Baby Lauren is in an isolation room now, behind closed doors where the risk of cross-infecting other babies is lower. Her weight is now up to 1 lb, 11.4 oz (779 grams). She is still tolerating her 7cc's feedings well. The MRSA infection she has, although worrysome, could be worse. She only has it at her wound site. If it worsens, she could get it in her bloodstream or in her lungs. Those infections, although treatable, are harder to get rid of. Let's hope this is as bad as it gets.
10/22/01 NOON:
Baby Lauren likes her isolation room. It is quiet and there is not as much light as before, so she is not getting so much stimulation. She is resting quietly and her vent setting have been lowered more. Daddy bought her a device that plays a recording of womb sounds, so maybe she feels a little more "at home" now. Her feedings are now up to 8cc's every three hours and she is tolerating them just fine. Her morning lab tests were all normal, and her foot looks fine except for a little white spot where the IV used to be. This morning she was reaching up and tugging on the IV in her scalp, so the nurse scolded her - and she stopped!!!
10/22/01 11:30PM:
Mommy go to hold Baby Lauren tonight!!! She was there visiting tonight when the nurse asked Moomy if she would mind holding Baby Lauren so she could change the linens and clean the incubator. Mommy got to hold her in the "football" hold for 10-15 minutes. She said Lauren felt very light, and that Baby Lauren opened her eyes and stared at Mommy's face. Lauren's weight tonight was 1 lb, 11 oz, and she is still tolerating the 8cc feeds without any problems. They are now adding a fortifier to the milk feedings to increase the caloric contents so that she will put on weight a little faster.
10/23/01 10:00PM:
Baby Lauren had a great day today. She is still in isolation, where it's quieter and she gets better rest. Her feedings have been increased to 9 cc's every three hours, and there have been very small residual volumes left. They discontinued her intravenous TPN feedings, so she is now relying solely on Mommy's milk (with fortifier) for her nutritional needs. Her left foot is now looking good, with only a small dark spot where the IV was. Mommy and Daddy a lot of hands-on with Lauren tonight. Mommy got to change Lauren's diaper and the dressing over the ileostomy stoma. She also got to turn her over and reposition Lauren on her bed. She also got to take Lauren's temperature and to feed her. Daddy got to reposition the diaper to make sure it covered everything it should. Lauren had not been weighed yet, but she looks bigger than ever. Her vent settings have been lowered yet again. I don't think it will be long before they take her off the vent again. When they do, I think they will let us start to do "kangaroo" care, where Mommy (and Daddy) get to hold her on the bare chest for extended periods of time. It helps further the bonding process, and it helps with breast milk production and let-down. With all the hair on Daddy's chest, Lauren is going to feel like she's playing on a lawn.
10/24/01 11:30AM:
Lauren weighed in last night at 1 lb and a beer - I mean 1 lb and 12 oz. Her vent settings remain low. They are continuing warm water soaks to the left foot, and the IV in her scalp vein is not in use since they stopped the TPN feedings via the central IV line in her right neck. Dr. Bufo said today that he might let Lauren go home upon discharge with the ileostomy stoma so that we can enjoy her some and so that she can gain some weight before bringing her back to the operating room for reversal of the surgery. He has not decided for sure yet.
10/24/01 10:00PM:
Today they removed the IV line in Lauren's scalp and they stopped the warm water soaks to the left foot. Lauren weighed in tonight at 1 lb, 11.6 oz, and she continues to tolerate the 9 cc breast milk feedings with fortifier. Daddy got to "feed" her tonight after her bath - the nurse soaked two small pieces of 2" X 2" gauze with water, used one of them to apply the soap and the other to rinse it off. Lauren kicked and cried the whole time, and I could almost hear her saying: "What's she doing, Daddy? Make her stop!!! Make her stop!!!" I hope she gets used to baths like her brother - you can't get him out of the water without a small battle...