Monitoring Progress

Day of life 18.  Day back at work 1.  All in all, just another day in paradise.

Mom and dad started the day by arriving at the NICU at 7:30 am.  (Well, if you asked mom, she started the day by waking up at 5:30 to keep on her crazy pumping schedule.)  We were able to take out both Lucas and Olivia, and enjoy our second day in a row with the entire family enjoying some cuddling time together.  As I sat there with Lucas in my arms, his head barely filling up my hand, I couldn't help but enjoy the moment.  As I have felt at times recently, I had this sneaking suspicion these kids are going to be running around and too big to hold before we know it.  When I get that feeling, I wonder why we are in such a hurry for them to grow up and graduate from the NICU.  Obvious fears aside, the knowledge that time will inevitably have its way with us makes it so easy to be present with them when we get to hold them.  Remind me of that the first time Olivia storms up to her room because I won't let her go to some party.

Anyway, our little superstars continue to progress, or in the case of today, continue to stay the course.  Lucas had a pretty routine day.  His cpap stayed at a level of 5, and he continues to tolerate his feeds well.  He is still having bradycardias (lowered heartbeats because he forgets to breath).  In fact, he had one while I was holding him.  Good thing dad is pretty obsessed with the monitors, because I saw it and gently prodded him to remember the basics and keep breathing.  Strange how used to this process we are getting.  During rounds (which I missed because I was already off to work), the attending doctor continued to assure us that they are doing exactly as well as they should be, but also joked that maybe everyone will stop bugging him now to take Lucas off the cpap.  So, either Lucas was being nice and proving the attending right, or he was being nice and giving his sister a chance to catch up, but it doesn't look like graduation to the nasal cannula is coming until Lucas can string together a few days without forgetfulness.  We're proud either way.

Olivia had a bit more tangible progress, enjoying her first consecutive days out and into a parent's arms and also having her feeds increased to 4 mL every three hours.  She should be up to her brother in feeds in no time.  Also, it turns out she did not get another echocardiogram yesterday.  The attending said he saw no need for one this week, and he might do one next week, except, if she continues to eat and breath well, he will put it off for another week after that.  The sum of all that is, Olivia's pda remains small in the eyes of the doctors, and thus of little concern, so long as she continues to prove herself.  Keep that game face on little girl.  

Now, about them monitors.  Instead of a cute baby picture, I thought I would give you this today.  This is a really cute picture, trust me:

This is the sum of all their monitors.  There are screens like this above each of the kids beds.  This is the screen above Olivia's bed, so her numbers are on the right and Lucas's are on the left (vice versa on the screen above Lucas's bed).  From top to bottom, green = heart rate; yellow = breathing rate; blue = oxygen saturation in blood.    

This is a cute picture because these are basically perfect numbers for each of them.  This is cute because it is not always this way.  Your average visit to the NICU shows these numbers fluctuate up, down, side to side.  When you're a rookie (or just a worry wart like dad), you worry every time one of the numbers drops.  Rarely does it mean anything of big concern.  Never is it something mom or dad can actually do anything about.  Okay, not never, because we can raise heart rates when the little ones forget to breath, but my point is paying attention to the monitors is probably not such a hot idea if the result is worry or fear.  

Which brings us back, like following the breath or holding our children, to living in the moment.  As Marni pointed out yesterday, this whole experience is pretty overwhelming if we think about it too much, so we try our best to stay grateful and stay in the moment.  As it has repeatedly proven, time is on our side and will have its way with us, so we might as well get as much out of today as we can.  

Oh by the way, mom and dad returned to work today.  Mom absolutely loved it.  Dad will find a way to get to that point.  And, to celebrate almost getting out from under the finish of the bathroom, we celebrated by picking up a massive freezer for the dining room (to hold all that breast milk) and by picking up 5 huge bags of clothes from parents on the Hill of fast growing triplets.  Just another day in paradise.