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Day 49, 1080 grams
Ever have one of those days where all the forces of the cosmos seems to align and everything just goes right? Yeah, that was me today. All aces.
This morning they upgraded me to 15mL of milk every 3 hours, which put my total intake for today at 112mL! Dr. Kovacs lowered my ventilator pressure to 14 and right away I started posting some great numbers. My oxygen needs went well below 30% for most of the day (and at one point I went as low as you can go--that's right, room air, baby!). I marked this achievement by loading my diaper with a celebratory poop for Melissa. She was so impressed that she decided to work a double shift to see if I could repeat the feat.
It was surprisingly calm in the NICU for a Monday, and as a result mommy had a very good kangaroo session with me today and we were able to catch a very soothing nap. We said goodbye to Baby Ulysse today--lucky guy got to home with his mommy and daddy. Don't worry buddy, I'll be bustin' out of here soon, too!
I got a surprise visit from Opa AND Oma today! I was so pleased that I showed Oma a really big smile, and then I peed my diaper.
Before I go, I'd like to say Happy Birthday to Great-Aunt Marcie in Massachusetts. Thanks for the crucifix--we put it in my incubator right next to my Shir LaMa'alot card, and the stuffed toys have joined my ever-expanding menagerie.
Peace!
AOV
Day 48, 1120 grams.
Oy, I'm such a pig! I'm up to 13 mL of food every 3 hours now. That alone is impressive, but factor in that I am also receiving the maximum amount of IV nutrition! Wow!
Today I did kangaroo care with daddy again. I love the big guy, but he's not as good as mommy. He needs to relax more! Apparently, mothers also automatically regulate their heat to make sure babies don't get too hot or cold during skin-to-skin contact. Dads? Not so much.
I've been trying to tell everyone for days now that my favorite sleeping position is on my belly, but unfortunately I lack the power to speak because I'm a BABY. Any way, mom, dad and the nurses are now making sure that I get a lot of time on my belly. I tend to breath easier and it takes the pressure off my scar, which is mostly on my back. What they don't realize is that my picky behaviour is, in fact, part of my master plan to escape this joint. On more than one occasion nurses, respiratory therapists and even my parents have caught me with my hand on my breathing tube. I'm pretty close to figuring out how to disconnect this thing, and when I do, you can kiss my baby butt good-bye! I'll be sooo outta here. Don't tell anyone, K?
AOV
Zzzzz... (I'm in the blue blanket on mommy's chest)
Day 47, 1120 grams
Oof! I'm stuffed! They have me up to 9mL of food every 3 hours. That's like almost a teaspoon. Well, it's a lot for me! Don't forget I'm just a little guy--right now my stomach is only about the size of an almond!
Today was another great day of kangaroo care with mommy. Melissa and Emilie are real pros at getting me out of my incubator with minimal fuss. And believe me, I'm a connoisseur of fuss. After I settled down on mommy's chest, daddy pulled up a chair next to us and soon we all fell asleep. It was our first family nap! While we were asleep, Melissa, Emilie, Andrea, Karine and Adriana sneaked around like a bunch of shoe-making elves trying desperately to find a camera to capture the moment on film. After borrowing an Polaroid from a neighboring department, they snapped the shot and stuck it on my incubator where my parents would surely see it when they woke up. And surely they did wake up and see the picture! Everyone had a good laugh, and mom and dad were able to have a good nap. I'm glad to see them finally get a little rest--they're really looking rough around the edges these days! Having a great nursing team really makes them rest easier, too. Great job ladies! I hear by make you my honorary aunties! My first piano recital will be dedicated to you!
AOV
Day 46, 1100 grams.
Bit of a wacky day today. They've gone up to 55 breaths per minute but came down on my pressures. To use a gym analogy, it's like doing more reps only with less weight. Builds endurance I guess. I'm still feeling a little wonky with the pain from operation, but each day gets a little better.
Today Mommy got to hold me for two and a half hours! We were so comfortable that at one point we both fell asleep. I wasn't worried about her dropping me because she had me in a nifty thing called a Cuddly Wrap. I was also lucky to have Nurse Melissa looking after me today, because she is a strong believer in Kangaroo Care. If any of you out there are having babies, I highly recommend it! I find it very relaxing and it's a great way for me to get out and see the world for bit. Someday, when I don't have so many wires and tubes attached to me, mommy will be able to carry me around the unit. Maybe I can get her to sneak out to Toys 'R' Us when the nurses aren't looking.
