May 2005

The babies had a good day and Aaron and I are getting more comfortable taking them out of their isolettes without assistance. The Trentmas hit the big 4lb mark today and Miss Sophie is now 3lbs 5 oz.
The picture of Sophie posted is after she’s eaten. She was doing what they call a “packard” when she’s practically limp after eating ( and wearing the new outfit her grandma Judy got her).
Today they both had their weekly head ultrasounds and abdominal ultrasounds. We won’t know the results until tomorrow.In addition, we were taken a bit back today to be told that both babies are now going to have eye exams twice a week and that their eyes were dialated today in preparation for a visit from the eye doctor. We’re not sure why the additional exam has been added and plan to ask tomorrow. Unfortunately in the intermediate nursery, the medical staff leaves at 2pm so by the time we learned of the additional exam, the doctors were gone for the day. We’re not sure if thise means things have suddenly gotten worse or its just a percaution.
The Trentman continues to get respitory treatment twice a day and these definitely seem to help his breathing. We hope that these will to decrease over time. He’s also getting used to taking the bottle.
We’re hoping if they continue to well this week- they will be able to cobed soon.[[Image:the_kids/20050531-KKhsk531.JPG]]

The babies continued to do well. Aaron was able to feed Trent for the first time today with a bottle and both seemed to enjoy it very much. Trent is now up to full feeds and his belly appears to be completely recovered from his bout with NEC. He still continues to get respitory treatments two times a day but his chest sounds good and his secreations are minimal ( he just sounds a bit stuffed up and its quite apparent when his treatment is due). He’s now at 3lbs 14 oz and 4lbs is just around the corner. We’re hopeful that we can give him a bath this week and possibly attempt nursing.
Miss Sophie had a good day as well. She quite taken with her food and is happy to get it anyway she can. She’s quite vocal when its time for her feedings demonstrating her healthy lungs. Today’s head ultrasounds was pushed out due to the holiday so we won’t know a status on her hydrocephellis until tomorrow ( although the doctor did tell us he be surprised if there way any change positive or negative). She also gets a fortifier with her feedings to help strengthen her bones as her calcium and phosphorus level are not where they should be She continues to put on weight everyday as well and is now at 3lbs 4oz.
The doctor said his main focus for both of them over the coming weeks is to GROW![[Image:the_kids/20050530-DSCN0295.JPG]]

Today was a big day for the Trentman. He graduated from the NICU and joined his sister in the intermediate nursery.
He also was bottle fed by the NICU nurses for the first time last night- and was able to tolerate 20ccs of his 30cc feed before tuckering out.
Miss Sophie also had a big day and nursed for the first time at her 6pm feeding. She is truly an amazing little lady.
Tomorrow we will be giving both babies baths and will hopefully get Trent on a bottle feeding schedule.
His IV was pulled out last night and his medications can now be given orally. Sophie’s reservoir continues to be tapped daily. We are hopeful tomorrow’s ultrasound shows an improvement with her hydrocepellis. Both remain on the nasal canula breathing support as well – for the development of their eyes.

It is so nice for Aaron and I to have our babies together again and we hope that the stability the babies have shown over the last weeks is a permanent direction for both of them.

Both babies had a good day. Sophie’s transfusion did the trick for her hematocrit and its now at 47 ( the eye doctor had wanted it to be 40 or better for her eyes). She continues to do well on her feedings and Aaron and I are bottle feeding her twice a day. She’s now up to 29 ccss every 3 hours and seems to enjoy it ( and is pretty vocal right before feeding time). We still miss her NICU nurses but are learning the new routine of the new intermediate nursery and the nursing staff.
Our Trentman continues to do well and is no longer know in the NICU a the desat baby. He continues to breath well on the nasal canula. Due to his NEC infection, his feedings continue to be slowly increased every ( 1 cc every 12 hours) and he now is at 27 ccs . 30 is considered full feeds for his current weight. He’s number 1 one the list for the intermediate nursery and will probably go after the holiday. He continues on the dieretic Lasiks , caffeine and an drug to improve his direct billreubin but we are hopeful these can be given orally and his IV can be removed shortly. We’re anxious to bottle feed him and are awaiting the green light from the medical team on when this can be done.[[Image:the_kids/20050528-TKKK528.JPG]][[Image:the_kids/20050528-TK528.JPG]][[Image:the_kids/20050528-TKh528.JPG]]

Today was the babies weekly eye exam. I fear they’re going to grow to hate Friday’s since the exam isn’t very pleasant and can be very tiring for them. Unfortunately Sophie’s eyes are slightly worse. This could reverse itself so we its important that her blood pressure remain good, her oxygen remain high and she remain able to see light. The doctor also would like her hematocrit to be higher so she received a blood transfusion this evening. Her day was very stable though- with feedings going well, her weight continuing to increase (about 3lbs 8oz) and her overall health fairly stable. We’re still getting used to the new nursery but each day it gets a little easier.
Trent remains in the NICU until he gets to full feeds ( 30ccs every 3 hours). He’s now at 25ccs. We’re hoping his move to the intermediate nursery is sometime this weekend or Tuesday. His eye exam was a bit better than Sophie’s however, showing no change in his eyes from last week. He’s getting to be quite a big boy- getting very close to the 4lb mark. We pray for a quiet, stable, continued growing weekend.[[Image:the_kids/20050527-HoldTk527.JPG]][[Image:the_kids/20050527-Tk527.JPG]]

Both babies had a good day and we’re learning how to manage having our babies on different floors at Stanford with one baby on in the NICU and one in the intermediate nursery. We’re now on a schedule to bottle feed Sophie twice a day and hope to increase that ( as well as attempt direct feeding from me) this weekend. We also had a Care conference ( doctor, our social worker, the development specialist, the nurse practioner and me) to discuss the concerns I had yesterday about the transition from the NICU and her care. I feel a bit better and know that I will get used to the new team and we look forward to having more hands with her care.
Trent continues to do well – with his feedings increasing and his breathing stable and it looks like he’s not far behind joining his sister in the intermediate nursery. He’s still on the last of his antibiotics from his pneumonia but it appears he’s recovered from it and is going in the right direction.
Tomorrow the babies have their weekly eye exams. We pray that there is improvement or at the very least no worsening from last week.

Today was a big day for Sophie. She officially graduated from the NICU and was moved down to the intermediate nursery. The main focus of this nursery is for the babies to grow. The good news is that its much quieter than the NICU and parents get to do much more hands on. The bad news is that we had to leave our wonderful nurses who know our baby so well and Aaron and I are having a bit of a hard time ( especially me) with the transition. I’m sure its just getting into a new routine and getting the new team to get to know Sophie but the smallest things (like having her have to face the wall because of the way she has to lay due to her reservoir) were still very upsetting. We’re hoping to be able to talk to the nurses/doctors tomorrow and get a couple things altered.
The Trentman continues to be stable on his feeding and breathing and is now not far behind his sister. We’re told that if he continues to do well- he may move by this weekend. Once both babies can maintain their tempeture, they will be able to be moved out of their isolettes and put into a joint crib.