It might take a bit of the edge off the freak-out should that eventuality occur.
On a lighter note, the people picking up Anna's breast pump tomorrow morning thought Southdale was a combo Mall-Hospital. Not yet, my friends, not yet. Edina Plastic Surgery, however, could revitalize Southdale Center.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Anders' Battle with the Bottle
Anders passed his CT scan and I believe all the other tests he's had in the past day or so. As a result of passing the CT scan, he is now free of his leads and monitors! Anders is now totally free of tubes and wires for the first time in his life!
He took 95 mils of food at his 8:15 pm feeding. That's his highest total by at least 25 mils.
Anders is doing really well. All he has to do is take his full feedings and gain weight. Anders lost 2 oz. last night. I believe the weight loss was because of the overnight CT scan where he was all wired up and had a deep nasal cannula in his nose. He didn't really eat much last night. I think he's going to have a good night. He's on pace to meet or almost meet his full feeding by the 3 am hour tomorrow.
Tomorrow at 9 am, we meet with Dr. Ted Thompson. I fully expect him to suggest we try to discard Anders for a younger, less talented, wimpier baby who has far less fun than Anders. (That was a joke. If you don't follow the NFL or live in Wisconsin, you didn't get it. Please move on.)
I guess we might be boarding in at the hospital tomorrow to take care of Anders essentially full time, while he remains in the hospital.
Looks like my Wednesday prediction will go the way of the New Madrid Earth Quake of 1991 predicted by Nostradamus. History Channel fans will like that one.
The time is close. We know not the day or the hour.
Now it is between Anders and his bottle to determine his release date.
He took 95 mils of food at his 8:15 pm feeding. That's his highest total by at least 25 mils.
Anders is doing really well. All he has to do is take his full feedings and gain weight. Anders lost 2 oz. last night. I believe the weight loss was because of the overnight CT scan where he was all wired up and had a deep nasal cannula in his nose. He didn't really eat much last night. I think he's going to have a good night. He's on pace to meet or almost meet his full feeding by the 3 am hour tomorrow.
Tomorrow at 9 am, we meet with Dr. Ted Thompson. I fully expect him to suggest we try to discard Anders for a younger, less talented, wimpier baby who has far less fun than Anders. (That was a joke. If you don't follow the NFL or live in Wisconsin, you didn't get it. Please move on.)
I guess we might be boarding in at the hospital tomorrow to take care of Anders essentially full time, while he remains in the hospital.
Looks like my Wednesday prediction will go the way of the New Madrid Earth Quake of 1991 predicted by Nostradamus. History Channel fans will like that one.
The time is close. We know not the day or the hour.
Now it is between Anders and his bottle to determine his release date.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Scanders
Anders passed his car seat test or "sit still and breath." Literally, the easiest test of his life. He had a brain scan today and I think he had his thyroid test. We don't have results for either, but don't expect any problems. He is having his respiratory/apnea scan tonight. This is the 12 hour overnight exam administered by St. Paul Children's hospital. They gave him a Mr. T-like amount of stuff to wear on his chest and a long nasal cannula. This should be another routine test since he hasn't had an apnec spell since 9-26 and hasn't had lung medication since 10-2. If, however, he fails the test, he cannot take the test for another five days which of course means 5 more days in the hospital at least. Not sure we'd have much sanity left in that scenario. We will know the results by early afternoon tomorrow.
They kept the feeding tube out. Yet, he remains between 75% and 95% of taking his full feeding. If he gets to about 90% or more, they count that as a full feeding. He also needs to start gaining weight again since he's been hovering around 7lbs 14oz for a few days.
We are meeting with Dr. Ted Thompson on Wednesday morning to discuss his release. I will stick with my Wednesday prediction, but the smarter money would be on Thursday at this point. Good thing I renewed our parking pass for the rest of the month, so we are covered until Nov. 11. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
We shall see tomorrow whether Anders was comforted by food or if he did not eat as much owing to all the tests he had today/tomorrow.
They kept the feeding tube out. Yet, he remains between 75% and 95% of taking his full feeding. If he gets to about 90% or more, they count that as a full feeding. He also needs to start gaining weight again since he's been hovering around 7lbs 14oz for a few days.
We are meeting with Dr. Ted Thompson on Wednesday morning to discuss his release. I will stick with my Wednesday prediction, but the smarter money would be on Thursday at this point. Good thing I renewed our parking pass for the rest of the month, so we are covered until Nov. 11. Hope for the best and prepare for the worst.
We shall see tomorrow whether Anders was comforted by food or if he did not eat as much owing to all the tests he had today/tomorrow.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Totally Tubular
Anders removed his feeding tube and the nurses left it out, so for the first time ever we saw Anders without something sticking in him! He's a bit behind on his feeding pace, so the tube will likely have to be put back at 11:00 pm tonight, but it was good to see it out. Also, Anders did not like taking his medicine orally. It doesn't taste good. The sodium chloride is okay, but the iron and potassium have a bad taste.