Until next time, my family, friends and fans!
AOV
Day 45, 1070 grams.
Today my daddy got to hold me for the first time since I was born. Mom was lucky enough to hold me 3 times already, so I felt that it was about time to give my pops a turn. I hope I made a good first impression! I was worried that I might have been a little stinky, because his eyes would not stop watering! We cuddled for about an hour, he sang me a few songs and then I went back into my incubator to rest. Then he read me Cat in the Hat, Yerlte the Turtle and Mr. Bump.
He seems to be a pretty nice guy--I think I'll keep him.
AOV
Day 44, 1030 grams.
Pretty good day today. Oxygen well below 30%. Pressures are down. Weight is up. Filled my diaper with some vile yellow goo. Good times, good times.
A lot of people ask me, "Hey Baby Andrej, I don't get what all this ventilator business is all about." Well to answer this in part I present to you:
Andrej's Lay-Baby Guide to Understanding the VentilatorFirst off, here is a great explanation of mechanical ventilation. Now that that has thoroughly confused you, here are the four stats we monitor the most:
- breaths per minute (bpm)
- fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2)
- inspired (inhaled) pressure (Pinsp)
- exhaling pressure or Positive End Expiratory Pressure (PEEP)
For example, I am right now at 45bpm, 23-27% oxygen with a pressure of 15cmH2O over 5cmH20 (cmH2O is a measure of pressure which I don't fully understand!). Ideally my oxygen should get as close to 21%, which is the concentration of oxygen in room air. The machine is giving me 45 breaths per minute, but the more the pressures come down, the more I can set my own rate. Of course, the whole point of breathing is to provide oxygen to the brain. The efficiency at which I process oxygen into my blood is essential, so they constantly monitor my Oxygen Saturation percentage. For me an ideal percentage is around 85% to 94%--any higher or lower for extended periods of time can cause damage. Sometimes, when I move around, have a fit or fill my pants I start to de-saturate, or "desat," and the nurses or respiratory therapists need to boost my FiO2 until I get back to my ideal levels, or "Happy Zone," which is a medical term invented by Mommy.
So I hope that helps to clear up some questions!
AOV
Day 43, 1000 grams
Yes, yes, I know I've lost weight, but once again I'm getting rid of excess fluid. Now I'm totally cut! Today they started feeding me mommy's milk again. Starting with 3mL and increasing to 6mL by the end of the day.
The doctors are now starting to wean me off the respirator, first by lowering my pressure a bit. I'm not sure how much I like it yet, and I think I might be feeling a little pain from my operation since they started decreasing my fentanyl. I've had a few little "incidents" tonight, so the nurses will have to keep an eye on me!
The big news is that I had a surprise visit from Opa today (Opa is Dutch for Grandpa, by the way). He said I looked a lot bigger and it would only be a matter of time before I would be put to work picking strawberries. Sounds like fun! He said it would be easy since I'm so close to the ground. He's the guy disturbing my sleep in the picture
Now I'm tired and I need some sleep. I hope tomorrow is a another day of progress!
AOV
Day 42, 1040 grams. Oh Yeah, I own that kilo now!
I got to ride in the ambulance again today (still no stopping for Timbits and an Iced Cap--bummer) because today is the day I went back to my regular hospital. Everyone was so happy to see me come back, but I was kind of expecting a little more hoopla and fanfare. At the very least some hulabaloo. Regardless, it was good to be back among familiar faces. I was especially glad to see Andrea again! I even let her have the pleasure of suctioning the boogers out of my nose! And I know she's impressed with my hulked-up one kilo bod. Ooooh yeah! This way to the gun show, ladies!
As for my stats, I'm still recovering from my surgery, but my oxygen is consistently in the low to mid 20s (remember: 21% is basically room air!) and my breath rate is 45. While I'm on the mend I'm on a mild dose of fentanyl, or as I like to call it, happy juice.
