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.