Anders took a full feeding for us Fri/Sat during a 12 hr. period when we stayed at the hospital. Since then, he's been hovering between 75% and 95%. If he strings two periods of full feeding together and gains weight, then he can get out.
Anders has a routine thyroid test tomorrow. We also talk to Dr. Ted Thompson (it's Packers Week again) about whether Anders needs the 12 hr. overnight circulatory system scan. He might not since he hasn't had any lung medication since 10-2-09.
Anders is also losing his hair. It's a classic horse shoe pattern. As a result of that and his continued weight gain, the nurses have come to the consensus that he is really starting to look like me. I think Anders and I will choose to take the observation as a compliment.
Anders is also finishing up his car seat test as I type. If he stays in his car seat for 2 hrs. and doesn't desat to 85% more than twice, he will pass. Otherwise, he will have to take it again in a couple of days. Putting Anders upright in the car seat really helped dislodge some painful gas he had.
I have heard nurses talk about the car seat test many times with other parents just before their babies were released from the hospital. So it is with us. We are close. It could be as soon as Tuesday. I still think Wednesday, but most likely Anders will get out this week.
We have tentatively settled on a plan for transport. We don't know the days, but we have a plan. Anders will likely be released in the afternoon. We will subsequently spend two full days with Greg and Dorene in Zimmerman. Then, we will drive just over half way to Bloomington-Normal, IL where we will stay at a nice hotel to keep Anders away from a dingy, smokey room. We shall go the rest of the way the next day. So, take the day he gets out, add four days, and that will be when we make our triumphant return to Southeastern Ohio. Anders has been in the hospital for 93 days. Anna hasn't been back to Athens in 101 days. I spent about five days in Athens all summer. I haven't been home for a prolonged period since early June, right around the time we found out Anders was an Anders and not a girl, which to that point was the biggest surprise of the pregnancy since our groupthink had determined the baby was a girl.
So, we are in the last days in MN, I hope. The shoulder months up here are no worth talking about. November in Athens is pretty nice and Dan Seeley is happy that shoulder months have entered the discussion.
Anders took a full feeding for us Fri/Sat during a 12 hr. period when we stayed at the hospital. Since then, he's been hovering between 75% and 95%. If he strings two periods of full feeding together and gains weight, then he can get out.
Anders has a routine thyroid test tomorrow. We also talk to Dr. Ted Thompson (it's Packers Week again) about whether Anders needs the 12 hr. overnight circulatory system scan. He might not since he hasn't had any lung medication since 10-2-09.
Anders is also losing his hair. It's a classic horse shoe pattern. As a result of that and his continued weight gain, the nurses have come to the consensus that he is really starting to look like me. I think Anders and I will choose to take the observation as a compliment.
Anders is also finishing up his car seat test as I type. If he stays in his car seat for 2 hrs. and doesn't desat to 85% more than twice, he will pass. Otherwise, he will have to take it again in a couple of days. Putting Anders upright in the car seat really helped dislodge some painful gas he had.
I have heard nurses talk about the car seat test many times with other parents just before their babies were released from the hospital. So it is with us. We are close. It could be as soon as Tuesday. I still think Wednesday, but most likely Anders will get out this week.
We have tentatively settled on a plan for transport. We don't know the days, but we have a plan. Anders will likely be released in the afternoon. We will subsequently spend two full days with Greg and Dorene in Zimmerman. Then, we will drive just over half way to Bloomington-Normal, IL where we will stay at a nice hotel to keep Anders away from a dingy, smokey room. We shall go the rest of the way the next day. So, take the day he gets out, add four days, and that will be when we make our triumphant return to Southeastern Ohio. Anders has been in the hospital for 93 days. Anna hasn't been back to Athens in 101 days. I spent about five days in Athens all summer. I haven't been home for a prolonged period since early June, right around the time we found out Anders was an Anders and not a girl, which to that point was the biggest surprise of the pregnancy since our groupthink had determined the baby was a girl.
So, we are in the last days in MN, I hope. The shoulder months up here are no worth talking about. November in Athens is pretty nice and Dan Seeley is happy that shoulder months have entered the discussion.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Are You a Betting Man?
Anders had a good day. He took 60 mils and 62 mils for us today at his feedings. His feedings no longer have specific times since he went to cue based feedings yesterday. He now needs to take 230 mils in 12 hours rather than 66 mils every 3 hours. His total has gone down, but it is still enough for him to grow. I think he took about 170 of the 230 from the bottle over the last 12 hours. Anders was off to a good start for the next 12 hours with his 62 this evening.