If anyone out there reading this happens to be an NICU nurse looking for a job, come on by, because I have soooo many new neighbours! Total pandemonium. In all the confusion I almost forgot to say goodbye to my friend Blake, who is going for his own stay at the Children's Hospital. Stay strong, buddy! I hope you come back soon.
AOV
Day 41 AND I'M 1080 GRAMS! YAY!
Today was a big recovery day, so not much else happening other than hitting that 1 kilo mark. I will be going back to the Jewish General Hospital tomorrow, and although I came here for surgery, I must say that my stay here was quite relaxing. Maybe it was the quiet, maybe it was the drugs, who knows? Mommy and daddy are also looking very rested for a change--they even went for an hour and half long walk. They're a good couple of kids, they deserve a break.
The funniest part of the day was the major booger build-up in my nose. I was having a fit trying to tell everyone that I was uncomfortable, but no one here speaks "baby." So I communicated the only way I know how: major oxygen de-saturations. Eventually Maureen, my nurse, caught on and suck out a hefty supply of green goblins from my nose. Mommy, who has no problem with my pee and poop was soooo grossed out. I think she almost barfed. After that I got a nice sponge bath. Quite refreshing! I decided to thank Maureen at the end by peeing on her, but she was on to my little prank. Man, she's good. Check out the video at the bottom of the page!
Any way, I have to pack. I have a big day tomorrow and I want to make sure I don't leave behind any of my stuff. Later!
AOV
40 Days old, that is.
So how was your day? Mine was pretty tame. Heart surgery, collapsed lung, drug induced stupor, you know, everyday stuff. So here's the rundown-- After a good night's sleep, mom and day arrive at 7am. The surgeon explained to them how the operation works and then goes off to prepare the O.R. Rev. Blizzard, one of the ministers who married mom and dad arrived to say hello to me. He was a nice man, but also really strange. He was saying some nice, soothing things to me and just as I started to relax, he starts throwing water on me! Weird! Apparently this is called "baptizing." I call it "irritating an irritable infant." Whatever it was, I felt very calm and confident for my upcoming operation.
The operation itself only took about half an hour, and while mommy and daddy should have been pacing the halls and wringing their hands, they instead were watching the Tottenham Hotspurs/Arsenal soccer match on TV. Can't a baby get a little love? Any way, things went smoothly and at first I was very comfortable. But then they realized that my breathing tube was a little too far down and was only filling my right lung. Also, because the operation was on the left side, it put a lot of pressure on my left lung. End result: collapsed left lung. So they fixed my tube and increased my ventilator pressure to re-inflate it. Then, because of the anesthesia and painkillers the nurses were worried about me not peeing. So I got a catheter. Ouch. Future nurses of mine, here's a tip. If I'm not peeing and so you decide to stick a tube up there, I will totally pay you back when you take the tube out. Just ask my nurse tonight. She now calls me "Super Soaker."
In other baby-interest stories tonight, Uncle Antonio got me a TON of new books! A bunch of Dr. Seuss, the complete Winnie the Pooh, and the Collectors Edition Curious George. Mommy and daddy read me a bunch of stories and then left for the night. Tomorrow we will find out how I am doing and decide when I will go back to my other hospital. Pity. I really like it here! But I still miss my girlfriends at the JGH. Keep my incubator warmed up ladies!
AOV
...just had my operation...docs said it went well...extremely tired right now...will update again later...zzzzzzzz...
Day 39, 960 grams
Short post today because I'm writing to you from the Children's Hospital! That's right, I'm having my operation. By the time most of you read this my operation will be over. Mommy and daddy are a little nervous, but they say that this operation is very common and only takes about 15 minutes. The only thing that made me mad was when I got there they had to do ANOTHER heart echo on me that laster over an hour. I expressed my displeasure through crying, turning red and filling my diaper. Take that!
Today's photo is the transport buggy that I got to ride on the way to the hospital. They loaded this thing onto the ambulance and off we went. Try as I might, I could not convince the driver to pull into the Tim Horton's drive-thru for an Ice Cap. Mom keeps talking about these things and I can't wait to try one.
Think of me around 9am(EST) on Saturday!
