Day 71 (November 25, 2001), Nursery has been completed (well enough of it to say it is completed).
Chloe is alert and doing very well. She still has a few problems like her breathing and her eating. For breathing she needs to get off the nose tube and lower her respiration. For eating the little green tube has got to go -- she has been eating about half of her food by the bottle and half of her food by the food pump.
Chloe now ways 3 lbs 14 oz and is growing which is good because she is not using the bulk of her energy to produce heat. She is handling the open crib very well.
PANIC turned to CHLOE WATCH.
Day 72 (November 26, 2001), We must correct a previous mistake. Chloe was only fed one meal a day by the bottle and sometimes two meals.
Today, Chloe almost finished the entire bottle (33 ml or slightly more than one ounce) which tired her out. To help her out they may lower the ml and raise the calories.
A good development this day was the cutting back on the oxygen that Chloe is taking in. Her nasal tube was cut back from 2 liters of volume to 1 liter. Her oxygen level was cut from 40% to 30% which is very good. This shows that her little lungs are growing up as well.
Her kidneys were checked for kidney stones and none were found. This was done because one of the big drugs she is taking is Lasix which is used to remove excess water in the bottle.
Her room is done and hopefully mom will curb those nesting instincts. Dad is el-cheapo thinking that a plastic box from Walmart would make a bassinet. While mom wants the best thinking that a gold plated bassinet would be the best for Chloe. Fortunately there was something in the middle.
Day 73 (November 27, 2001). Today Chloe got her hearing tested and the results were very very good. The nurse told us that the Ear Tester said it was the best she had. Now I know that her hearing will depreciate severely when she reaches those teenager years, but I think that will be a mental function as opposed to a biological mechanical function.
Chloe has progressed tremendously in the past two weeks, but there are still a few things left for her to do. She still needs to eat everything in her bottle (i.e. stamina) and loose the cool looking nose tube. Both she has made substantial progress that as a father I am very proud of her.
It looks like next week we will have a better sense of when she is coming home. Mom wanted to steal her last night, but the oxygen tube wasn't long enough.
Dad is extremely tired, because he has been doing this for over four months (two months when Cheryl was on bed rest and two and a half months when Chloe was born). But he supposes that when Chloe comes home he will wish that he can come back to those vacation days like he is going through right now.
Pictures will be coming. Time is now an important issue.
Day 77 (December 1, 2001) Chloe weighs 4 lbs 4.25 oz. which is very good. She is handling the open crib very well and now is drinking a whole bottle (slightly over 1 oz.) for at least one feeding a day. She is now a big girl (until they bring in one of those industrial strength babies), so she now have to build up endurance in sucking. It is hard to accept that my daughter sucks at sucking. Oh well, in time she will be drinking out of the bottle for every feeding.
The good news is that the days of the Bradycardias and Apnea episodes appear to be over. She has not had any in such a long time that mom and dad don't even ask anymore.
No word on Chloe coming home. It is now up to Chloe, if she uses the bottle each feeding than I believe that they will send her home. Chloe is strong and smart for her age, she will prevail, she just needs to develop those muscles.
(Chloe and Mom's hand)
(Chloe and dad 11-25-2001)
(Chloe and Dad the first week)