I predict (and I have been wrong about all my predictions with Anders so take it with a grain of salt) that Anders will be discharged on Wed. Oct. 28.
Anders hits his due date tomorrow, which is huge. He now follows the pages and pictures when we read to him. We heard that he would not go to sleep last night after we left. The nurses had to keep feeding him.
Anders managed to pee on himself today. We left the cannon uncovered and he sprayed!
In 1995 Saturday Night Live stars Chris Farley and David Spade released a buddy comedy that tanked at the box office, "Tommy Boy." I am one of the only people you know who saw this movie in the theater. It was Brad and me and a totally empty theater. The plot of the movie is that Tommy's dad dies and then Tommy (Chris Farley) heads out on the road with his dad's employee (Spade) to save the company by selling Callaghan Auto Parts and hilarity ensues. Tommy is a dim-witted screw up. The movie was better the second time, but I was glad they didn't make a sequel before Farley died in 1997.
That lost sequel popped up yesterday in the form of the Fairview Southdale social worker, Tommy Girl. Yes, she looked like Tommy's sister and was just as incompetent. We were trying to figure out if insurance would cover a transfer to Columbus. Instead, she told us we were not in network with our insurance (despite having our bills paid by our insurance into this month). Usually, I am the one who looses it with the screw-ups, but yesterday was Anna's turn. She even telegraphed it for this simple woman, saying "I'm very upset right now." Tommy didn't take the social cue and give any reassurance. She was more than worthless. Tommy Girl was unintentionally maliciously incompetent. She promised to come back with answers to the many questions we had after 5 bad minutes with her. Tommy didn't have the nerve to face us. Rather, she called down to the nurse to say she had found nothing. For the record, I knew she would not return to us despite saying she would. Anna proceeded to visit her in her office before she could slink home to Coon Rapids for the evening. Anna then pulled up Fairview Southdale as "in network" on her computer. Tommy remained noncommittal about that fact. Tommy did not live in the reality-based world. I thought we left creating your own reality in January. Our nurse, Dawn, overheard most of our exchange and wrote up Tommy Girl, so a report was filed with the Nursery and her department. We have requested to have no more contact with her. Our friend Jessica Seeley, a social worker herself, tells us that there are only 2 kinds of social workers, the very good like Rachel at the NICU and the very bad like Tommy Girl.
I don't think it's too early for my Mt. Rushmore of NICU/Special Care Nursery AWFULNESS: Tommy Girl, Old Kathleen, Infant Massage Lady, and Pizza Nurse. Anna would probably put Dr. Speech on the list, but I would just make her an honorable mention.
Mandy and Matt treated us to a fine birthday dinner at an Italian Restaurant in Minneapolis. Before the meal, however, we reenacted "The Chinese Restaurant" from Seinfeld.
Tomorrow we will spend the night at the hospital. They secured a room for us, unless a new mom kicks us out. This is another sign we are nearing the end.
I predict (and I have been wrong about all my predictions with Anders so take it with a grain of salt) that Anders will be discharged on Wed. Oct. 28.
Anders hits his due date tomorrow, which is huge. He now follows the pages and pictures when we read to him. We heard that he would not go to sleep last night after we left. The nurses had to keep feeding him.
Anders managed to pee on himself today. We left the cannon uncovered and he sprayed!
In 1995 Saturday Night Live stars Chris Farley and David Spade released a buddy comedy that tanked at the box office, "Tommy Boy." I am one of the only people you know who saw this movie in the theater. It was Brad and me and a totally empty theater. The plot of the movie is that Tommy's dad dies and then Tommy (Chris Farley) heads out on the road with his dad's employee (Spade) to save the company by selling Callaghan Auto Parts and hilarity ensues. Tommy is a dim-witted screw up. The movie was better the second time, but I was glad they didn't make a sequel before Farley died in 1997.
That lost sequel popped up yesterday in the form of the Fairview Southdale social worker, Tommy Girl. Yes, she looked like Tommy's sister and was just as incompetent. We were trying to figure out if insurance would cover a transfer to Columbus. Instead, she told us we were not in network with our insurance (despite having our bills paid by our insurance into this month). Usually, I am the one who looses it with the screw-ups, but yesterday was Anna's turn. She even telegraphed it for this simple woman, saying "I'm very upset right now." Tommy didn't take the social cue and give any reassurance. She was more than worthless. Tommy Girl was unintentionally maliciously incompetent. She promised to come back with answers to the many questions we had after 5 bad minutes with her. Tommy didn't have the nerve to face us. Rather, she called down to the nurse to say she had found nothing. For the record, I knew she would not return to us despite saying she would. Anna proceeded to visit her in her office before she could slink home to Coon Rapids for the evening. Anna then pulled up Fairview Southdale as "in network" on her computer. Tommy remained noncommittal about that fact. Tommy did not live in the reality-based world. I thought we left creating your own reality in January. Our nurse, Dawn, overheard most of our exchange and wrote up Tommy Girl, so a report was filed with the Nursery and her department. We have requested to have no more contact with her. Our friend Jessica Seeley, a social worker herself, tells us that there are only 2 kinds of social workers, the very good like Rachel at the NICU and the very bad like Tommy Girl.