AOV
Day 38, 950 grams
Today's big news is that I'm now up to 5mL of milk every 3 hours. Beefcake! Also, the doctor was so impressed with my oxygen that he lowered the pressures a bit, which gives me the chance to practice breathing on my own a bit more. Tomorrow I have another "heart echo" test, which will tell the doctors whether or not my heart is repairing itself. It's been known to happen, and it would mean no surgery! Chances are slim, but hope is all we have, as mom and dad say. I think I have my first girlfriend. Today I was making goo-goo eyes at my nurse, Andrea, and she seemed to like it, so I think we're totally going out now. I hope that the fact that I don't have a car, or a driver's license, or control over my own bowels doesn't ruin my chances. Rumour has it that she already has a boyfriend, but there is NO way he is cuter than me. Here's a picture of me taken today with my cool new Sesame Street blankies (given to me by my cousins Luke, Ella and Maggie from Ottawa). You cannot resist the cuteness! Submit!AOV
Day 37, 970g
In this NICU world a day where nothing at all happens is a good day. My oxygen is between 23% and 26% which is excellent for a little guy with the size of PDA that I have. Apparently anything below 20% is just the air in the room, so yeah, I'm doing all right!
I was very happy today because I'm now up to 3mL of food every three hours. That, combined with my steroids and the increase in my IV fluids, means I'll be bustin' outta here in no time! Right now the most important thing for me is getting BIGGER.
In other news, a fungal infection I had called candida has officially cleared up! One less item on my "list of issues."
I had a surprise visit from my tetka (great-aunt for you non-Balkans) all the way from Texas. Well, actually she's back from a three month stay in Texas visiting her own grandkids. She has a funny new name for me: "misko popisko," which means "little mouse that pees a lot." Well I am small like a mouse and do pee A LOT, so I guess I can't argue there.
So I'll leave you with a little piece of wisdom today. Today I got a "Shir LaMa'alot" card, which, according to Jewish tradition, is placed in the baby's bassinet after birth. Written in Hebrew on the card is Psalm 121 and other writings to safeguard mom and me. Dad put the card on the wall of my incubator right next to the little crucifix that great-aunt Marcie sent from Boston. How cool that I'm just over a month old and I'm already learning about the religions of the world? When you're as small as me, you need all the prayers and good vibes you can get!
AOV
Day 36 950 grams
The doctor called the Children's Hospital today to book me for surgery as soon as possible. But I guess "as soon as possible" means "maybe next week." No problem. It's only my HEART that needs surgery. Mommy and daddy seemed upset about me not going right away, and they used some words that I've never heard before. I won't write them here because I don't know what they mean, I don't know how they're spelled, and I can't imagine why someone would even want to stick their own head (****CENSORED****). I mean, the physics alone boggle the mind!
Everyone was worried about my central line AGAIN. The pump that gives me my IV food was having trouble pumping, and the nurse was worried that the line might be blocked, which could mean that my line might "infiltrate," sending the fluid into my chest and crashing me. This happened once before, by the way. Luckily the doctor flushed out the line and it looks as though it's working now. I don't think mommy and daddy are going to sleep much tonight, though.
Any way, the good news is that I'm being fed again. And now I'm getting 2, count 'em, 2 big millilitres of mommy's milk every 3 hours. No poops yet, but mom and dad are waiting with excitement for the excrement. Here's a fun fact: since I haven't been able to drink mom's milk since I was born, she has been freezing it and thawing it out as I need it. So today's milk was from March 17th, which I understand is a very important day for my parents. Something about a guy named Guinness. Mommy seems to love this guy. I won't tell daddy!
Still waiting,
AOV
Day 35, 930 grams
Today started out fine, but things got a little interesting at night. Just before 9pm the nurse was clearing out the gunk that gets stuck in my mouth and nose when suddenly I had trouble breathing. My oxygen saturation fell a lot and my heart rate went as low as 55 pbm for about 4 minutes. The nurses acted fast by removing my nasal tube and then "bagging" me, which you've probably seen doctors do on TV. Also another nurse was giving me chest compressions, sort of like baby CPR, to make sure my blood kept pumping. At 8:59 my colour had returned to normal and we all waited for the doctor to arrive to see what the next step would be. I enjoyed having a little bit of time without anything stuck to my face! (see picture) When the doctor arrived, he decided to reintubate me, which means I had to go back to having the tube down my throat again.
