Day 9 (September 25, 2001), Chloe has moved into a new condo, it is the adult preemie box. They feel that they do not need the access to her like they did seven days ago. I like the new digs, because mom and dad gets a better view of our Chloe.
Chloe has been eating big time (5 ml every 3 hours), it appears that her digested
track is working and we are very happy. Go Chloe!
One thing, that I notice was that her oxygen was up to 34% on her CPAP
and her alarms went off because of low oxygen intake. The nurse
said it was not to be too concern with, but you know dads.
Another chest X-ray was taken of Chloe and nothing turned up. These X-rays are to examine her lungs because Chloe is suffering with Respiratory Distress Syndrome (premie lungs).
This is the week that Chloe's brain starts to develop, so Cheryl is reading books to her every day. I am preparing for my financial future by reciting words like the following:
"Warmth, Happiness, Elope, Smiles, Sunshine" |
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Day 10 (September 26, 2001), Chloe is still having problems breathing, her assisted oxygen level is now between 28% to 30%. The oxygen problem may be due to her having thick mucus stuff on the back of her throat because of the CPAP which is bothering her to no end.
Chloe's food intake is now 7 ml every three hours. Chloe is tolerating her formula very well, which is obviously very good. Eating is very important for life. As such she has gained over 2 ounces, which means that she is 1 lb. 9.4 oz that is 2 ounces less than her birth weight. To give you a perspective of the volume of 7 ml, the below picture of Cheryl holding a syringe full of food is only 3.5 ml full. I was surprised that it all fits in her tummy.
Chloe is definitely showing signs of a personality, she hates to be tinkered
with and the changing of the diapers is one of the things on the top of
her hate list. There are likewise things that she really likes
such as lying in positions that she is most comfortable.
Another chest X-ray was taken of Chloe, fortunately nothing turned up.
The X-ray was to check the fluid level around the lungs.
(Chloe waking up)
Day 11(September 27, 2001), Chloe is still having problems breathing, her assisted oxygen level is now 45 to 48%. They have changed her Oxygen sensor hoping that it was the problem and it wasn't. This is a big worry at the Lewis household and in much need of prayer.
Chloe is doing well chow wise, she has been eating (drinking really) 8 ml of formula every three hours. She also has gained another 1/2 ounce making her weight slightly under 1 lb 10 oz.
(Mom feeds Chloe)
One of the nurses approached me and asked:
"Are you ..."
I interrupted and said something like "Hello Sossina"
Sossina was/is a good friend from my college days at Simpson College. She was one of the nurses in the delivery of Chloe and she was working up in the NICU for a few days.
It was good to see her again. God has truly given me a great friend of faith. All I can say is Wow!
Chloe is doing very well, she is drinking/eating 11 ml of formula and soon breast milk from the mom. They are no longer feeding her through the umbilical tube. They have yet to disconnect it because it is a fall back feeding device if Chloe doesn't digest her food. It is really not the case, but it is purely precautionary.
They are giving Chloe drugs to get rid of the remaining excess fluids, hoping that will improve her breathing, because she is now at 60% oxygen assist and her blood gas transfer rate is not what we would like. At this point we must remind ourselves again, that she is breathing on her own, as such, that is tremendous improvement.
Day 13 (September 29, 2001), Chloe was sleeping
this day, the nurse was doing the usual tinkering and she was sleeping
so sound that she barely noticed it.
She is eating completely by her
gavage tube which is a small green tube that is used to transport
her formula into her stomach. Hopfully some day she will be using a bottle.
She is consuming 122 cc per day which is 15.25 cc per feeding (every three
hours).
Her oxygen assist is 65% and they are trying to get the fluids that surround
the lungs out. Remember that her little lungs had very little time
to start developing (see day 1).
Another concern that Cheryl and I have is her Umbilical Arterial Catheter
(UAC) which is placed in a belly button artery. It is used to check blood
pressure, draw blood samples and give fluids. This seems to be failing,
which means that if it does, then they will have to do the blood samples
a more manual way (sticking her with needles) several times a day.
Chloe still has the Umbilical Arterial Catheter, which seems to be working very well. Mom and Dad are extremely pleased with this.
Her respiratory therapist came in and started to take off her CPAP and push vapors down her lungs. I was happy to see the CPAP off of her nose for just a little bit. That CPAP must be painful.
There is a slight possibility that she will go back on a respirator, but that is very small.
As far as chow is concerned, she is eating some of Cheryl's breast milk mixed with the formula. The total is 12 ml every three hours. She did have some residual (undigested formula) before feeding but it was very small (1.5 ml). It is good to see her eat a lot of food.
Chloe is now gaining a buttocks, before she had no visible buttocks, but now it is coming to its own. The 27th week is when a baby in the womb starts to develop its fats, so when Chloe was born, she was fat free.