NICU - Day 13

Day by day . . . slowly but surely . . . step by step. . . 

Another day of growing for Alex and Charlie. Michael and I got to the NICU around 11:30 today only to find out that the boys had already eaten. Apparently, their feed times got moved up an hour and somehow we missed finding out. Their schedule had been to eat at 12-3-6-9 but now it's 11-2-5-8. They were both in deep sleep so we didn't stay long at that visit. We decided instead to come back for their five o'clock feeding and let Lucy see her brothers since it has been a few days.

When we got there, I nursed Charlie and Michael bottle-fed Alex. We had planned to do a pre/post weight check of Charlie after nursing but had to reschedule that for tomorrow. He did pretty well so I traded off and let Grammy have a turn to see him.

Lucy, talking to Alex before his bottle

 

MMM. . . yummy!

 

Lucy was so well behaved while we were there! She talked to her brothers, used her indoor voice, and didn't run around. . . playing games on Mommy's phone probably helped! (whatever works, right?)

 

 Grammy and Charlie

Charlie seemed content after eating . . . until about 30 minutes later. The nurse brought him about half of his feed in a bottle, so Grammy topped him off. He nursed well, so he shouldn't have been hungry, but he may be growing a bit more this week. Last night, I held him right after he had his full feeding through his ng tube and he still was acting as if he wanted more.

I held Alex for a while after he finished eating. Lucy sat with me and told Alex all about her day at school.

Alex is back under the photo therapy lights again. His bilirubin level went up to a 10.9 from what his chart said. . . I seemed to remember when Lucy was under the lights that they were looking for a level of 7 or under. Hopefully one more day will help him get rid of his jaundice.

Mommy and Alex

 One of the two sweetest boys in the world

 Both boys stayed awake for most of the two hours that we were there, which is impressive! We said goodbye around 6:15 as it was time for the nurses' shift change and headed to dinner. We tried the new restaurant, "Juicy Lucy" on 25. .  if you live in the Asheville area, you have to go. It's delicious!!

Lucy loves that her name is everywhere at this restaurant! :)

 

Michael and I ran back by the hospital after dinner, just to see if the boys would be awake for their 8 PM feeding. They were both really sleepy, which I expected since they had been awake for so long earlier. We stayed long enough to find out their weights for the day (Charlie is now 4 lbs, 8.2 oz. and Alex is 4 lbs, .5 oz.) and then we headed home. Alex probably would weigh a little more if he hadn't been under the lights all day. The nurse explained that those lights take a lot of moisture out of their bodies. . . we should see a bigger difference in weight once he's finished with them. 

Overall, a good day for the boys. I had hopes that they might be coming home at the beginning of next week, but that's not going to happen - they just aren't ready. Maybe the end of next week. . .we'll see. I know in my head that what is best for them is to be there and I want them to have everything that they need. But my heart is getting tired of having to say goodbye every night. . . I'm ready to have my whole family together under one roof. But I know there is a purpose for this period of waiting. I know that even when I leave them, their Heavenly Father is still there. He is watching them, protecting them, helping them to grow.  May I be able to learn to be still. . . to have the patience to know that in His time, Alex and Charlie will be ready to come home.