One of the reasons I'm having trouble keeping my oxygen saturation level up is because I have a heart murmur (Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is a heart problem that is common among premature babies. Read more about it here. -Dad) The doctor decided that I need to go for an operation at the Children's Hospital as soon as possible to have this problem fixed. I'll let you know when the operation will be as soon as they tell me.
Bye for now,
AOV
Day 34, 940 grams.
I know it seems as though I lost weight, but the truth is I was retaining water because of one of my medications. My medication is called "Indomethecin." This sometimes happens to Daddy. His medication is called "beer."
24 hours of nasal ventilation and so far, so good. I managed to pull the tube out once already, but since it's not too long, it's not such a big deal. All my numbers are pretty much the same as they were yesterday. The big news today is that I made my first sounds. It wasn't the Wagner aria everyone hoped for, but at least I made a sound! My throat's still a little raw from my old tube.
I have a new video today. Mommy was adjusting my tube and I sneezed on her. Funny stuff!
Enjoy!
AOV
Day 33. 970 grams.
Whew! What an interesting day! It started out great--I was using around 23% oxygen and they lowered my breaths per minute to 45. Things were going so well that mommy and daddy decided to go do some shopping. But I didn't want them to leave so I caused a fuss when the nurse was suctioning out my lungs and I managed to "extubate" myself. This means that the tube going into my lungs popped out a bit and was no longer providing me with oxygen. VERY uncomfortable! So instead of putting a new tube down there, the doctor instead put in a shorter tube that only goes up my nose and is letting me try breathing on my own. I think I'm pretty good at this! Air goes in, air goes out. Air goes in, air goes out. Repeat as necessary. So now it looks like my oxygen is around 40-45%, but a lot of that might end up escaping out my mouth. I only use what I need. The best thing about my new tube is that my vocal chords are now free, although they're a little swollen, probably. This means that soon my voice will be heard! I wonder what I'll sound like? Daddy says that with all irritation from the tube I might sound like Tom Waits, whoever that is.
See you soon!
AOV
Day 32, 960 gramsToday I had everyone a little worried because of a little game I was playing. While I slept I would slow my heart rate from about 130bpm to as low as 60bpm for a couple of seconds. The technical term for this is called bradycardia, but everyone calls them a "brady," which sort of sounds like "bratty," which is what mommy and daddy call me every time this happens. The doctors and nurses are going to keep a close eye on me, because this is not a nice game to play.
Other news was that my heart murmur has returned, and that made everyone a little sad. We thought it had gone away after I had a a bunch of medicine called "indomethecin" that made me not pee for a while. A heart murmur isn't the worse thing that can happen to me, but it can make it hard for my little lungs to heal and develop.
The best news of today was that my oxygen went to as low as 22%, my breath rate fell to 65 per minute (down from 75!) and my pressures are now 16 over 5! I don't understand any of that either! But it means I'm a few steps closer to breathing on my own--which means no more tube up my nose--which means people can see my beautiful face. Part of the reason for this success is hydrocortisone, which belongs to a class of drugs called “corticosteroids” and is used most commonly for medical conditions that involve inflammation. I wouldn't know that if weren't for google searches and cutting and pasting. So far the only down side to taking the steroids is that I probably won't be able to complete in the Baby Olympics in the sport of my passion: modern pentathalon.
So thanks for taking the time to read today. Mommy and Daddy just left and are going to go home and wash the cool Sesame Street blankets that my cousins Luke, Ella and Maggie got me. I hope to have some pictures of me using them up very soon!
Take Care,
AOV
Day 31--I'm one month old today! 880 grams
Today was another good day. My oxygen requirements and pressures went down again and my lungs are looking clearer and clearer. The big news is that I have a new central line. This is a major IV that gives me all the nutrients I need to live. They also replaced the bar on my nose that holds my ET tube, but I think it's crooked! Oh well. Hopefully the nurses will notice if it starts to peel off or something. Mom and Dad were in a great mood today and Baka came by to say hello. I decided to show her my smile for the first time. Maybe tomorrow they'll start feeding me again, since they had to stop because of my new breathing tube and central line. By the time I'm done here I think I could be a doctor too!
