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Chloe Elizabeth Lewis:  Week 12
(December 2 - 8, 2001)
 


 

  
  Day 80 (December 4, 2001)  Chloe is now using the bottle at least twice a day.  One of the nurses, fed her by bottle three consecutive times then later in the evening Chloe drank half of another bottle.

Chloe is now in the process of conquering the baby bottle, but she still has some way to go.  Today, we learned that she will have to get off of the Lasix before she can come home. 

We knew from previous conversations with the nurses that she can come home on oxygen.  They will just give us a huge tank and lots of tubing.

Chloe now weighs 4 lbs 8 oz. and very alert.  She cries more often and wants lots of attention.

Her parents, are now in deep fatigue mode, it is very hard for many to understand what a toll this does to a family.  Life has been frozen while activities has increased.  Both Cheryl and I have to plan our lives around what I call "Planned Failure".  Those things that don't matter (like clean house) we just let go.  Those things that are important (like Chloe) that is our concentration.

We still cannot believe that it has been 80 days. 

Sossina was there brightening our evening.  Unfortunately, she was tending to others.

 

  
  Day 82 (December 6) The doctors have lowered Chloe's Lasix intake by half.  This is great because it is one more step in Chloe's coming home.  She weighs 4 lbs. 8.5 oz. and growing.  She is changing so fast that it is hard to leave her.
 		  
  Day 83 (December 7, 2001) Chloe is now eating (well drinking) a couple of feedings a day using the bottle.  Stamina is being developed by her.  It is amazing how fast she can down a bottle of formula.  Her formula has increased to 43 ml while maintaining the same calorie diet of 28 calories.

Chloe's room is coming together, and is being prepped for a garden scene.  Her first name means "flower" and we and a fantastic friend of ours thought that her room should be a flower garden.  I hope that it will turn out very well, and I have now doubt that it will be nothing short of spectacular.
 		  
 


 

  
  Day 84 (December 8, 2001) Cheryl and a friend of ours (Rhomi Tripp) spent many of hours getting Chloe's room ready for her arrival.  They (Rhomi mainly) spent time putting up the stencils and applying paint to the wall.  The walls even in rough form are stimulating indeed, it the stuff that dreams are made of.

Chloe had four full consecutive bottle feedings and she finished half of the next bottle.  This is just what her parents have been praying for.  It will not be too long before she develops the strength to do all eight feedings.

Another great Chloe news is that her oxygen level was set to 23% which is very close to 21% of room oxygen (unless you live in LA).  If her lungs keep progressing then we will not have to go home on oxygen.