My Birthday

Trish with Grayson

Me with Scarlett

This is a crazy season.  Our kids missed Halloween by a day, but we have the honor of being NICU parent's through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.  We had a terrific experience on Thanksgiving with local relatives hosting a delicious spread.  We were able to visit with our kids in the morning, go to supper, play games, then head back to the hospital.

Today was my birthday.  It was different.  Trish and I already decided we wouldn't celebrate it today.  Honestly it doesn't seem important in the scheme of things.  Almost selfish even.  Why would I want to spend time in a restaurant when my kids are eating through feeding tubes?  How could I expect her to go shopping for me when we haven't bought our 1 month old children a single outfit yet?  Birthdays are not holidays.  They are great to spend with family but are not designed to bring people together.  I was able to hold one of my kids today, but I had to choose.

With all that said, today was one of the best birthday's I've ever experienced.  It was nice to see those Facebook messages and texts roll in, but it was exhilarating to stare into my daughter's face, at her bulging eyes from her CPAP mask and her mouth wide open or chewing on her feeding tube.  I didn't choose her over her brother.  Grayson is sicker, and studies have shown that mothers doing Kangaroo Care significantly help their kids get better.  They assume that dad's have a positive effect too, but the results are not as obvious.  Did you know that women have 4 separate "zones" on their torso that can help regulate temperature?  For example, if Trish were to hold both twins and Grayson was warm while Scarlett was cold, the side Grayson was off would cool down and Scarlett's side would heat up.  Isn't that crazy?  Any/everyone who lays on my chest is getting heated until we all pass out ;-)  In the NICU we are not allowed to sleep while holding them, but I can't wait to have them home, passed out on my chest on a lazy Saturday morning!  And did you know that bond can be of medical benefit too?  If a child is exposed to a germ or infection, the mother's body will add the appropriate antibodies to the breast milk so the baby will avoid the sickness or recover faster!  AMAZING!

We did have major changes in the respiratory department today.  Grayson's ventilator setting weren't doing the job.  After looking at the gases in his blood and how much air he was inhaling/exhaling and his breathing pattern, they changed almost everything.  I am hoping the doctor who made those decisions today will be on tomorrow so she can explain her thought process and concerns.  But I think the basics of the idea are to start over and see if we can get a good baseline to ween from.

Scarlett however, was doing SO well on the SiPAP, they switcher her to CPAP!  She is on the same machine but she now has 1 constant pressure.  They increased her oxygen because transitions can be tough, but she was doing well this evening.

Here is a pic of the diapers they started in and are in now.  The smaller diapers were too big a month ago.