I don't think it's too early for my Mt. Rushmore of NICU/Special Care Nursery AWFULNESS: Tommy Girl, Old Kathleen, Infant Massage Lady, and Pizza Nurse. Anna would probably put Dr. Speech on the list, but I would just make her an honorable mention.
Mandy and Matt treated us to a fine birthday dinner at an Italian Restaurant in Minneapolis. Before the meal, however, we reenacted "The Chinese Restaurant" from Seinfeld.
Tomorrow we will spend the night at the hospital. They secured a room for us, unless a new mom kicks us out. This is another sign we are nearing the end.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Birthday Present
I now understand why old people like pictures over regulars gifts as presents. Since, I'm 30 now, I'm not young. I'm not old, but definitely not young. Anyway, what I wanted for my birthday was a certain picture of our family. I think it's a winner.
Anders now weighs 7lbs 9oz and he took nearly a full feeding at noon, while at 15:00 he took half his feeding, better than the usual crash after a big feeding. We are encouraged by the progress. Grandma Ingrid visited today. She gave me a nice orange gift.
It was a nice birthday, pretty uneventful, but nice. I've had more exciting birthdays, but this might have been the best birthday.
Anders now weighs 7lbs 9oz and he took nearly a full feeding at noon, while at 15:00 he took half his feeding, better than the usual crash after a big feeding. We are encouraged by the progress. Grandma Ingrid visited today. She gave me a nice orange gift.
It was a nice birthday, pretty uneventful, but nice. I've had more exciting birthdays, but this might have been the best birthday.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Oh Sherrie
Anders loves many song. His favorite song recently is "Oh Sherry" by Steve Perry, lead singer of Journey. Brad and I have remarked on this song's musical genius for well over a decade in large part because it begins and ends the same way. Now, this is the go-to song to calm Anders. For those of you unfamiliar or needing a review, here it is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te1CVVlaJzA
I can't hope to emulate "The Voice," but during the refrain, for Anders, I am The Voice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te1CVVlaJzA
I can't hope to emulate "The Voice," but during the refrain, for Anders, I am The Voice.
Anders' Follow Up Album
As our nurse Dawn told us, Anders was due a slower day after going gang busters yesterday. He took 60% of his feedings yesterday. They thought about putting him on cue based feedings, but decided not to push him too fast. They may have learned that fast doesn't work for Anders. Anders took 40-50 last night at 21:00 after his full feeding at 6 pm. He took over 30 at midnight, neotubed at 3, 34 at 6:00, at 9:00 he was neotubed because he took a 25 minute poop that, well, pooped him out. He took 40 at noon. I fed him 31 at 15:00 while he was half asleep. Anna gave him a full feeding at 18:00. We shall find out tomorrow how he fared tonight.
Anders is about 7lbs 6oz today. He is 19 inches long. I still suspect that if I helped measure he would be longer.
Tomorrow, we will talk to the social worker about transfer options to Columbus Children's Hospital. I think the 28th of Oct. is about the latest he could be released from here in order to make it back in time for Anna to go back to school. Brad told me that incompetence reigns during hospital transfers, so I'm not sure about that option either.
Thanks for all the concern over my mental state after Friday's meltdown. We are keeping it together, barely at times. I won't speak for Anna, but I am am worn down to a nub. Some days are better than others, but I am basically running on mental fumes. I don't have much patience for the hospital run-around anymore. I don't think I'm going to win any awards for Minnesota Nice. I've always preferred Iowa Friendly anyway.
Anders is about 7lbs 6oz today. He is 19 inches long. I still suspect that if I helped measure he would be longer.
Tomorrow, we will talk to the social worker about transfer options to Columbus Children's Hospital. I think the 28th of Oct. is about the latest he could be released from here in order to make it back in time for Anna to go back to school. Brad told me that incompetence reigns during hospital transfers, so I'm not sure about that option either.
Thanks for all the concern over my mental state after Friday's meltdown. We are keeping it together, barely at times. I won't speak for Anna, but I am am worn down to a nub. Some days are better than others, but I am basically running on mental fumes. I don't have much patience for the hospital run-around anymore. I don't think I'm going to win any awards for Minnesota Nice. I've always preferred Iowa Friendly anyway.
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